Wwbu not to give the man the table?

[BocolateChiscuit]

At a restaurant recently, all the tables were full so we waited. A lady with her two daughters saw us, indicated to us they were leaving and got up. As we walked over, a man sitting at a table near the one we were going to (one of those high ones with the high stools I always avoid) got up and went to the table. The lady said something to him like 'sorry, these people are sitting here', I did the polite smiling 'sorry' and we sat down. I heard his say something about children and looked over. He then got up to go to order, and said very loudly and pointedly to his two children (approx 7 and 5), 'You two stay there while I order. Don't worry, I don't THINK you will fall off the stools'! They got a different table elsewhere eventually but should we have let him have the table?

I don't think you're BU on the basis that as an adult he could have said 'is there any chance I'd mind swapping, my 5yo keeps messing about on the stool and I'm worried they'll fall whilst I go up to order'
instead he chose to be a passive aggressive tosspot!

My youngest fell of a high bench in McDonald's once.just toppled over backwards with a bang.the bruises up his back were bad.im surprised he didn't break his neck .was a hard floor as well.he was 5 at the time

I'd have let him have the seats. Two younger DCs were sat on high seats for the moment while he looked for lower, safer seats by the sound of it.

One of you could have ordered food and other three could look out for the next free table. You had two adults and older children so wouldn't have put you out to wait a short while.

So he was taking up space for 3 people at a high table that he didn't plan on using! HWBU for doing that to start with.
If your DP was ordering then the other guy would not have known your party couldn't have sat at the high table. Though I doubt you even came into his thought process. He probably saw her table finishing soon so hovered at the high table with the intention of pouncing when it became free.
You WNBU OP

I hate those high stools. Even for adults, they're uncomfortable for eating from and always seem to be just the wrong height for the table.

I don't think ywbu op as he had a table, just would have preferred another one. His table wouldn't have seated your party so it's not like you could have swapped.

I don't think the woman who offered you their table was being being particularly U. She wouldn't have thought about the man and his kids, as far as she was concerned he, like everyone else in the place who was sitting down, had a table already so didn't need hers. She wasn't to know he was just placemarking until someone left. She thought she was just helping OP by telling her that the table was available. I'd do the same if someone was waiting and I was leaving.

This was an unfortunate collision of circumstances, and I don't think you were being U. Hindsight, and what you would have done if you'd had time to consider all the possible scenarios and permutations, is not the same as being presented with a situation in a split second.

YWNBU and neither was the woman. He already had a table. If he was that worried that his children couldn't sit safely, he should have left or waited for a more suitable one and then there would have been no misunderstanding.

I'm an adult and that's what I do because I don't like sitting on those high stools. I would not swap seats though I do give up my seat on public transport to anyone of any age who looks like they need it. But buses are different to cafes. You generally need to get where you're going, but you can always choose somewhere else to eat.

I'd have also ignored his pathetic remarks.