Would you move tables at a Cafe?

They asked if they could join you basically using the spare seats? You said no because you needed the plug (couldn't you have slid across towards the socket?) Yes the woman was annoyed but I can understand why, and don't forget the other underoccupied table may have told her they were waiting for people too.

I think it's pretty unreasonable to under occupy by my than one seat to be honest, when I've had to (often no choice) I've always allowed others to sit at my table and equally I've asked to join others many times and never been told no due to a plug!

Another vote for both unreasonable. One person, four seats? Nah! No reason for that.

The woman’s unreasonable nastiness? As out of order as you are.

Wish people who wanted to do work would avoid coffee shops and go to a library or somewhere else

People pay to come here for a coffee and a chat etc. If you're sitting at a booth fir an hour thinking it's OK to order a coffee once an hour....don't think that's ok. You've no thought for other customers, especially taking up a booth

It's not rude at all. It's first come, first serve. You are not more entitled to certain seats than anyone else.

Sorry this happened to you. I hope you're feeling better now.

I don't understand why people are saying you shouldn't have sat in the seat either. It's a public space and you paid for lunch. It's up to the establishment to set rules on who can sit where, not other customers. Nothing excuses the way this lady spoke to you. Absolutely nothing.

The woman was a psycho, buy another coffee next time you're there, then toast to the fact you aren't related to her and never have to see her again!

Did you also have one coffee which you drank very slowly over the course of three hours?

If I had asked you to move I would have been very polite but people who take up a whole booth by themselves in a busy cafe (normally sitting next to the remains of a coffee they obviously finished hours ago) give me the rage.

Have worked in a coffee shop, to all the people deeply concerned about how awful it is for business (yes, the poor giant coffee chain, however will they cope) I promise no one cares. There's loads of people who sit for a few hours, have a few coffees and a sarnie, it's fine. People come in and do work meetings, job interviews, all sorts. All fine. The OP taking up a booth is fine, it was the only seat available when she arrived, no one expects people to play musical chairs to ensure maximum capacity can be fulfilled at all times. It's fine.

It's first come first served, end of, and if the woman had asked politely OP probably would've moved anyway, but she woke up and chose to be a cunt so she reaped the benefits of that behaviour.

What's not fine is being a rude bitch and verbally abusing someone when you don't get your own way.

Because a small cramped table doesn't suit her needs, either.

Solo people need not always accept the dregs that are left over after others have taken what they pleased.

Same thing happened to me recently - I was in the canteen at work at a table on my own in the middle of my lunch and a group of people came up and asked me to move to a space on another table. I said that I was very happy for them to join me but that I wouldn't be moving. They were quite polite but I do think that it's incredibly rude to interrupt someone eating to ask them to move just so that you can have the table to yourself.

As an aside I don't believe that they would have approached a man with that request, but obviously I have no way of proving that!

You try reading - she chose that seat because it was the only one that looked comfortable and was at the back. The fact that she chose it, would mean that there was a choice - not the only seat.

I agree with this.

So tired of a world in which singletons are constantly expecting to defer to coupled.

The booth may have had 4 seats but it also had the charging sockets and size of table the OP needed.

Her needs are as important as any others.

Four people who don't need a socket don't outweigh the need of the solo person who does.

A single person taking s booth is rude even if it is quiet at the time.
Coffee shops can get busy quickly and why should a group sit cramped round a small table because you are using a coffee shop as a library

Why? They could have sat elsewhere but just decided their wanted OP's seat.

I also didn’t really think they absolutely needed it, there were other seats/ tables free but I guess they wanted a booth.

How is using one seat and buying stuff in a coffeeshop only 'borderline ok' when it is literally the only reason for coffee shops to exist.

The rude woman was lucky you were as passive as you were.

I wouldn't have let her get away with speaking to me like that. She's obviously been lucky so far in her dealings with her fellow citizens, but her luck will run out.

But she is extremely unreasonable for taking up a four seater booth so she could plug her laptop into the cafes socket. I wonder how long she was there, what food and drink she bought and whether she offered any money for the use of their electric

A few days ago DH and I went to a local coffee shop which wasn’t very busy . We sat at a table for 2 near the window and ordered coffee and cake .
We were chatting when 2 women approached us and “ could you move please ,we always sit here !”
There were lots of other tables available so I said no. They stood for a few moments telling each other how rude we were !
Bizarre .,

Using 1 seat and buying stuff, borderline OK.

Taking up 4 seats is not OK.

Why is it NOT OK for her to use it as an office? It’s not like she’s on loud calls. There are sockets for people to use so it’s not about costing the business money. Also it’s Nero, let’s not feel bad for them.

Have people really not noticed that there are always people working in cafes? 😄 as long as they’re buying, what’s the problem?

Ideally you woulnd't be using a cafe as an office, as this costs businesses money. However there is no way it is reasonable to be rude and verbally abusive to a total stranger.

YANBU. There was clearly another booth so they can sit there (obviously they can, they did). What a horrible, sour woman. Just feel sorry for her. Of course if she was nicer things might go better for her, as you said.

I wouldn't have called you names, but I would have thought them. Do your work at home if you can't compromise.

Why's it OK for you to use a cafe as an office?

Can people not read?

It was the only table available when the OP settled herself down and she's a paying customer.

Tsk tsk OP as soon as a less suitable table became available you should have leapt up and taken it. Women are expected to make themselves small in public and ignore their own needs and wants.

No way she would have said those things to a man.