Business meeting in Waitrose cafe

[whoneedswings]

I'm currently sat in Waitrose cafe enjoying my free coffee with my 6 month old (I find it useful to feed him here whilst we're out shopping.) It's very busy so I've plonked myself on a chair on the edge of someone's table. Done this many times, just finding a bit awkward today as these people are discussing private financial matters and conducting some sort of meeting. They don't even have any coffee or food (so I'm not rushing them) just feel maybe it's a bit U to be continuing their business in a very small busy cafe. Or is it me?

Sometimes you have to. I once pitched for a project at an airport cafe. We had arranged to meet at my office but a work crisis meant them rushing back to Belgium, so we grabbed them while they waited for their flight. And we won £250k of business.

Slightly tangential but this reminded me of the people who sit on their own on a four seat on the train then act shocked when my family of three come and sit round them (when there are no other free seats allowing us to sit together).

The Waitrose cafe in Canary Wharf feels like it's used as an extra meeting room, always 2-3 meetings going on during work hours.

It's frustrating if you want to relax with a cuppa on a day off but there are lots of other places to choose.

I'm a union rep, and often I have to meet with members who have been suspended from work. I can't meet them in the office, because they are not allowed in. I usually meet them in the cafe next door to our office instead - we need somewhere to meet that is neutral ground, and as a public sector workers I am not allowed to pay for external meeting rooms for circumstances like this. I could meet them in one of my union's regional offices, but that could mean a trip across London at extra expense to both of us, or the difference between meeting in Sheffield where our departmental office is, or Leeds, where the union office is. I know which one makes more sense.

So I'm not allowed to enjoy the cafe and use a free seat because they're having a protracted business meeting?

They didn't say that to you though, did they? You asked if you could sit down. You sat down. How is it their fault if you feel awkward about it? Unless of course, you are expecting them to check in with you about what subject matters are off limit, in case your eavesdropping causes you to feel uncomfortable...

Mam, in Waitrose cafe you always get your food before getting a table unless you are in a group and can send another member of your party to reserve a table while you wait for your order to be taken. M&S is the same.

if you want a guaranteed table for yourself, you need to go somewhere with table service.

I always find it slightly bizarre how many people are prepared to have very confidential work conversations in public places. Although I was once on a train going to a court hearing. It was very useful to overhear the barrister and solicitor for the other side chat about how the two points we were worried about were made up and wouldn't stand up to cross-examination...

i've just been in to my local Costa to pick up a takeaway coffee. Small town.

3 women clearly having a meeting in there - notebooks & diaries open.

Not an issue.

You sounds very entitled OP.

Gawd, why is there always someone who comes up with the E word? Of course OP was entitled to sit where she sat, it's a public café. If people want to hold meetings in public spaces like that, they have to take the risk that others can sit with or near them.

unicornsIlovethem

I have always put my stuff down before ordering in those places (keeping my baby with me). I really wasn't even aware I wasn't supposed to?

Meeting in cafe perfectly normal.

But really OP? You gatecrash their table. They make no fuss about this and feel obliged to allow you to do so. But you're still not satisfied because you "just don't feel very relaxed" as a result of their conversation?

If you sit at a table which is already occupied you need to put up with whatever conversation is happening! Why should they change their conversation topic to ensure you are sufficiently "relaxed"?!

And surely it's never going to be "relaxing" perching at a table occupied by strangers anyway?

" mambono5

Iggi999who gets their food until they have a table"
People who are on their own, or in their own with small children.

StealthPolarBear

well, enter cafe, put jacket and or bag on free table, eventually leave buggy too, go and order whilst carrying baby (if one), carry your food back to your table. I normally have to carry food and drink separate, not sure how I would even manage without a table to go to. I don't like to complicate things.

It would never occur to me to land on a stranger's table.

If people want to hold meetings in public spaces like that, they have to take the risk that others can sit with or near them.

Which they did. And when asked if someone could sit down, they said 'yes'.

"Live and let live" is my advice.

I've had plenty of meetings in cafes (sadly not our Waitrose as there are (outrageously) no seats AT ALL) with colleagues, recruiters and also mums, children etc.

No one has yet complained.

katy and mam have you ever been to a Wagamama / japanese noodle bar? I suspect it might tip you over the edge. It's frequentlyone long shared table and you get no say at all in who sits next to you or what conversations they might indulge in...
Once unfortunately. A long time ago. A hideous idea. And the dessert was really disappointing. As in so disappointing I didn't finish it. At least in Waitrose the cakes are fairly decent (and I've never had someone encroach on my space)

I have had several work meetings at cafes (inc Waitrose) and pubs.

Mainly because the people involved all live several hundred miles apart, we need to meet f2f some times and we also need feeding, so it's the easiest solution. If you want to eavesdrop as we discuss the team budget; or how we're going to deal with this problem, go right ahead. You'll be asleep in minutes, I guarantee it!

When I worked in office environments, we also had to meet face to face with colleagues who lived miles away - in other countries, some of them literally on the other side of the world. We would arrange meetings for everyone to get together about twice a year, in an hotel or in the conference room of our respective buildings, then order food and beverages in-house.

Failing that, conference calls were arranged. We would see each other socially in restaurants, once business had been conducted, when we would chat in a friendly manner and exchange stories about our families and hobbies, etc.

I now work from home, and any business meeting I conduct here is held at my dining room table, with refreshing beverages provided by me.

It seems very strange to me that business people would arrange business meetings, discussing possibly sensitive subjects in such a place that will almost inevitably be also inhabited by crying children and general idle chit-chat. It must be very distracting for all concerned.

Meeting in a hotel or conference room? Try working for the public sector. We had no meeting rooms and no budget for it, unless it involved senior people like Councillors. So meetings were always at cafes.

I did used to work for the DHSS (now DSS) and my Mum was a Social Worker - different offices at opposite ends of town. Perhaps we were lucky, but there was always a room available somehow or other, even if it meant temporarily kicking some higher-up person out of theirs for a little while.

Mam, if you put your stuff down and then go and queue, you may find that the manager removes your stuff to allow people who have their food to sit down if it's busy.

I've experienced it twice - once in John Lewis where s manager cleared two coats and a bag off an otherwise empty table and again at a cafe attached to a playpark.

Wow. They might have popped to the loo, ot to get a teaspoon.

Has anyone ever heard of the concept of a business lunch, or dinner?

A visit to a place which serves food & drinks where you consume said food & drinks with business associates and talk about business.

Not a huge leap from that to having a meeting in a cafe is it, OP?

It's surely up to Waitrose to deal with 'table blocking' by customers who are lingering without making further purchases, if they see this as a problem.

Regarding confidentiality - if you're concerned, contact the persons or organisations whose confidentiality has been breached by your overhearing the meeting and let them complain that their financial details were made public in a Waitrose cafe. If you can't do this because what you overheard wasn't sufficient for the subject of the conversation to be identifiable, there isn't really an issue.

For all these business people know, the other customers could be employees of rivals/suppliers/customers/banks who would know exactly what they were talking about. It's not unknown, is it

I often surf MN do some work in hotel lounges. It's often very quiet. I do enjoy listening to people trying to informally get work from someone else - potential clients. I often wonder what business they are in.

Last week, there was a slight battle over the bill and who would pay