thinking people should monopolise tables in self service restaurants when they haven't got any food

[workshy]

been out to Chester zoo today and had a fantastic time however we went to eat in one of the self service cafes, had to queue up for food for 15 minutes and then when we went to find a table there were none.

There were however lots of tables with one or 2 people sat on them with no food -when I asked if we could share there table we we told that the seats were taken by people who were still queuing for food and it would have taken us 10 minutes max to eat a bowl of pasta each

we were eventually shouted over by a very nice man who told us that they would be finished in a minute and he gave us his table

now I'm guilty of doing this in the past but now see the error of my ways -no issue with people sitting down to feed a baby while they wait for their partner, or people who are infirm sitting down to wait but these were people that just could be arsed

so AIBU to think that people shouldn't nick tables until they are actually ready to use them?

fixing on* - dur. Must proof read better

Im not feeling guilty at all. It is only on MN I have ever seen anyone complaining about it, I have been to many a cafe and never seen anything but a get table then food approach.

I really don't see what people are getting their knickers in a twist over!!

And a formatting fail, nice

5 minutes in a queue fine (although more pleasant for others if I am on my own sorting things out as quickly as possible).

Queuing for 15 minutes or hanging around indefinitely with tray and children until a table for 4 becomes available - well I'm not wasting any money on that experience.

I think maybe these 'unwritten rules' were devised by people using a canteen when there is no other option for food (e.g at work). I am talking about choosing to pay somebody to eat at a table in their cafe/restaurant because it's enjoyable.

Take a picnic. Self service restaurants are bloody awful. If I wanted to serve myself, I'd eat at home.

you dont just stand still tho do you? you often have to carry your tray along and pickup food/drink as you go along, now i could take all 5 kids with me to do that, making the queue even bigger, trying to keep an eye on ds4 and push the pushchair with dd in and carry the tray as well, or i can park them all at a table where i can see them, knowing that they will sit nicely with dd strapped in the pushchair or highchair so contained and safe or i can negotiate a queue of people with 5 children, i know which one makes more sense and i have never met anyone who gets food and then finds a table even my mil who is extremely fussy about good manners and ettiquette (in her 70's) and she will still get a table and then get the food, thats on the rare occasion she ever deigns to use self service places, she hates them!

I will indeed be slowing down the turnover of tables by eating slowly, having a conversation and perhaps a second coffee.

I will not be slowing down turnover by taking up a table while somebody is queueing for me because if the queue is longer than about 5 minutes I'm not there.

OP waving hello

wow -I go for work for 1 day and look what happens to my thread!!!

just to set a few points straight

I wasn't by myself, I was with my 8 year old DD who I wouldn't leave by herself sat at a table because
a) it's rude
b) she wouldn't know what to do if someone came and ejected her from the table
c) I like to actually talk to my DD so we had a little chat in the queue

I wasn't in a party of 6
when I mentioned 6 people it was when I was asking another poster how her DP managed to carry enough food for 6 people while she was waiting at a table with her 4 DCs

the queue was 15 minutes because as each person orders they cook the garlic bread from scratch and put together the pasta sauce in front of you,
didn't mind waiting as we were having a day out and were being chilled

I did try and get people to share tables but I was looked at like scum and while I would like to eat my meal hot I would rather not do it when someone is shooting me daggers (and no they weren't fat women they were mainly 50 somethings)

I just sit down and start eating, people get annoyed and gobby but I've not been beaten up yet.

Some people are just downright rude OP. You did nothing wrong - ignore the posts which tell you that you were daft for getting your food and looking for somewhere to eat it.

Has anyone actually changed their mind I. The light of this thread? I haven't- There is no way I am getting food or drink without a table.
Mine were fine on a table long before they were 8 years - they never once had a problem. We had plenty of time to chat once we were sitting at the table.

Sorry - predictive text . Changed their mind in the light of this thread.

I haven't either. Will still queue first.

I bet no one has changed their mind.

Nah, probably not

family sit
one queues for food

I always leave the kids at the table while I queue up.

Why wouldn't I?

Imagine if we all queued up and then found we had nowhere to eat the food we'd just bought?

Only someone totally mad and bonkers would take that risk.

I must be mad and bonkers then

I bet no one has changed their mind

Which is odd, as someone sitting down first is clearly the better approach.

Noqontrol - well that's telling you isn't it

Lol tinkerbell, looks like a mumsnet diagnosis there. Must get down to the doctors tomorrow

Ahh but wait till you're mad, bonkers, standing like a tool with a tray and everyone staring at you.... and so hungry your stomach thinks your throat's been cut

Hee hee. Very funny. It's not happened YET. But I will think of this thread and laugh if it does.

Or cry, tears dripping onto my tray of pasta, chips and diet coke, whilst all the other punters sat at tables in oblivion, wait for their nice warm food to arrive

I swear I'd only point and laugh for a little while

Then I'd find the nearest strange looking nutter (me) and seat you beside them.