Table hoggers

[wanttomarryamillionaire]

Im not sure if im being unreasonable or not but this really irritated me this morning. Myself and an elderly relative went to a very popular local cafe. It has less tables and chairs inside than it used to because of covid regulations and it also has tables and chairs outside but these were unusable this morning due to the pouring rain. The cafe was very busy and we waited for around 20 minutes for a table. During the time we waited there were at least 3 tables of people who had finished eating and drinking and were just sat there chatting. These people could see that there were lots of others waiting for tables but just continued to sit there chatting the whole time we were waiting and while we ate and were still sitting there when we left! AIBU to say this is really really rude and selfish? They can see others were waiting and they kept tables from being used, i also think the cafe manager should have said something to them.

The thread isn't about people who have just finished their drinks/food, it's about those who stay there long after they've finished...it is rude to do this if there's people waiting.

Regardless of the above, there's some totally unnecessary and some downright rude responses on here

People talking like sitting in a cafe is a weird foreign import

Unfortunately this is the society we live in today. No consideration for others, no manners and a “look out for number one” attitude.

@OneTC

People talking like sitting in a cafe is a weird foreign import

I am quite old and I do think that when I was younger, people would have been more likely to drink their tea and leave. There was definitely less loitering.

I agree with PP that people are more used to the European style of sitting in cafe's for hours, and that is sometimes at odds with other people's expectations - as demonstrated by the OP.

Personally I would happily sit for a couple of hours reading a book, having a pot of tea, then another. If other people choose to just stand around waiting that's their lookout.

However sitting there 45 minutes after they have finished while there is a big queue of people waiting for a table is just plain selfish and rude.

But you only waited 20 minutes. Which you could have waited anyway if you’d arrived and a lot of people had still been eating/drinking.

@Kanaloa

However sitting there 45 minutes after they have finished while there is a big queue of people waiting for a table is just plain selfish and rude.

But you only waited 20 minutes. Which you could have waited anyway if you’d arrived and a lot of people had still been eating/drinking.

Yes we only waited 20 mins but some of them were still sitting there after we had waited, ordered and finished our coffees. Some 45 mins later.

Yes we only waited 20 mins but some of them were still sitting there after we had waited, ordered and finished our coffees. Some 45 mins later.

How do you know they were there once you'd finished your coffees? Surely you'd have swiftly exited the building by that point?

Wouldn't bother me in the slightest but im pretty sure most elderly ladies wouldn't feel comfortable in that situation

Will it bother when you are elderly? Did it bother her when she was younger?

How old is this delicate flower? The octogenarians and nonogenarians of my acquaintance are far more robust and entirely capable of ignoring people in public when needed. They have seen rather more "life" than their concerned youngsters.

I don't think it's rude I'm afraid. If I meet a friend for coffee or to eat, I'll sit at the table after I've finished eating - it's my chance to meet up, have some down time, and it's really important to me. I wouldn't sit for hours, but nor would I rush to leave even if the cafe was heaving with people waiting.

It's more rude for you to stand there glaring at the people who are fortunate enough to get tables.

Im thick skinned enough to sit at a table already occupied. You dont own a table by sitting there. If someone is on their own and hogging a table and two or more people take the vacant places they will probably feel uncomfortable enough to leave soon with people talking over them.

But simitra what if they don't move? Would you really enjoy yourself sharing that table, with other people "talking over you?"

I wouldn't. Which is why I would just got to another cafe rather than try to squish myself onto an already occupied table.

A lot of places near me still have SD measures in place so I don't think they would allow you to share a table with strangers anyway...especially if they objected.

Read my post again! I said if someone is on their own hogging a table when I am with other people. They have the choice of finish their coffee or go somewhere else to use the wifi.

Similarly it annoys me when one selfish person is "saving" a bunch of seats while others have wandered off or they are waiting for them to appear. The only way to "save" a seat is to sit in it! This happened once at the airport when it was crowded. Everyone had trolled off to look around the duty free thinking they could just leave one person in charge of a few seats. I just took one to an empty table where they had probably moved the seats from anyway. Like I said I am pretty thick skinned.