How do you save a table at breakfast? Row with other guest

[PJHarvey]

So you're staying in a hotel with one other person, and breakfast is a buffet where you can choose your own table. How do you save your spot?

• take turns going up to get food, so there's always someone at the table.
• both go up together but leave some belongings there, like a jacket or sunglasses.
• something else to indicate your presence (if so what?)

I had a pretty unpleasant encounter with a horrible man this morning over this, and am wondering who is in the wrong.

No, you done nothing wrong
Sadly, we all get caught out with totally weird stuff like you had and we are hopefully more prepared for it next time

IMO - the American should have polited stated - hello, do you mind this is the table - and most people would react positively to a polite encounter

you'd say, sorry, I did not realise that as people often leave a drink/bag etc - but I guess the dork was just an unreasonable buffoon that saw England as a little island as some do over there and think even less of us here IMO

That's interesting @NoBinturongsHereMate because he was absolutely convinced I somehow should have known this 'symbol'.

It didn't occur to him that he's not in America anymore, and maybe things are done differently in Europe!

While I’m not the world’s biggest fan of Nando’s, their set up - with the marker added to the table once it’s occupied - is a good model.

We’re ‘belongings’ people when it’s just the two of us, and turn takers when we’re with our pre-schoolers to save dragging them up to the buffet.

OMG apologise?

Grow yourself a backbone.

Kowtowing to loud, angry men who are clearly in the wrong anyway is NOT a good look.

Given that he was being obnoxious, then backed off when the OP's DH turned up, it's quite likely he was a nasty shouty man just glad of a woman to bully.

I wouldnt say he was clearly in the wrong, maybe he had folded his napkin and expected this to be understood? I would say it wasn't worth a row, I would have just smiled, asked him to show me the napkin thing, and said sorry and left.

But he DIDN'T make it clear the table was occupied. Anything but.

I'd have sat there looking at him as if he was an escaped lunatic. I certainly would NOT have moved. Or apologised.

Never heard of the napkin thing.

I travel alone quite a lot, jumper in a chair and sunglasses/book makes it quite clear.

I don't leave handbag or phone.

If he'd asked/explained quietly and politely perhaps, not if he aggressively barges over and starts shouting, he can fuck off.

Oh god folk are so rude I mean it's a table and you are supposed to be relaxed on holiday!

What we do.is somebody goes and gets coffees and cutlery puts them on the table then go and get breakfast. I hope it doesn't spoil the rest of your holiday, ridiculous man.

Shouting at a woman in a hotel restaurant doesn't make him clearly in the wrong?

Honestly, it's attitudes like this that make obnoxious shits like him think their actions are ok.

If you're on your own, place a book or newspaper on the table. Even better, pick up a cup of coffee as soon as you walk in the dining room and put that on the table along with the book/newspaper.

If there's two of you, best to take it in turns too!

Symbolic napkin origami doesn’t cut it for me either. He’s deluded.

the take-it-in-turns or the leave-a-jacket / coffee methods are the only internationally recognised protocols.

This is the way to go and it has never failed me. If there’s croissants, I pick those up too at the same time as a coffee or juice. I “bag” my table and then push off for more food, eggs etc.

IF by chance some random prat has taken my table albeit I’ve secured it, I’d probably say something like “Hello, you’re welcome to join me” or just move my drink and plate to another table. I’d avoid confrontation at all costs because it’s just not with it.

One of us goes and gets orange juice and coffee ands puts them on the table may sling a cardi over the chair too

This!

Very rude of him to shout at you regardless. If he'd approached you nicely then I probably would have entertained the idea of moving.

Different cultures do have different gestures for things like this though. I was a waitress in Dublin many years ago at a place that had a lot of American tourists. It took me a while to grasp that when they were finished and wanted to pay they'd say 'we're all set' rather than just asking for the bill.

one of us tends to grab coffees and juices then we probably take it in turns to go - we have small kids though so it’s mainly to keep them at the table with one of us 😆

Definitely take turns.

The fact he was shouting at a line woman and he only stopped when a man showed up tells you exactly what sort of twat he was, even without his weird folded napkin thing.

I'd just assume a child had done it, not that it was a marker.

Not the point but I love when the server shows you to the table and you sit down. And then immediately stand up and go to the buffet. But you are required by law to sit down - for no reason at all- before you stand again to go to the buffet. Like tasting a bottle of wine, you must sample the table before going to get your breakfast.

Cardigan, reading glasses, room card etc on table

I get the different cultures point, but I just think it's so arrogant to go to another continent and expect everything to be the same as home, to the point of starting a row over nothing.

Yeah him picking a fight is really crazy!

Sorry to any Americans on this thread but I've travelled a lot and it's usually Americans who can't accept that things are done differently elsewhere 😅