AIBU to complain about the table at a restaurant?

[ChipmunksInAttic]

Came to a restaurant at 6:30, when it was almost completely empty. Waiter showed me a table just in the middle of the restaurant and I just picked another and sat down. Then waiter came back and told that I should sit to the table he showed, because the table I now sit is in a more reserved silent corner and I can't sit there with my child. I did as he told and moved, but then became angry as I thought and complained to another waiter saying this rule is a bit rude, especially when it's empty and my 4year old behaves nicely. So they apologized and let me sit wherever I want but now I feel bad because the first waiter seemed to be a bit offended and I guess he was scolded by the manager. Was i being unreasonable?

I wouldn't have been able to help myself - I would have said "well it's a very silent corner at the moment, there's no bugger here!"

What was wrong with the table they put you on in the first place, though?

You are paying. Absolutely entitled to say where you want to sit. Otherwise leave.

YWNBU

No you weren't and I have stopped frequenting restaurants because of this very thing!
Also hate when you're on your own & they make you sit at some crap table beside the toilets because they don't want you to take up a big table.
I've left restaurants because of that

No YADNBU.

I do this a lot.

As an "odd" (read- punk looking person, I have found that waiting staff frequently try and seat us in shitty places, despite the restaurant being empty.

I always, without fail, complain and ask to be moved.

Imo it's a nasty judgement call.
Oh that person doesn't look right/isn't important/rich enough to care, shove them at the back and hope they don't embarrass us.

It's snobbery pure and simple, and I won't put up with it.

I always make a point, especially in v posh places, of asking to be seated in the window/nice seats.

I hate snobbishness and class assumptions....just because someone has a weird hair do, or dresses differently, doesn't mean they should be treated differently.

Do the waiters look after specific areas within the restaurant? Maybe your preferred table wasn't in the first waiter's area and he wanted his tables to be used (tips etc)? Not excusing his response, but might be why.

I would also have asked for the better table. I hate being put at a crappy table when loads of better ones are clearly empty.

Prezzo of all places try to do this near me - tell people that they are 'not allowed' to sit in certain tables. A raised eyebrow and a hard stare usually gets them to drop the silly rule 'on this occasion'.

It's just rules for rules sake.

Then waiter came back and told that I should sit to the table he showed, because the table I now sit is in a more reserved silent corner and I can't sit there with my child.

A silent corner? In a restaurant?? Who the fuck goes to a restaurant expecting silence and no other people around? Why don't they just stay at home??

I've worked in hospitality on and off and often different staff have sections. You are responsible for seating and serving people in your section. The waiter may have wanted you in his section as the other part of the restaurant may or may not have been quieter, wanting customers to sit closer together etc.

I don't know, maybe I should have told him I didn't want that table, but he turned his back so quickly and I really didn't expected it to cause any trouble to be honest...

Anyway, thanks for all responses :)

Maybe some of the 'more reserved quiet tables' had been reserved for later on and they didn't want to have to re-lay them. We used to have people reserve specific tables when I worked in restaurants.

But if that was the case I guess he should just have said it shouldn't he!

I went to a restaurant in Edinburgh, completely empty but I couldn't have a table because they were all booked for later. I said all I want is a salad and a glass of wine. Nope. Booked.

He didn't give her a chance to say anything Penggwn.

I'd have just left tbh when they tried to move me again. Without telling them.

I expect that would have been quite ignorant . But my money my rules.

Depends on the kind of restaurant. I've been M'aitre D' at a few places in my time and would have plotted out the evenings bookings. I'd have known that Table 12 was available till X o'clock so you could sit there but not at Table 14 as I needed that clear 30 mins after you'd arrived etc.

But a 'walk in' restaurant? YWNBU.

Peng - do you know what ignorant means?

It doesn't mean 'to ignore' FYI. And off I go to pendants corner

Well I'm with the OP. I wouldn't have thought it was a problem in an empty restaurant. Why would you?

And it isn't ignorant to leave because of bad service. I'm under no obligation to be nice to them and explain why I'm not satisfied.

I agree YWBU unreasonable not to speak to the waiter first. Unfortunately a lot of complaints in restaurants are generated by people moaning about other people with children/areas being too loud etc. so he was probably just anticipating someone coming in and moaning that they were sat next to a child in a quiet area. It happens very often.

As an aside: to PPs who don't understand why they are seated in certain places - we have to anticipate any number of people arriving after you. In my restaurant there are only two areas that seat wheelchairs/pushchairs and large parties. As such these tables are kept empty for as long as possible. There are only two tables of 6 where I work. Once they are full people often have to wait 1.5+ hours for the next table as our seating is fixed booths for 2/4. It's a PITA trying to explain why a table can't sit together when a restaurant is empty. It also makes economic sense to only open certain areas, usually the ones closest to the kitchen window. Otherwise your waiters can take twice as long when running stuff, adding time on to everyone's experience.