To pick up on another cafe third world issue?

[Vycount]

One person goes and sits down while the other orders the food etc and then brings it over to them?
I can see both sides of that one. However, one thing my Mum and I really enjoy is going out shopping together. When we stop for a break I do leave her sat at a table surrounded by bags while I go and get the necessary. This is for two reasons, firstly, we've got bags of shopping and it's maybe not the best plan for us both to be in the queue when we don't need to be carting that lot around. But the main reason is that my Mum needs to sit down quite regularly, and can be a bit unreliable carrying a tray.
So I'm on the fence with this one.

[Mammanat222]

It's the kind behaviour that sets a precedence. Once a few people start to do it, others will follow suit and those who don't end up feeling pissed off.

Personally it depends where I am and who I'm with.

[FightOrFlight]

We did once have to join a table that was occupied by a non-queue squatter. The lady I was taking to lunch is lovely but her table manners aren't. She also has very few teeth so does that extruding food then sucking it back in to chew again thing. I think they wished they hadn't bagged' that particular table in the end.

I didn't see the other thread but the ones I want to stick a fork in are the cheeky buggers that jump the queue altogether while your food is being dished up loudly declaring "I'm only buying a drink".

[Vycount]

OH says that we set up our cafe self-service to save on staff, but that people pick up a numbered "Reserved" thingy as they go in. Numbered to try to avoid someone else picking it up and hiding or moving it. Good grief.

[Vycount]

Now if anyone sees a lovely little cafe set up near them called The Fourth World Cafe they might be wondering if it's me. Wear a MN scarf and I'll make sure you get a table!

[hazeyjane]

In the M&S cafe we used to go to in Slough, it had a sign (which everyone ignored), saying 'Please take seat AFTER purchasing food/drink'

[Vycount]

Yes. well I'd ignore that because I'd sit my Mum down wouldn't I?

[dreamerdoer]

Summary of issue: 'People in groups of more than one can split up and each do things that I have to do sequentially because I'm alone, and this is so unfair wah wah wah!'

This is completely normal behaviour in cafes, pubs, etc.

Anyone who finds it annoying is presumably alone because they are too pathetic to have any friends.

[hazeyjane]

Oh dear, well hopefully there would be enough room on your and your mum's table for me and ds (and neither of you would mind ds's pretty bad table manners!)

[Sirzy]

We often go out as an extend family of 9. No chance are we all going to queue up (including 4 under 6) and then risk not being able to get a table!

[whitewithblackspots]

I don't mind this, I think it's fair enough.

I don't, personally go into cafes and order food if I can see there aren't many tables.

Another tangent though, what pisses me off is when people 'bagsy' tables at soft play and then go off for hoooouurrrs just leaving shoes and coats on the tables.

DH got told off by a woman who came back to 'her' table because he had ordered food for DD and there was nowhere for them to sit so he sat at a vacant table. This woman had been off in the soft play for ages, wasn't eating or drinking anything. That annoys me. Grrr.

[WineWineWine]

it seems perfectly reasonable to make sure you have a table before ordering food

[hazeyjane]

But what if you are on your own, or with someone you can't leave at a table to 'bag' it?

It was a pita to not be able to sit down after having queued and got our drinks and cake.

[Sirzy]

If I am on my own with DS I either make sure I find a quiet cafe where it won't be an issue or I find a table with a couple of spaces and ask the people if we can sit and have never had an issue.

It's much easier to find a space for one or two than it is for a larger group.

[kali110]

I always sit down at a table and my friends or mum will queue for me. I have hidden health problems and can't stand up and queue and would not be able to risk not having a table as i wouldn't be able to stand up for long.

[Mumoftwoyoungkids]

It depends on the queue : eat time ratio IMO.

Somewhere like McDonalds (25 minutes queue, 20 minutes eat) - it's ridiculous that people bag tables - if no one did then there would be plenty of tables.

Somewhere slight less unbelievably horrific fast-foody it's a bit better.

Personally I would rather eat my own eyeballs than go to McDonalds and tend to go places with waitress service to avoid this sort of dilemma.

[hazeyjane]

Last week we ended up with me standing by the high bar thing and ds staying in his buggy, he is a bit grim if we sit with strangers, and gets clingy and upset.

It is weird because I am obviously in the minority, but it just seems like not the done thing to me, it would be like getting on the bus with a couple behind you, one of them pushing past and grabbing the last seat on the bus before you had even finished paying!

[TheMuppetsSingChristmas]

If I'm on my own I'll leave my bag or coat at a table and then queue. There's just no way round it in modern café society, you have to bag your table or risk not being able to sit at all.

[TartinaTiara]

If there aren't any tables left, I tend to just go and sit with the table-bagger of my choice. They can either get another chair for their mate and share the table with me, or they can piss off and let me eat my cake in glorious isolation, as they wish. But I'm something of a hard-faced cow .

[RandomNPC]

I think I'm the one who started the discussion on this on your other thread.
In my experience, it's standard practice to do this, both in cafes and pubs. With my friends, and GFs, we've always done this. EVERYONE I know does this. If you're going to eat anyway, you're just as entitled to the table; you're queuing for the food, not the table. Since when do you need two or more people in a queue for food anyway? How daft is it to buy your food and then start looking around for tables?

[skinoncustard]

If I'm with someone, one will sit , other will queue.

The thing that really annoys me is the 'laptop/ tablet' table huggers!
Sit there for hours with one drink.
Spread there stuff about so no one else can share the table.
Dodge about as tables are vacated until they get one at the plugs.

The ' best ' one I observed was the guy who came into a coffee shop , got all organised/ computer plugged in papers out etc , asked the person at next table to mind his stuff. Then nipped next door to tesco local, came back with sandwich, crisps, drink etc and settled down!!!!!!

[GhoulWithADragonTattoo]

It would be much more annoying if a family of six were all standing in the queue to be honest. Agree it is usually easy to grab a seat on another table if am alone in cafe.

[PoppySausage]

Oh, I hadn't considered this was an issue! I don't know anyone who doesn't

[MrsMaker83]

What annoys me is the people who think they have the right to share a table because they cant find their own!
I was in a food court type place recently and my dp went to order food, i would usually queue too as we get food from different places but my baby needed feeding. I used their bottle warmer and then found a tiny table with 2 chairs. A few minutes later a women barged through and dumped her tray on the table and announced we would be sharing because there were no more tables erm sorry no we wont said my dp who appeared with our food seconds later

[Minesril]

I don't notice this happening..mostly because I do it too...even when I'm on my own it wouldn't bother me.

What does make me annoyed is people who have clearly finished but continue to sit at their table for ages, regardless of how busy it is. Go find a park bench!!

[tanukiton]

OHH I think we should all have a special bag with
I baggies this table written on it one side(for your local cafe) and
I regret to inform you this table is reserved (for your more up market cafe)