to be unsure about coffee shop etiquette?

[Kalypso]

If two people enter a coffee shop, is it ever acceptable for the first person to sit at a free table while their friend orders, even if there are already people queuing who don't necessarily have a friend there to save them a table?

Depending on the size of the queue, I think it may be acceptable to claim a table beforehand when there are clearly enough tables for everybody, but what if table space happens to be very limited? Am I being unreasonable to think this is queue-jumping?

Nah I think it's just one of those things. Why would anyone be a martyr and lose out on a table if they have a friend with them who can sit at it?

I don't know if it's etiquette, but I would say most people do it. I do it and never even thought! Especially if it's DH and I with DD, one of us will take DD and sit down while the other queues.

If i'm meeting my husband for our friday coffee i grab a nice table and wait for him to come in then one of us orders - it's never even occurred to me that it would be wrong.

...and if I'm on my own and it's busy, I will go straight to a table, get comfortable and get my coat off etc, then go and get my coffee or whatever.

I'm obviously terribly rude - I just don't get to do the sitting and having a relaxing coffee very often and like to do it right when the opportunity arises!

Nope, it's what I do all the time .

I always go for a table while mum/ friend orders, I usually have my DS with me so I sit down get his jacket on and get him settled into a highchair, usually by the time I've done that whoever I'm with has been served.

I've never considered it queue jumping, I don't bat an eyelid when people in front of me do it.

I don't think it's particularly rude..it's just if you don't bag a table, you could well end up buying a coffee and having nowhere to sit and drink it.

Equally though, if it's that busy in there..you'd end up sharing a table with another coffee drinker anyway so it all works out in the end.

Of course its not wrong. Its part of universal karma. You go into a coffee shop with friends, ergo you have friends, ergo you're a relatively nice person. Obviously, if the other people don't have friends then they're horrible nasty people who kick puppies and don't deserve a table. Frankly, its making me shudder just to think about what shits these people queueing up must be. Scummers. Try and give 'em a slap while you're in the queue.

No I don't think it's acceptable, but everyone does it! Very annoying if you are on your own and don't have a friend to go nab the table! If there are lots of tables free and I'm with the DCs I will make them go and sit down, but that's mainly so they are not getting in the way of the queue and fiddling with the biscuits etc by the till

Get his jacket off that should be.

I always sit at a table whilst waiting for the order to come.

On one occasion, in a Thornton's cafe, with my mum and her friend, my mum was ordering and we sat down. It was quite busy and this woman who had coffee but no table came up to us and demanded that we moved (my mum was next in line so maybe a minute from coming over). We said no (politely) and she stormed over to the manager who then came over and also demanded that we moved. Humiliated wasn't the word, everyone was looking at us. My mum had seen what had happened and cancelled her order, stormed over, told them where to stick their 'crap and overpriced' coffee and told the old cow who'd caused the fuss 'there you go, enjoy your coffee' and we left in a haze of fury!

Mum complained to Thornton's HQ - got a grovelling apology and £20 voucher! Apparently they do not have a seating policy and they agreed that we were treated appallingly.

This was about 15 years ago and I have since been in other Thornton's café's and the service has been lovely - have never been back to the one in my home town though.

Lmao @ deepheat!

No I HATE this. It drives me bloody bonkers, and although DS1 is now old enough to hog a table for us when we go out (and has offered to) I point blank refuse to let him.

That's why I'm asking! It's something I do quite often, but then worry that it's unfair. It's one of those things that I do automatically because everybody else does (rightly or wrongly).

I can't say it particularly annoys me if I'm queueing on my own and somebody walks in with a friend and claims a table. When I'm on my own, I tend to get takeaway anyway.

Just thought I would gauge people's opinions on this!

Sitting down waiting for your order to come is different - you're usually told to go and sit down and they'll bring your order to you.

OP it is unfair really but I look at it as one of those little things in life that happens and you think "Oh bugger!" and take it on the chin.

Unfair in my opinion would be for the people holding the tables, to refuse to let another coffee drinker sit at their table when they have a spare seat.

I think it is ok if there are lots of tables free but if there isn't and someone in front of you can't get a table because you've hogged it then that is unreasonable. In our m&s cafe it has a notice telling people not to do it.

I think it's fine too....what I HATE s when one person with an inch of cold cappucino and all the papers sits alone at a table for 4 and looks away as others in need can't sit down.

No I think it is rude. It really annoys me in cafes, with a queue and lots of people bagging tables.

But Baroque, if you're in a group of - say - 4 people, surely it makes sense for the other three to sit down and not take up the queueing space at the counter. If everyone queued, it would be a nightmare in some coffee places.

I am happy to say that this is not a matter that has ever concerned me or even entered my consciousness. Go in, get table, wait for coffee. Job done.

Surely the whole point of a queuing system is 'first come, first served'. It's not fair to take up a table before you're actually a customer whilst someone else loses out.
If they've come in before you then they should get a table first, surely?

I think that it perfectly fine, I don't want the drink unless I have the table.
The downside is being on your own, but it doesn't bother me. I have always found a table, generally someone is leaving as you are ready and if I was on my own I would just go and sit at a table with someone else, not something you want to do when chatting with someone else.
I dare say lots of people will say it is rude but I don't think so and will continue to do so. The system is much better where they expect you to sit first.

I teach my children to queue and wait for our turn.

We then stand with our full tray looking at people sitting at clear empty tables. These people are desperately trying not to make eye contact with anyone, whilst their Mum/DH calls from the end of the queue to clarify what they are ordering....

Having read this I won't bother with manners and taking turns any more.......

It appears that it is socially acceptable to queue jump.

If I have DCs with me I most certainly sit them first, it is madness to have fidgety DC in a queue with hot drinks.