Was it unreasonable to take the table

[user17382]

Out with Dm today and my young DC's. There is a particular cafe that we really like and hadn't visited for a while. Went in and there were not tables so we said we would do some more shopping and then come back to see if any were free. Went back about 30 mins later and we see a table of 4. So we went straight to it and sat down/took coats off etc and went up to order.

At this point we realised a couple at the counter were complaining about us to the waitress. Apparently they had been about to sit at our table and as it was the last one available in there they now had nowhere to sit. Staff were very good and moved things around to get them some chairs but they spent the whole time in there tutting and giving us dirty looks.

My logic is that when going in to somewhere busy we always find a table first and then order. If we waited in line with the kids and then went to find a table and couldn't get one we would be stuck as the kids are too young to take the food or drink as takeout. But then I did feel really uncomfortable and that maybe we did something wrong.

Presumably she thought they’d planned ahead like anyone else 🤷‍♀️Why on earth do the pair of them need to stand in the queue cluttering the place up?!

Are you always this insulting. You obviously just have your own opinions just like I do but I have also owned 2 restaurants a cafe. ToodlePip 😘
others have said the same are you answering all of them or just me?

Right, but usually the people standing to get food have partners or friends sitting at a table while that one person orders for them. So the OP quite reasonably assumed they’d already bagged a table, then did the same herself before queuing.

BTW, I’ve obviously been extremely rude by not ‘waiting to be seated’ in Costa 😆 Most places don’t do that and if they do, they have a sign.

I’ve been answering all of the (few) of your way of thinking!

I apologise for my flippant tone, but I was genuinely taken back by your bizarre suggestion (which others had not really made) that somehow this was a ‘wait to be seated’ restaurant- which clearly it wasn’t as those always say so!

If you go into a cafe and see there is a table free, but go to order your food first you cannot reasonably expect that table to still be free by the time you have ordered and paid for your food. Either secure the table first or take the chance that another table will have become available by the time you have ordered and paid for your food.

What?! These replies are 🙄
why in earth would you order food with no table? If I walked into a place and there were no tables I’d leave. If I walked in and there was one I’d sit at it, assuming everyone queueing up had gotten a themselves sorted too.
If I were on my own I’d leave a coat on the table to make it clear it was taken, not that I’d ever eat out alone but that’s personal preference.
YANBU op. They should have taken the table first if they wanted it, you’re not a kind reader and did nothing wrong, all those saying you’re wrong are just weird of you ask me.

I can’t answer any more than this as I have a life 😘

Table first, then food. It is utterly daft to order food, then find a table. And even if there was a free table, you have to lay claim to it. YANBU

I would assume that anyone queueing to get food had a table because that's exercising common sense. As I say, I've never been to a cafe that has operated a different system without signage or someone at the door.

There is nothing to suggest OP was in the wrong. The people being passive agressive are the arseholes. If they genuinely thought there was a different system in place and were in a queue for a table they'd have used their words.

Buy food first then find a table. Dumping your stuff at a table first or getting someone to sit at one before ordering is the equivalent of putting a towel on a sunbed before breakfast.

It isn’t. The equivalent of putting a towel on a sun bed before breakfast would be leaving your stuff at a table and then going off and doing some shopping before coming back for coffee/food.

I also get a table then order. It would be blocking up the queue if you, your mum and children all queued instead of your mum settling the kids at the table.

I normally send DH and DS plus buggy to get a table.

For the people saying food first then table, what is your view on what people should do if they want a second coffee or a piece of cake after a sandwich? Surely you wouldn’t expect them to gather all their stuff up and queue again?

Unless it’s a food court or there’s a sign up saying order before finding a table, it’s absolutely a no brainer that you find a table first.

I always get a table, then look through the menu, leave my stuff on the table then order. If there’s someone with me, once goes and orders, the other stays seated at the table.

Queuing for food first without reserving a table makes absolutely zero sense

Went back about 30 mins later and we see a table of 4. So we went straight to it and sat down/took coats off etc and went up to order.

At this point we realised a couple at the counter were complaining about us to the waitress. Apparently they had been about to sit at our table and as it was the last one available in there they now had nowhere to sit

You were wrong.

You SAW there was only 1 table left.

You knew there were people queuing at the counter.

You knew they hadn't 'bagged' the last table.

So you should have realised the cafe was still full, and gone somewhere else, or waited till a table was free.

If there were 6 people waiting in a queue at the counter, and enough tables for them AND you, it would be okay to bag a table.
That's different.

Taking the only free table when people were there already and collecting their food is really not on.

I hope if you keep doing this, other customers will speak up.

It's queue jumping just like any other queue jumping. Pushing in when you should wait your turn.

It’s definitely not the equivalent of the sunbed thing! If you don’t get a sunbed… nothing happens. However, if you don’t get a table, you’re just a muppet wandering round with tray of rapidly cooling food and nowhere to eat!

Sounds like you ignored the queue so yeah, YABU.

And if you're on your own or with a baby - tough?

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

I am just loving the tiny band of angry people on here who don’t get a table first.

ALMOST NO ONE ELSE DOES WHAT YOU DO.

IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO DO WHAT YOU DO.

YOU DON’T WIN ANY PRIZES FOR MAKING YOUR LIVES SO HARD.

JOIN US…

I do realise I should stop engaging… but, seriously, how are people still not getting this?!

It’s not queue-jumping; the queue is where you wait in line at the counter.

It is not the job of queue members or potential queue members to do a quick count of the people in the queue and then a corresponding count of the available tables!

For one thing, some people in the queue could be buying takeout. Some might be re-queueing for cake or more coffee having already queued once and eaten.

It’s utter madness to suggest people ought to do some sort of survey before occupying a table 😂

I’ll ask again: if everyone does this weird ‘queue and take your chances’ thing, how many times do you think people will actually end up with a tray of paid-for food and nowhere to sit? My guess is a lot!

It shouldn't be a risk - at McDonald's this really winds me up when people who have already got food can't sit down because others have jumped the queue by claiming tables before they've even ordered.

I park my baby and toddler at the table. They’re excellent at holding a table (used to it…). If not, the pram and all the shite I have to schlep about with does a sterling job too.

Who chooses to sit in Maccies?! Anyway, just pick up the bag, put down the tray, and carry it out if there’s no tables.

It shouldn't be a risk

???

Of course it’s a risk! How could it not be? Your way doesn’t yield an infinite number of tables! There’s still every chance all the tables will be full by the time you have done your obedient waiting in line!

It is queue-jumping if you're at the type of cafe where customers are expected to get their food and then find a table. You've 'jumped' the step of queuing for the food to possibly take a table from someone who got there before you and isn't a CF sp followed the procedure. Some cafes are get the table first, then order. In that case, it's not queue-jumping. If customers don't know which it's is, they need to ask staff.