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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

aibu to think people should qait to purchase food before sitting down at a table?

191 replies

Allthingspretty · 21/02/2013 12:59

In the queue of a cafe where there are lots of signs asking people to show consoderation at busy times about sitting down before ordering at last three people blatantly sit at the remaining tables whilst i and others arw qaiting to be served.

Aibu to have said very loudly so that one part of the offending party that it was very selfish of people. The. Sales assistant said she had told people about this before and was shouted at.

I was made to wait for a table simply because people were being selfish.
Aibu?

OP posts:

Latara · 21/02/2013 13:21

Locally the worst people for this are the retired late middle aged to elderly... they practically race each other to the best tables proving that they aren't exactly infirm!

It's quite amusing :)

Attackofthefiftyfootwoman · 21/02/2013 13:22

yes i see that now, but I would read that as the same thing. just one of the things that bugs me as I get older

WorraLiberty · 21/02/2013 13:22

If you're on your own you either put your coat on the back of the chair, or ask someone to mind the seat while you order.

Really if everyone did this, there wouldn't be a problem.

The signs should say, "Please secure your table/seat before ordering food".

sheeplikessleep · 21/02/2013 13:22

We do grab a table whilst DH queues.
But DS1 and DS2 are an absolute nightmare waiting in queues, particularly with a glass sheet with loads of yummy cakes behind it!

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 21/02/2013 13:22

These signs make things a whole lot worse. I remember M and S cafe used to run pretty smoothly with people using common sense, then when the signs were introduced people just got really annoyed and aggressive/passive aggressive to others.

Including my mum who had just come out of hospital for cancer surgery so had had to sit down. Which really made our day.

Viviennemary · 21/02/2013 13:22

I would reserve a table before I bought food. But if somebody with food asked me to move then I would.

Attackofthefiftyfootwoman · 21/02/2013 13:22

latara yup I see that too its quite a sport

chris481 · 21/02/2013 13:22

The time it takes to queue ought to be a small fraction of the time it takes to eat, so people reserving tables should not be making much of an overall difference to table availability. But the standard procedure of one person buying and the rest grabbing a table does allow lone diners to be queue-jumped for a table, which is a bit unfair.

As was pointed out the last time this was discussed, many people, especially parties of several people, don't want to eat there if they can't get a table, so they need to grab one first.

PatienceALittleThin · 21/02/2013 13:24

I got told off by someone for doing this yesterday. Was it you OP?

The lady who had a go at me was narked because I'd taken the only free 4 seater table (lots of 2 seaters available) and it was just me and my daughter, whereas she was with her friend and 2 children. She wasn't interested in the fact that I'm dependent on a rollator and that this was the only table accessible to me. Apparantly I still a selfish cow.

digerd · 21/02/2013 13:25

That always sent me into a rage. I had been standing in the queue and was ravenous and had 15 minutes to eat at table and get back to the coach.

I had paid but when I went to sit on a seat at a table, I was told huffily that the seat was taken. I said " I can't see anyone there, are they invisable? I snatched the vacant chair and took it to another table in one hand and my tray in the other, and they expressed their disgust at me. I was furious.

loubielou31 · 21/02/2013 13:27

I have got very good at asking in a way that means I'm going to sit here anyway, "Is this space taken?" and then unpacking all the baby paraphenalia and if feeling really bloody minded I also used to BF obviously people finish up or move on pretty quickly.

digerd · 21/02/2013 13:30

ps
I had asked where this invisable person was and told he was still in the queue way behind me. They were women sitting at the table 'reserving it'

CatsRule · 21/02/2013 13:30

Well when dh and I go out if we both stood in the queue with the pram you woulf be annoyed at that!

We get a table where the pram can fit them dh goes up to order...I see almost everyone doing that.

Most places are so cramped that there is nowhere to wait with a pram that doesn't involve securing a table or blocking the door etc.

We'd be annoying someone no matter which way we did it!

redandwhitesprinkles · 21/02/2013 13:30

I wouldn't purchase food unless there was definitely somewhere for me to sit. Therefore yabu. When I am on my own I put my coat on a chair.

The rule is a silly one IMHO.

digerd · 21/02/2013 13:32

"invisible" spelling - as I was all riled up just remembering that time as it was over 30 + years ago.

BegoniaBampot · 21/02/2013 13:34

I think people are a bit stupid if they stand in a busy queue knowing they might not get a table if it's busy and then have to stand eating their lunch. Get a table and then get your food or get a friend or such to bags one.

pixi2 · 21/02/2013 13:35

YABU IMO.

We have just done this. Dnephew (15), my disabled mum, my 3 yr old and almost 2 yr old got a table whilst I bought mid morning snacks and drinks.

Would you have had my mum stand and wait? And see me deal with two hungry children who would

pixi2 · 21/02/2013 13:35

Play up due to hunger. And not be able to see over the six foot fifteen yr old rugby player?

Sparklingbrook · 21/02/2013 13:36

It's down to queue length for me. Packed cafe, massive queue hardly any free tables, I probably wouldn't even bother TBH.

Empty cafe-grab a table.

5madthings · 21/02/2013 13:38

Oh god this again. I have five children and yes i sit the four older ones at thw table whilst i order food as queing up with all if them is a pita. If its just me no i dont save a table as its normally easy enough for one person to find a place to sit somewhere.

If somewhere is really busy i just go elsewhere.

Sparklingbrook · 21/02/2013 13:39

5 there hasn't been a thread about this for a couple of weeks now. [ggrin]

Sparklingbrook · 21/02/2013 13:39

even

BegoniaBampot · 21/02/2013 13:43

Also if the cafe enforced that rule (probably would walk out without ordering and just go elsewhere) and I was standing like a numpty with my food and nowhere to sit, I'd just go to till and ask for a refund.

milf90 · 21/02/2013 13:45

Eh? So if you buy your food and then there's no table what do you do? I thoughtnit was common sense to make sure there's a table before ordering??!

BegoniaBampot · 21/02/2013 13:47

I've seen threads on this topic get really aggressive in the past. Funny, what gets folk so worked up!

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