To get annoyed at people who grab a table in cafes while their friends/partners queue up and order?

[silverphotoframe]

Went to a busy coffee shop this afternoon. Long queue etc. By the time I got mine, I was left waiting along with a few other people who had been served before me standing around with our coffees in our hands waiting for someone to leave and/or ask if they minded someone sitting at their table. What really got my goat was that there were 3 tables that were taken by people who had friends/partners in the queue and therefore did not have their drinks/food yet. I see this a lot. Sometimes the amount of time it takes for someone to queue up, order and get their food/beverages is around the same time someone else could have sat down and finished what they ordered.

Luckily after a short time, a table became free which I was able to take. It just annoys me that people do this. I think if we have a queuing system for food etc surely people with the food should get first dibs on the tables. Would it ever be appropriate to confront someone and turf them off their seat?

[higgle]

If I am on my own and go for a coffee it is very frustrating to have got a drink and some food and then find all the tables occupied by people who are using thier lap tops, reading newspapers and who have long since finished their drinks just hogging the place. They always give you an incomprehending wooly stare as if they are on another planet and haven't registered that you need the table and they don't. I wish I was assertive enough to tackle these rude people, but in the end I generally just leave if I see a cafe full of them.

[Tuppenceinred]

DramaQueen - I don't think many people believe you. But if you are telling the truth then be aware, try turfing my mum off her table and you'll wish you hadn't. Wearing your lunch isn't a great look.

[SauvignonBlanche]

[Sparklingbrook]

If the queue was that long I wouldn't hang around TBH.

[BrokenSunglasses]

Yabu, and you can do it too if you want, there's nothing stopping you from bagging your table too!

If you're on your own its easier to find somewhere anyway because you can sit at one of the bar type things that many places have instead of needing a table.

What's the point of buying something that requires you to have a seat when you have no idea if you'll actually get a seat?

[Tuppenceinred]

Laptop users/book readers/people who don't have an office - yes, they boil my piss in a busy cafe. I think staff should be more prepared to move them on once they've sat for a decent period of time with an empty mug in front of them. That's completely different.

[Morebiscuitsplease]

Sorry but if you have children then I would not get them to wait. If there were no tables we would leave. What abut those people who sit at large tables. Which were obviously designed to seat more? Try to choose a table for the,number of people you have ??? This happened yesterday and a couple were sat, side by side,not opposite taking up more space than needed, cafe was very busy....some people left....

[SauvignonBlanche]

She's fine now, thanks ZigZag
She was 12 when it happened so probably looked a bit daft being 'babied' for a couple of weeks.

[MrsOsbourne]

Do you sit on peoples laps DramaQueen or push them onto the floor ?
Ive never been in a café where everyone stood around looking at tables but not sitting down- its nonsense !

[londone17]

Yabvu.

[MokuMoku]

Higgle, just ask someone if they mind sharing. It really isn't a big deal.

[Lweji]

I think it's ok, just as long as the queue is not too big.

But I'd be really annoyed if someone didn't "allow" me to sit at "their" table if there were available extra seats.

It happened to me and DS once. A couple were sitting at a joint two tables and the woman even threatened violence. (there was actually a sign saying that sitting at a table without food was not allowed)
These people were waiting for a friend, and got up to get their own food from another queue when said friend showed up.
They were still in the queue when DS and I got up to leave. I looked at her pointedly and the male told her something (probably not to be such a bitch next time). Personally I'd happily have told him to LTB, as she was draped in red flags.
End of rant.

I think it's understandable for large families to get a table when they can because it will be very hard to find enough seats if the place is busy.

[BackforGood]

Yup. YABU.
The families you speak of, are the sensible ones.

[FairyDairyLand]

I ended up asking someone to move off a table recently. On my own with 2 small DC's. There were a number of empty tables when we arrived, but in the 5 minutes it took us to queue, a large number of older ladies arrived and took all 5 empty tables while they sorted their bags, chatted, decided who would go order etc. My two year old was getting tired and hungry, I was fed up holding a tray.. and when our hot food came out (so well over 5 minutes of waiting for a table) I ended up asking one table if I could share - I couldn't, they were waiting for friends, as was the next table. Finally I lost my temper slightly and asked if ANYONE could let me sit down. It was either that or sit on the floor and block everyones way.

It's something I find rude and very annoying - and not something I do as it happens all too often in London.

And those saying "just bag your own table". My DC are old enough to be left sitting alone really, and I can't sit there AND be served at the counter at the same time.

[DramaQueenofHighCs]

One last thing - I'm no angel (hell you can see that!) but, though I think it is unfair and yes do sit down, I don't 'boot people off' a table - if we need three seats and one person is sitting on a table we sit, I'd there are not 3 or more seats we don't sit so no-one has to get up. (as as I said I do think it's kinda ok if someone can't stand for long or whatever and realise that this is not always obvious to the casual observer.) also wouldn't just sit on a table that is reserved by young children - I might be peed off but wouldn't confront a child or elderly for that matter - there are usually enough perfectly able adults around taking up tables waiting for their partner who has just joined the back of the queue. Also always ask politely first before sitting down anyway. (If another table becomes free in the interim grab that instead.
As I said - fair doo IABU to want to sit down and eat my food in a place where there were 10 tables avaliable when I went in as 4th in the queue but are now all taken up now I've got my food. I'll think before I eat next time and either let my food get cold or eat standing up with DS!

[CaptainSweatPants]

We always find a table first

[LegoCaltrops]

Sorry, I can see your POV but I think YABU (a bit). OTOH It pisses me off when I see a large table occupied by a single person (I'd try & give them the benefit of the doubt & assume they are meeting someone. It's hard though, when they've finished their drink & are just sitting, reading a paper).

My DH had most of his knee cartilage removed a while ago. It's frequently painful & he's started walking with a stick again recently when it's sore. He is also waiting for a hernia repair operation (due in 2 weeks). We have a toddler. If we go into a cafe we need to know before we start to queue, that we'll be able to find a table that is on the ground floor, has space for the buggy & a high chair, & us, & will accommodate DH who is 6'4" with a stiff leg. Realistically, what else is he/are we supposed to do?

[Tuppenceinred]

DramaQueen
"When DH and I see this we go and just sit on their table anyway and say "Well I'm afraid we need this table as our food/drink is getting cold. I'm sure there'll be another table avaliable for you when yours is ready, if not you may like to consider that it's people like you who take up the tables!""

[Floralnomad]

Honestly dramaqueen ,how can you tell if someone is disabled ? My dd looks like any other teenage girl but she is unable to stand for long periods and has a blue badge ,she is not in a wheelchair . If anyone went and told her to move I don't think I'd like to be held responsible for my actions .

[SHarri13]

Seriously?!?? I think YABU and insane. This has alway happened in my time using cafes and most sane normal people don't care. I am really shocked anyone would think like you OP!

Just take one away and go home. Save yourself the stress.

[Madamecastafiore]

Goodness me, I would move your stuff off our table onto the floor drama queen if you dared do that to me. How incredibly rude!

[AgentZigzag]

Why won't your DH go and get you a seat DramaQ?

Have you intimidated him too come to the same conclusion together?

[DramaQueenofHighCs]

Together Zig zag - DH has never liked it, nor has his family. I come from a family of 'table reservers' (all be it ines who always offered the table if they noticed someone needing it) and never felt comfortable with it.
Thing is - if I ended up 'wearing my dinner' it wouldn't be me the management boot out of the cafe would it! :grin:

[PrimalLass]

It's perfectly reasonable for a family to queue or to wait by the counter.

With buggies, shopping and children? No it isn't.

[MrsDavidBowie]

I always go to cafes where there is table service