Stu and Didi strive to make Tommy's first birthday a memorable one. They did, but under the wrong circumstances. Meanwhile Tommy wants to eat dog food so he can be just like Spike, eventually selling the other Rugrats on the idea.

Stu and Didi ended up taking Tommy to an important dinner at "Chez Ennui" with Mr. Mucklehoney (president of Mucklehoney Industries, a toy company), since Tiffany the babysitter (via telephone) and Grandpa have different plans (the babysitter's OTHER goldfish died and Grandpa was going bowling with a friend of his named Louise). Tommy, however, has plans of his own, and proceeds to get loose in the resturant kitchen, causing absolute chaos.

Tommy wants to see the Reptar movie, but his parents take him and the other Rugrats to the Westside Octoplex to see The Land Without Smiles (starring the Dummi Bears) instead. The Rugrats leave the Dummi Bears to go look for Reptar (showing at the same theater), leaving a path of destruction behind them.

Stu and Didi take Tommy and Angelica on a car trip to the Grand Canyon, but their car breaks down. While exploring the garage repair shop, the Rugrats unwittingly foil two unscrupulous mechanics who were planning to rip them off.

While Stu and Drew are cleaning Drew's boat, Chuckie and Tommy shanghaied Cynthia so she could be captain; however, when she got lost in the sewer system, it broke Angelica's heart. She did get her back, but not without sailing miles and miles in the sewers and taking a bath in toxic waste. Meanwhile, after being chased away by Angelica, Spike hitches a ride in a garbage truck to the city dump, which doubles as a "scenic overlook."