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?

'It is like queuing at a bar or getting in the correct lane early. These behaviours are polite and fair but once some people start to break the rules it very quickly disintegrates. If most people are not following the rules then those victims who still do suffer even more.'

Exactly!

It doesn't actually matter what the rule is - either get food first, or get table first. But it would be really helpful if all self service places could just display clear signs telling people which they should do. If the system is going to be get a table first, then For people on their own, or for couples or groups who wish to choose their own food (because let's face it, contrary to popular culture on here, we don't all move in herds with huge groups who are unable to stand in a queue for a few minutes!!) there could be little flags or similar to pop on a table to reserve it, before joining the food queue.

It seems very simple really. And from what several people on here have said (including front line staff who really know what they're talking about) having people bagging tables before people who have actually paid for their food can get one IS a problem in many self service places.

Noqontril, but surely you have to be able to match up the table baggers with the tray fetchers? If there are 15 table baggers, 16 tables but only 8 people queuing, that doesn't really tell you anything as the queue people might be fetching food for the table baggers.

Good luck with your findings!

I hardly think Chester zoo has an absence of family-occupying activities

Before dc or when on my own with dc I normally get food first and find a table. However, I must confess that if out with dh one of use will get table with dc and the other queue. Although in our defence there are normally pleny of tables to go round.
I do understand your frustration OP.

we don't all move in herds with huge groups who are unable to stand in a queue for a few minutes!!

Don't you see that it's not about groups or children being UNABLE to stand in a queue, it's the common sense argument that a family or group don't want to take up and thus slow down the whole queueing system. Believe it or not, I don't want to inconvenience people with my 2 yo and 5 yo trying to make their minds up and being overwhelmed by choice. It is kinder for me to settle them quietly whilst I select and fetch their meals.

People can't bloody win these days. If we were queue hogging with kids and pushchairs, there would be threads about "Why do people tale their entire family up to the servery when they are only getting one tray of food"

Yes youoldslag, I will have to watch every table, and any one leaving or going to said tables very very carefully. I expect I'll need a pen and paper, in fact lots of different coloured pens to reflect the whole dining experience.

My 2 yr old and 4 yr old don't inconvenience people in the queue. They make their minds up quickly and we move on. No time for faffing about.

So they never get bored, or umm and ahh? If that is true they are unlike any 2 or 4 year old I have ever met!

You can give young children a simple choice, they decide and you move on. If they can't be trusted not to muck about, whine, strop and inconvenience others in the queue, then frankly they probably won't be much better sat at a table unsupervised.

Honestly, it seems a mammoth undertaking for some people! Have to wait while someone queues? Shock horror!! Where would we stand? What will we do? Will there be family friendly activities while we wait?!!!!

Dear me.

My 2yo and my 5yo don't inconvenience people either, (so there) but if everyone took their toddlers and pre schoolers and babies and kids up to queue, it would be a noisy, overcrowded pain in the arse.

If there is more than 1 adult they wont be unsupervised. Nobody is saying leave them unsupervised but to take them into the queue when not needed is daft and a potential danger which can be avoided.

'if everyone took their toddlers and pre schoolers and babies and kids up to queue, it would be a noisy, overcrowded pain in the arse.'

Yet they all sit perfectly happily, quietly and without a murmur while unsupervised at a table ? Yeah, right

Potential danger now? Waiting in a queue for a few minutes?

I've heard it all now

*You can give young children a simple choice, they decide and you move on. If they can't be trusted not to muck about, whine, strop and inconvenience others in the queue, then frankly they probably won't be much better sat at a table unsupervised.

Honestly, it seems a mammoth undertaking for some people! Have to wait while someone queues? Shock horror!! Where would we stand? What will we do? Will there be family friendly activities while we wait?!!!!*

No Tink, but why make them stand and wait needlesly in a queue where hot drinks could be a hazard when they could be quietly colouring at a table.

Sirzy- I totally agree with you.

WHY THE HELL DOESN'T BOLD WORK!

Of course those hot drinks pose no danger do they.

Having seen a child run off when "waiting patiently" in a queue and run straight into someone with a hot drink I would say its a pretty big risk and one not worth taking if you have an alternative

waits for the "well my child is so perfect they would never move from my side comments

Yet they all sit perfectly happily, quietly and without a murmur while unsupervised at a table ? Yeah, right

Yes they do, because I always carry mini felts and mini books. Not a peep.

And yes, hot drinks are a hazard because they haven't invented a 2yo that stands as still as a robot in a queue whilst grown ups carry trays of drinks and china etc.

Oooh, there hasn't been one of these threads for a bit! I love them.

YABU. One person (or maybe two, if there's going to be lots to carry) queues and buys, the rest bag a table.

Even if I'm out with just one other person, I'll often send them to sit at the table while I queue up, or vice versa. The alternative is your whole party standing about with trays/hot drinks.

Oh, and I'm always happy to share tables too.

As I've said, I see no problem whatsoever with having a system of getting a table first - but it needs to be a SYSTEM, so that everyone knows to do that first, whether they are single, coupled or in one of the large herds mentioned earlier.

The OP described a situation where she bought a meal, and subsequently couldn't find a table because so many were bagged already (interestingly she didn't mention bagged by young children quietly colouring in, but bagged by adults who just wanted to get a table before people who were actually ready to eat). She then said that when she asked politely to join the table, the baggers told her the seats were 'taken'

How anyone can defend that is beyond me!

I don't understand why every self service establishment doesn't just decide on the system they want and stick up a notice - sorted

People are defending using the common sense system. If op doesn't have the sense to ensure she has somewhere to eat before buying food that's her fault not the people who are sat waiting for food

Ah yes, of course, stupid OP expecting to buy a meal and actually sit somewhere to eat it!

tinker- Op wasn't wrong, she just did it in the wrong order.

Incidently i have been in a self service restaurants where there is a sign telling you not to get a table until you have purchased food.

It seems simple to me, at busy times just put more tables out or get single table and chairs combo for people on
There own

But I am not paying for an over priced burger and chips to not even have a seat

York- that's fair enough, but if I was with my family I wouldn't risk eating there..

I like how Tinker thinks more than 2 people is a "herd"