Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To share tables in a busy/empty cafe?

36 replies

StepAwayFromCake · 30/08/2017 15:00

Two of us come into a busy cafe. Lots of tables for two, a couple of large tables for 6/8.

The large table in the middle has a family of 4 at it, so we ask "May we share your table?" No problem.

Before our order has been taken, the rest of the cafe empties. The dishes are still on the tables.

By the time our food comes, the rest of the tables have been cleared.

We are where we were.

WWBU not to move to an empty table at any point?

OP posts:
PNGirl · 30/08/2017 15:01

If the family were still at your table I would have moved.

scurryfunge · 30/08/2017 15:02

If there is now a free table then I would move to it.

FreeSpiritJen · 30/08/2017 15:03

Yeah I would have moved to an empty table. Smile

You didn't do wrong if you didn't move, but I would have.

coddiwomple · 30/08/2017 15:04

Of course you should move. Why wouldn't you!

PNGirl · 30/08/2017 15:06

In fact, I would have moved either way, either to let the family have the table back or to avoid a large group asking to share when it got busier again.

Sirzy · 30/08/2017 15:08

I would have moved

MrsTerryPratchett · 30/08/2017 15:08

I'd have moved.

Andrewofgg · 30/08/2017 15:12

Move if it's not a big hassle.

Who else is disappointed that everyone appears to have been so nice?

PaintingByNumbers · 30/08/2017 15:14

Reverse?
If there were 2 of you, why not sit at one of the many free tables available from the beginning?
If a reverse, dont grumble, just say no next time

CherieBabySpliffUp · 30/08/2017 15:18

I wouldn't have moved to an empty table if it hadn't been cleared.
As soon as a table was ready for the next diners I would have moved. Did you have to give your table number when you ordered? Were you worried about your food going to the wrong table?

nikkylou · 30/08/2017 15:21

I'd have moved when the cafe cleared, possiblily moving some dirty plates on to another table so I could have a clear one.

Partly as I'd feel like I was intruding on the other guests, and partly as I didn't really want to sit with them anyway.

TBH, I probably have walked out if there was no free tables...I'd feel obliged to not have any conversation, or include the other guests in mine so not to actively ignore them.

Mummaofboys · 30/08/2017 15:23

Yes of course you move tables, why would you not to spread out and have a table of your own?

PollyFlint · 30/08/2017 15:27

The polite thing to do would be to move tables as soon as one becomes free and give the other family their privacy/space.

Why on earth wouldn't you move?!

Evelynismyspyname · 30/08/2017 15:28

Why didn't you move, out of interest? What was your reason for remaining at the table you were sharing with a family of strangers when other tables became available?

There was obviously no actual obligation to move, but I can't get my head around why you wouldn't want to and would like to know.

Or are you one of the family of 4 reversing?

I've moved myself and 3 kids to another table in that exact situation - we were there first, and a couple asked to sit with us because there were no free tables, which was fine, but then a table right next to us became free and was even cleared and they didn't move, so we did. Didn't mind moving but we had more to pick up and move than they did and I had to carry things for my youngest as well as my own stuff (and we each had bowls of soup and drinks) where they could each have carried their own, so it was very mildly annoying.

Jaxhog · 30/08/2017 15:31

If I was already eating, I'd stay. If I'd not yet/only just been served my meal, I'd move.

Miserylovescompany2 · 30/08/2017 15:32

Free table - you move - thank the family - give them back their table

nuttyknitter · 30/08/2017 15:33

If you'd sat at my table I'd have moved!

Pomegranatemolasses · 30/08/2017 15:35

This is obviously a reverse - yes, those people should have moved from your table.

Why not just post that in the first place?

BetterEatCheese · 30/08/2017 15:35

I would definitely have moved

Evelynismyspyname · 30/08/2017 15:36

It really isn't very nice to stay put if there is a suitable cleared table to move to - it can be quite inhibiting and spoil the meal to share with strangers.

I always say no problem if people ask to share a table when its busy because obviously it's even worse to have nowhere at all to sit!

However I'd feel punished for doing something nice if the other people didn't move - more so if a table for two was the only one that became free and wasn't big enough for my family of 4, but the couple who had sat with us chose not to move. If a big enough table for us to move to became free it matters far less, but still it's not very pleasant to leave the ones who were there first and were gracious about sharing to be the ones to have to move.

GahBuggerit · 30/08/2017 15:43

Definitely move, by not moving its the equivalent of someone sitting right next to you on an empty bus and just feels and looks weird.

ikeadyounot · 30/08/2017 15:43

Yes, I think it's polite to move when there is space available. Unless, of course, you've struck up some tremendous conversation with the family, but even then it's probably polite to ask if they want you to move and leave them in peace!

Sevendaysinaweek · 30/08/2017 15:44

This exact thing happened to us on holiday the other way around.

We were a group of eight, the table had two spare seats, a couple joined us. I guess there must have been no spare tables when they came in, but pretty quickly after they came in I saw several tables for two which were free. And yet they remained where they were, essentially having lunch with us, with not so much as a empty 'buffer' seat between us.

Very odd

museumum · 30/08/2017 15:48

I'd have sat there till the waitress came (so they knew where we were) then asked her to put the food on a nearby empty table for 2 and moved.

PuppyMonkey · 30/08/2017 16:00

I didn't fully understand the OP - are you saying there were lots of EMPTY tables for two or lots of tables for two that were already occupied?

If not, yes, you'd have been better moving... they probably think you're odd.

And yes, this is a reverse isn't it?

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.

Swipe left for the next trending thread