AIBU to wonder if this man had a legitimate AIBU about me?

[CrooksAndNannies]

I run a bistro with 8 outdoor tables 32 chairs.

There's currently no inside service.

We were very busy today when a man came up to me.

All chairs except one were occupied. BUT there was one table free, though the chairs had been moved to an adjacent table by a group.

The potential customer cane up to me and with attitude asked me if there were any more chairs as there was a table free. And he wanted to eat (he implied that he was with other people but can't remember his phrasing). I apologised and said all chairs bar one were occupied, and told him about some benches in the courtyard a few yards away.

"But we want to SIT and EAT at a table."

surprised he didn't stamp his foot

Ahha, I offered to take his number and call him when the situation had changed, if he'd like to have a wander.

"but people have MOVED chairs, and there's an empty table I could eat at of there were CHAIRS"

I reitered I was sorry.

He said he'd eat elsewhere with a glare and wandered off to another eatery.

AIBU to want to know how he represented this conversation about the Front Of House refusing to take seats off current customers?

He seemed to think that because the chairs had been moved from a table he could legitimately ask for them to be put back.

I feel sorry for what you are dealing with.

Your business and way of working has been turned upside down.

And your customers and their way of living has also been turned upside down and there's a lot of angry people going around.

I feel sorry for what you are dealing with.

Your business and way of working has been turned upside down.

And your customers and their way of living has also been turned upside down and there's a lot of angry people going around.

I can see his point - if there is a limit on the number of people then stick with the set number of chairs - but the people who took the chairs should have moved the tables together as well, then the table wouldn't have looked available.

If it was a set number of tables permitted, I'd have got more chairs. Which is what he was asking for, more chairs - I don't think he was asking you to take chairs off other diners to achieve that, he could probably see spare ones inside!

Does give you a chance to come up with a policy for next time though, as it will probably happen again. Interesting times!

He’s probably having a bad day and took it out on you. If a party of 6 turn up should they sit at different tables rather than move chairs? I’d let them move chairs and get stackable chairs so you have extras

If there is plenty of space for social distancing while also having an extra chair at several tables then the moral of the story is that if you don't want to lose customers then buy a few more chairs!

Couldn't you have moved the empty table to a bench for him?

OZp, where is this lovely place? Sounds right up my street. Thanks