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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

You grab a table while I queue up....

313 replies

Grandshiredoubles · 14/02/2015 23:24

Which means that some people before you can't get anywhere to sit. Happened today in Waitrose where the naice people should kmow better. Do you think people should wait until they have their food before getting a table or Aibu. Talking about YOU lady with the red shoes in malvern today

OP posts:
2Retts · 14/02/2015 23:50

Ooh, hash cakes LadyStark. Don't mind if I do.

I'm ambivalent. There are times when I think it is perfectly justified and other times when I simply don't care.

There's a great (and very busy) cafe near the coroner's court in Westminster and the owner has a policy of not permitting sitting until he has taken your order. He is very strict in policing it too. I once witnessed him telling a woman off for sitting at a table before her companion had been served. He quickly followed this up with 'don't worry, I'll look after you. I'll make sure you have somewhere to sit when you've ordered.' It was really busy and I was sceptical but, sure enough, there were always seats available by the time everyone had ordered.

Perhaps it is a system which wouldn't work with the Waitrose Cafe though; different demographic.

Seriously hijk? I am shocked. Keep the hash cakes coming Lady Stark...

HeeHiles · 14/02/2015 23:51

This pisses me right off YANBU OP - had an incident in McD's - queued up with my 2 dd's, got our food then wandered around trying to find somewhere to sit but all available seats were being saved!! Got fed up, found some seats only to be told by this woman that her husband was going to sit there. Just said 'well when he gets your food you're going to have to find somewhere else aren't you?' Got daggers but she went, damn rude!

ohtheholidays · 14/02/2015 23:51

I'd sit down whilst my DH queues,I'm disabled.Believe me if we were out with all the children you wouldn't want us all in the queue there's 7 of us.

avocadogreen · 14/02/2015 23:54

Meh... I think it depends on the type of place it is... However people who scare my kids off by sitting down next to them and chucking their coats on the floor after I've sent them to save a seat (yes I'm talking about YOU mean woman in Macdonalds) are definitely being unreasonable.

but then this is MN so I am probably BU for going to Macdonalds

HeeHiles · 14/02/2015 23:54

who wants to stand about with potentially hot food and have nowhere to sit and eat it???? .........Those of us decent enough to have the courtesy to get our food first then have to wander around with our hot food going cold while those not eating are all sitting around watching us - that's who!

Sparklingbrook · 14/02/2015 23:59

I wouldn't have the nerve to sit at a table waiting without food while people wandered round with trays with their dinner on going cold all around me.

If the place is busy with few empty tables, and there's a queue I give it a miss....

KindleFancy · 14/02/2015 23:59

It's not her who was damn rude heehiles.

Me or DH have been left sitting alone at a table lots of times, when one of us takes the dc to the toilet.

Would you just barge over and plonk yourself in our seats?

HeeHiles · 15/02/2015 00:06

But then there would have been food on your table, or a finished meal and cups etc.......her table was empty and she told me she was saving it.

HexagonAlley · 15/02/2015 00:09

Another one who doesn't get the people who have a problem with this. Do you honestly expect a group of 5 people to all queue up? Where have you seen this happen? The fact that no one sees it happen is because it is so utterly normal and reasonable to bag a table

HexagonAlley · 15/02/2015 00:10

I actually think it's bizarre to queue up for food without knowing you have a table available

UncleT · 15/02/2015 00:11

So you're whingeing about being on your own and not having someone to find a place while you get the stuff. That's just tough really, isn't it? It's never crossed my mind to get pissed off about the fact that someone might get a table while their friend queues, whereas if on my own I have no such option. Only in the parallel universe of MN is this a 'problem'.

avocadogreen · 15/02/2015 00:14

Hexagon but how about if you're on your own and don't have someone to save a table? And all the cafes are equally busy and you have grumpy hungry kids with you? I admit to sending the kids to save a table but tbh they are pretty rubbish at it. Easily distracted little fekkers.

trashcanjunkie · 15/02/2015 00:14
ilovesooty · 15/02/2015 00:16

I actually think it's bizarre to queue up for food without knowing you have a table available

If you're on your own you might not have any choice.

ilovesooty · 15/02/2015 00:17

Sorry - x post.

Original poster
Grandshiredoubles · 15/02/2015 00:20

I wasn't on my own. I just think it's rude and like another poster would have no problems sitting down at a table being saved for so some else

OP posts:
2Retts · 15/02/2015 00:20

Erm, trashcanjunkie, I was kind of expecting the hash cakes to be coming around ferrero-rocher-soiree-style whilst we were wandering around with trays of hot food going cold; I thing you are being very unreasonable to sit at a table and expecting the hash cakes to come to you...Grin

SeaUnicorns · 15/02/2015 00:22

I'm pretty much always on my own I actually bag a table for myself put my coat or a shopping bag at it before going and queue up I just take my valuables (Purse, keys phone) with me.

GreyjoysAnatomy · 15/02/2015 00:24

I do this if I'm with someone as I have fibromyalgia and often just need to sit down. If I'm on my own then I will go somewhere that isn't so busy, though to be fair, the places I frequent are rarely busy (gf/df/veggie) Wink

UncleT · 15/02/2015 00:24

Ah fine - you weren't on your own. You were, however, not quick-witted enough to do as most do and grab a table then. Your choice - if you want to deliberately wait together out of some misguided principle then that's your own silly fault.

Original poster
Grandshiredoubles · 15/02/2015 00:28

So would you wait at a supermarket till while your friend does the shopping? Stand in the middle of a parking space while your friend makes their way up the levels the multi story? No,difference really. Maybe I am just more polite than the majority of you

OP posts:
handfulofcottonbuds · 15/02/2015 00:36

It's one of my bug-bears, I think all should queue and not baggsy seats while people have purchased their food.

I'm with you OP

flowerpowerspiceknicks · 15/02/2015 00:44

I really don't think this is an offendable offence...just common sense...of course you will secure a table unless you have to eat elsewhere Hmm

GreyjoysAnatomy · 15/02/2015 00:52

So all of you who have a problem with people doing this, do you have a problem with a disabled person sitting down while someone else queues?

From looking at me you would never know that I was disabled, so no doubt you would all judge me for sitting while whoever is with me orders.

Just because someone looks fine, that doesn't mean they are. I'm sure if I had my stick, or was using my wheelchair, you'd have no issue with me doing this, why is that different when I am not using a mobility aid?

UncleT · 15/02/2015 01:29

Till? Car park? No, paying customers go to sit divans take a break in a cafe, get a drink and something to eat - nothing remotely like queuing to pay for shopping or park the car. And whether you like it or not, those people waiting for their friends to bring the stuff over ARE paying customers too, they just grabbed the table before you bothered to.