WIBU to walk out of this cafe/restaurant?

[disappearingfish]

Booked a table for 5 for MD lunch at a local cafe/restaurant.

Me, DH and DD arrive first, my parents still on their way. We are given a table that comfortably sits 8, 10 at a push.

A few minutes later, a group of 6 arrive (five adults and a baby) without a booking. Waiter tells them to sit "at the end of that table". Meaning ours. As we were still a party of three at that stage, they spread out to take the majority of the table. I point out we were waiting for two other people. They make an attempt to shuffle up, but there really wasn't room. I see red, pack up and leave after telling the waiter that it wasn't an acceptable way to treat us given we had booked two months ago.

For context, it's not fine dining. It's a cafe that does very nice (and expensive) food at an exclusive waterside location.

WIBU to throw a strop? In my defence we've had a very stressful week with relatives in hospital etc.

Especially on Mother's Day. You book well in advance. Or you don't get a table. Tough.

There was a mini chalkboard on our table showing the time and number for our booking.

The waiter was over the other side of the restaurant and his pointed to our table, didn't show them over, so I couldn't speak to him at that moment.

We go there regularly, I know who the manager is, he wasn't working today. Otherwise I would have spoken to him (we made the booking with him).

Write to the manager, complaining. If you get no response, only then write an on-line review, being as fair as you can be, it was horrendous service, but possibly down to a thoughtless moment on behalf of the waiter, who probably regretted it instantly, but then was stuck with the six people to place. If the Manager/owner has any sense and decency he will apologise and offer something as recompense, I would.

Why is it difficult to stick up for yourself?

You should have spoken to the waiter to remind him that your reservation was for five people. Then let him deal with the rest. Why would you feel uncomfortable for doing that?

Pointless to come on here and moan afterwards.

OP has already explained several times why she left - makes perfect sense to me! Glad you got your meal after all, OP.

If it helps, I had cheap gammon for my lunch because the bloody cat ate our pork. Little fucker

I think you cut yr nose of to spite yr face..I would of said no,when they tried to seat other people at yr table..I understand you were frustrated,but you kind of them them win.,

*Why is it difficult to stick up for yourself?

You should have spoken to the waiter to remind him that your reservation was for five people. Then let him deal with the rest. Why would you feel uncomfortable for doing that?

Pointless to come on here and moan afterwards.*

I haven't moaned. I've asked WIBU. And I am excellent at standing up for myself, I just couldn't see how it would play out well in this situation.

Dagnabit sorry about your lunch. Is the cat a mother?

And it was really hard to get the attention of a member of staff. As you can imagine they were all rushed off their feet.

It sounds like you handled it as well as you could have given the hideously awkward circumstance you were put in. I nearly stropped out of a restaurant today just because of the slowness of the service - we sat and we sat for what felt like hours. Eventually I asked a waitress when she thought we might be getting our food and she said "well we're busy because it's Mother's Day". But that can hardly have come as a surprise to them - they must have known there would be higher than normal demand. It's not really an excuse, I don't think.

I don0t think you were being unreasonable.

I think saying something in advance may have been better (obviously) but sometimes it just happens too quickly.
Yes, really poor service...

YWNBU to leave. You explained the problem to the waiter, and you were right, it would have created a horrible atmosphere to evict the other family. They most likely would have had to stand at the front of the restaurant until another table became available, either looking sad and uncomfortable or shooting you the evils, not to mention if you had been served by that waiter it would have been awkward.

When it comes to restaurants where ambience and atmosphere are part of the experience, when standing up for yourself results in a bunch of people huffing at you it really isn't worth it.

DH was at a business dinner and they politely objected to being seriously overcharged for wine. It ended up with two cops moonlighting as bouncers talking over the table about how they were going to kick the asses of everyone present. Not conducive to good digestion. If it cheers you up that restaurant shut down in three months because it was pretty much typical of their service.

Send an email to complain and they'll probably send you a voucher for a free meal or something.

YANBU.

Although, personally, I would have insisted they be moved (or have to leave). If they hadn't booked, tough shit. I would have no qualms about them having to leave the restaurant. That isn't my problem.

You were not unreasonable, although I probably would have immediately put a halt to them sitting by telling the waiter the rest of our party hadn't arrived yet and we'd booked the table 2 months ago for the occasion. It really wasn't reasonable of the waiter to be squeezing such a large group on to your table. Way to ruin your booked meal!

I would follow up on this with a complaint to the manager you booked with.

Who doesn't book for mother's day, especially at popular places to eat?!?

Thanks everyone. I think I am mostly NU but if it was easier to have a good outcome for everyone then I would have given the restaurant a chance to rectify it.

Slight dripfeeding but even before the other party arrived I was regretting the choice of restaurant. It was very busy and the staff looked harassed. We were given a table which wasn't great - stools rather than chairs around it which my mum would have disliked/found uncomfortable.

I'll email the restaurant and just tell them what happened.

They just want money and don't give a damn about your day out. You did the right thing. I don't see flouncing.

YWBU not to say something as the other people approached your table. I'd have said "Sorry, I think they've got mixed up, we'd reserved this table" and let the (unbooked) family go back to the waiter/waitress who had sent them there.
Quite frankly, even if they had just been a couple and there had physically been space, that's not really the point, you don't book a table in advance for a meal on mother's day, to then share your table with random strangers.
So, YWBU to not say something at the time, and to just give a booked table to another family who hadn't booked. What an odd thing to do.

Trip Advisor ! Bad review! Tell them what they did wrong!!

YWBU not to give them a chance to fix it. And it wouldn't have been everyone overhearing my complaint in a busy restaurant unless you shouted. It didn't even need to be a complaint at that point, just point out there wasn't enough room. unless you enjoy dramatics

It does sound like you didn't like the restaurant, you didn't like the seating and you used this as an opportunity to go elsewhere and make the waiters who were rushed off their feet feel bad.

YWNBU not wanting to share with strangers, but that could have been fixed.

I think you were a bit flouncy but seeing as you had changed your mind about the restaurant I can see why you flounced.

I wouldn't bother complaining about it though. You didn't really give them a chance to sort it out.

Sounds like you didn't really want to sort it out now. SO I think you were BU.

YWNBU to leave as you weren't happy with how you were being treated. However, in your shoes, I'd probably have tackled the other people at the table directly by saying 'sorry, but we have booked this table for x people so you will need to move up a bit'. And then appealing to waiting staff etc if that didn't work. But as you weren't happy you were totally within your rights to leave (and the waiter did a bad job by not making it absolutely clear how much space was available to them if they wanted it).