Today I experiencing the coffee shop dilemma which is always discussed on here

[sharonthewaspandthewineywall]

Went to costa. In the queue on my own. Looking around, several free tables, other parties join queue and one member grabs table. As I'd paid for my drink the one vacant table I was banking on was swiped by someone who's friend was at the back of the queue.
Man I was pissed off. And the first thing I thought of was this place!

What did you do? Where did you sit?!

I asked the table hogger who grabbed the last table if I could perch on the edge.
She said yes. I was dissapointed with the sheer lack of drama tbh

That's terrible. She should have told you to do one so you could really vent about her on here :o

I know. I had all the lines ready. 'Did you mean to be so rude mrs table hogger lady?'

I tell them to move mostly or stand and glare, hovering with my tray or sit close by and witter on about how can people be so utterly thick and selfish and if everyone did this blardy blardy blah.

I was a friend the other day in a large and virtually empty cafe.

We were sat in two armchairs with a further two round a coffee table. Bearing in the it was virtually empty a couple came move and asked if they could sit with us

Didn't have the guts to say no but we were a bit 'wtf'!

I hate that gaslightshining. Like when you're on an empty train and someone sits next to you! Wtf?!

Right..... but what is the point of everyone in the party queuing up? I can't see the issue. Whenever I go into a coffee shop etc I will get the drinks while the other person(s) sit down or vice versa. They haven't 'swiped' a table, they have just sat down while the other person gets the drinks. They are still customers having a coffee

What would you prefer people to do?

I don't see anything wrong with saving a table. No point queuing if you don't have to.

Don't start me, however, on those selfish table-hoggers.

Very weird expecting others not to save a tablet. Surely it's common sense that one queues and pays, the other sits and waits?!

I can never decide. It doesn't seem fair that the person who has been served and got their food/drink has nowhere to sit while someone is sat at a table and their food/drink is ten minutes away IYKWIM.

What the answer is I don't know. I refuse to queue up in a coffee shop anyway not that desperate for a hot beverage.

I agree- but it also means those who are alone can't have a drink/food as there is nowhere to sit

heycarrot Tell them to move?! I'd tell you to shut up.

I'd put my coat/purse - free bag on a chair if alone.

Disclaimer - very low crime rate round here...

I have been known to use the 'dump coat and a couple of bags of shopping' method to save a table or corner sofa for myself when going for coffee alone.

I think it should be made clear the table hoggers who haven't yet been served should be prepared to move.
I should run the country to be fair.

This awkward issue would be a priority on my manifesto

Cheap coats - that's the answer.

If you're alone, plonk your coat on the back of a chair and go and queue.

Only a muppet would buy something to eat/drink without first ensuring there is actually somewhere to eat/drink it.

I have been known to shovel the last bit of food and coffee down to make the table available to the poor people hovering with trays and nowhere to sit.

Thanks Worra!
There were plenty of tables before the hoggy mchoggersons flocked in with their entitled behaviour!

So, if you were in a group and went into a coffee shop, would you all stand in the queue then?

One of us sits at thetable. If I'm alone I tend not to go to busy places. Otherwise put your bag on the seat.

See that's just it Loria that makes no sense does it? But by the group sitting at a table which does makes sense, the people that are before the group in the queue potentially lose a spot to sit in that was there when they joined the queue.
And that's not right either.

Yes.

It's the same when you go in a pub. Do you all stand around hogging the bar, or do you sit at a table while someone else gets the drinks in?