Was I BU to leave the pub after being told off by the manager?

[EmptyTheFrickingBins]

I had booked a table for a group of seven people to celebrate a Ruby wedding anniversary. On arrival to the pub we found the table with our reservation and sat down to wait for the rest of party - this was at 4:30 which was our booked time.

Three other guests were already seated at the table and there was no indication that any other table had been reserved for us.

My parents - who are both elderly and disabled - arrived and I returned to the table with them where we asked the other guests if they'd be happy to share-- there would have been room and we couldn't move because the only free tables were for four or under. This was at 4:45 and we had been waiting for them to finish.

They reacted in a very angry way and stormed off from the table and must have informed the staff on the way out.

I just want to be clear - at no point where we rude or demanding.

We were viewing the menu when a manager in a pink top came over to the table and told us rudely that we shouldn't have asked the other guests to move (again - at no point did we do this), that another table had been reserved for us and we should have spoken to the staff - again none of this was indicated, and only the one table had our name on it!

I felt extremely embarrassed by the interaction - we sat at the table in good faith as it had the reserved sign on with our name.

The woman's attitude was awful and spoiled the night - we ended up leaving because we no longer felt welcome - everyone was looking at us as she told us off!

The usual procedure is to wait to be seated.

I don't think I'd have sat down at a table where others were eating. I realise it had your reservation sign on it but there had clearly been some mix up by this stage and it was up to the staff to sort it out.

I'm sorry your evening was spoilt though.

In a hungry horse pub? Not in my experience ever!

Sorry, I don't know what a hungry horse pub is.

Yes, we now have to wait by the bar to be seated in our local HH.

Why is the colour of her top relevant?

I think I would have queried with a member of staff if the table had your reservation on and it was either the wrong size or others were sat there, before speaking to the other customers.
I know when weve been in a busy pub , weve been allowed to sit at at table but told we must have vacated by the time of the next reservation.
If the pub knew you were there and did nothing then they are in the wrong, and speaking to you in that manner infront if other diners isn't great either.

Sorry it spoiled the celebrations x

I copied what I'd emailed to the oub here!

Usual procedure is to say to the staff - we are so and so, have a table booked for 4;30 and let them escort you to the table

Why didn’t you speak to staff? Speaking to the other customers was wrong; you speak to the staff to sort things out.

I think your actions were bizarre op.

If I turned up to a restaurant and the reserved table with our name on it had people sitting there eating - I'd approach the staff and tell them this.

Approaching people at the table mid-meal is just odd. Why on earth would you?

Hold on - so you sat down at a table with a "Reserved" sign that had your name on it, but there were other people (that you didn't know) already sat at that table, and neither party said anything about it to the others there? Nobody went to find a member of staff to ask what was going on?!

🤔

That isn't the policy for the one we visited.

https://www.hungryhorse.co.uk/

What's a hungry horse?

If a table has been booked (no matter how cheap the establishment) , normal procedure is to tell staff you've booked a table in whatever name you made the booking & they show you the table they've kept for you.

I find it really, really weird that you didn't speak to a staff member before you plonked yourself down at a table with other people sitting there eating.

Why on earth would you do that?

Yeah, in normal circumstances but you had a reserved table which other people were sitting at so you go and speak to a staff member. You don’t just sit down with the other people and tell them you’re joining them. That’s bloody weird behaviour. You were wrong.

They weren't mid meal - they'd finished eating and were talking! Their plates were totally empty!

But they were still sitting there.

"we shouldn't have asked the other guests to move (again - at no point did we do this), that another table had been reserved for us and we should have spoken to the staff"

It does sound like the staff had realised that people were still sitting at the table that had originally been reserved for you and had made another available

Table for ten ish people, two adults and two small children who were tired. Just wanted to get the kids out of the way really.

Genuinely don't know what's wrong with sitting St the table with our name on it!

YABU because you didn't go and ask the staff for the actual table, you just sat down with a bunch of randoms and made them feel like they had to leave. How awfully awkward.

Waiting for the inevitable drip feed that OP's surname is "Smith"

In our time slot and on a table with our name on it!

You should have asked a staff member not been rude as fuck to other patrons

What was wrong was that the pub had sorted another table. They had it in hand. You should have talked to them rather than steam in.

You should have spoken to the staff. You don’t sit down when other people are, even if they’re wrong. You’ve no idea if the staff told them while they were eating that another table had been sorted for the reservation so they could stay etc.

You speak to the staff. You were wrong to behave as you did.