Do you try to get a nice seat in a restaurant when out with friends?

[user1471554720]

I have noticed that when I am out with my friend in a restaurant, I always end up facing her and the wall, whereas she is opposite me and can see the other diners and main restaurant behind me.

The restaurant is small and a certain proportion of tables are up against the wall, where one person faces their companion and then the wall.

Once I arrived early and sat with my back to the wall, so I could overlook the main restaurant. She came after and seemed a bit put out about the seat but said nothing.

Do you try and get a good seat when out? Generally I don't esp, if out with a large group. I don't watch seating but if I am out with one or two, and I am always facing them and the wall. I do notice.

2 members of my family always do this,.

I always try and get a seat not facing the wall so I can see other diners and people watch

Thinking about it, I would ALWAYS sit facing out/the entrance if I arrived first, so I could watch for my companion.

I am also an "early" person so I suppose more often than not arrive first. But i wouldn't be put out or even notice if the opposite happened.

Are you usually on time?

I don't really care about facing a wall or not but when I'm out with a group (assuming it's nobody's birthday and we all know each other) if I arrive first I'll pick a seat in the middle of the table so I have people on both sides to chat to and can hear/ be involved in more conversations. But doesn't everyone do that? If I'm running late I assume I'll be sitting on the end.

She stood around for a minute and looked to see if there was another table. She seemed not as friendly in thw conversation

One of my friends always gives me the seat with a view because she knows my ex military bloke insists on sitting with his back to the wall. I like restaurants with mirrors behind the table so everyone can see what’s going on.

Wrong answer. I eat out all the time and if it's a table for two at the side of the restaurant floor, wall seat is plainly better. If dining with a friend, first come first served! If taking out a client, I'd offer it to them.

I prefer restaurants with tables at 45 degrees so two can sit facing partially out and not staring each other down, but that takes more space.

If I’m out with just one person I usually ask them which seat they’d prefer, I really don’t care where I sit as long as perhaps we are directly by the front door where there’s a draft!
If it’s a bigger group I don’t tend to confer, I just sit at the seat I get to first.

If I'm first there I'd sir against the wall and people watch. Once my friend has arrived then it doesn't matter as we will be talking to each other so no such thing as a good or bad seat.

Personally I prefer the wall facing one. Usually easier to get out to the toilet and I don't have to watch others eat!

I try to get a seat where I can easily leave the table if I need to. I don't like having to ask others to move.

It makes sense for the first person the get there to take the seat facing the restaurant. That way your friend can see when you arrive 🤷🏻‍♀️
I wouldnt sit down facing the wall on purpose, if the other person isnt there yet. Its a bit different if you arrive together. Then i dont really mind where i sit. Ive never noticed a pattern.

I'm an early person as well and usually the first to arrive, so generally nab what I consider the best seat, which is facing the room.

I always insist on that one when eating out with DH. He doesn't mind.

Yes, I do. I like to be back to the wall so I can see everything. I hate being sat at a table in the middle of a restaurant with people moving behind me

Traditionally the woman faces the room and the man faces the wall (the idea being that they both get a lovely view- her of the restaurant and him of her) so maybe your friend is just used to sitting there. Be more assertive.

I like both. Facing out to people watch and facing in to have more privacy

I do try to get the “good”
seat. I want one where I don’t feel
trapped. That typically means not against the wall. Definitely not one where I have to ask someone else to stand in order to get up. I will even ask for the good seat because otherwise I get agitated feeling claustrophobic.

so we could probably dine together quite happily.

The person who gets there first would almost always sit facing the entrance, then the other person sits facing them. I doubt your friend was really off with you for getting there first and sitting in the wall seat.

Interact with strangers and other diners? Erm no? Presumably you’re interacting with the person that you’re actually sitting with. Seating won’t make a difference on the conversation

I’m very punctual and usually arrive first. I generally take the seat against the wall, facing in to the restaurant as it’s a) easier for my friends to find me and b) they don’t have to squeeze past a table and a person (me) with their bags / shopping bags / dog. They just pull a chair out and sit down.

However I do have a friend who says “I love a banquette!” on arriving so for her, I sit in the chair if there’s a banquette. I don’t mind where I sit, I just want the chat and food to commence as quickly and efficiently as possible.

I have never once thought about what seat I want to sit at bar which looks the most comfortable. I'm only concentrating on the people I am with when in a restaurant. Who are these weirdoes watching everyone else in the room? I'll be paranoid when I'm out now

I have literally never thought about this.

I might, if I was feeling picky, as for a table in a certain part of the restaurant to benefit us both.

But I'm never trying to one up my friend by getting a better seat than them. If anything I'd prefer they had the better seat if they cared, it's just not important to me.

I hate facing the wall so would always choose facing outward

If I arrive first, I will always sit facing outwards/comfy seat by the wall.

If we arrive together, I'm not fussed so will ask the other person what they prefer.

That’s brilliant. Does he think he’s in an episode of Reacher 😂

If this happens to me I have been known to shuffle the seat around so I am sitting side-on to someone rather than facing them. I dont like facing the wall either.

If I'm at the restaurant first, I usually face outwards. If we arrive together I'm usually polite and just take the outer seat if I reach the table first. Exceptions are if it's a guy and I know he really won't care if I take the banquette.