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!

You are not listening to what anyone is saying so you’re not going to learn.
Yes it had your name on it but you should have spoken to someone and it doesn’t sound like the staff were rude to you just informative.

"There's allways one isn't there"

@Dita73

After reading @EmptyTheFrickingBins

Is that 🤔 the only thing that stood out fir you got out of this thread?
L.o.l

Good question

YABU why would you sit at a table someone was already sat at? Just go and tell the staff and let them sort it.

YABU your behaviour was very rude

Why didn't you let the staff handle it?

Must be a shit pub if no member of staff approached them for 15 minutes while they were standing waiting. That and writing name reservations and times on the table is practically asking customers to take matters into their own hands. The manager should have apologised for the lack of attention and that someone was still sitting at the reserved table.

any normal person on arrival would have informed the staff of the booking

sounds like the type of person who doesn’t wait to be seated & just finds a table

She already said she copied and pasted the email to the pub. That’s why the colour of the persons top has mentioned.

RTFT

In regards to the pub setting our hungry horse can vary between waiting to be seated and finding own place and when we've reserved a table we have gone to look for it as there was FOH on that day.

However, if someone was at our supposed reserved table and it was our booking time I would have automatically spoken to a member of staff, if no other suitable tables available! I don't understand how that wasn't your first reaction and instead you loitered around for 15 minutes hoping they would go!
Also the facts your parents turning up hence now needing that table doesn't make sense just get them to sit temporarily at one of the smaller tables whilst you wait.

I don't think the manager should have told you off, she could have reiterated you needing to speak to a staff member, but I think it is extremely odd to have sat down with other diners!

You were rude OP. Seating issues are for staff not patrons.

The OP doesn't need to learn anything. The manager needs to learn good customer service pdq or find another job.

i wouldn’t like to upset anyone in our local HH, likely to get a punch in the face.

The other customers sound really odd, could they not read the reserved sign? I'd probably have got a staff member because I'm quite socially awkward but actually I think good for you for claiming the table.

I think you made a mistake by asking the other patrons to move, but I hate this new expectation that customers can be spoken to like shit over any minor transgression.

I've worked in cs, and yes, some people are cunts, but the majority of difficult members of the public I dealt with were just a bit clueless. You don't just give everyone the moaning cunt or entitled twat treatment just because you experience hostility from time to time

You were rude as fuck OP.

If you’ve got a reservation normal practice would be to speak to a member of staff on arrival. You actually sat at the table when other people were still seated?

In mine you walk in and find a table, however if I've reserved one I speak to staff to seat me, I dont go wandering about pub and annoying other customers.

Hang on, not sure why everyone is slating the OP! @EmptyTheFrickingBins

YANBU

I think the staff should have been aware of you, welcomed you or spoken to you if they needed that prior discussion or to avoid confusion. Or moved their reservation sign - of course it would have caused confusion.

You’d been waiting there 15 mins, were a large group - and no member of staff had greeted or explained to you. You also had disabled people in your party.

The other people had finished their meal, there was a named sign on the table - you asked if it was ok to take your place - THEY could have explained without getting angry.

And - no the manager should not have shouted at you or got angry either. This was a special meal, you were guests in their establishment. They greet you, and explain to you what’s going on - and if there is not that expectation and you ‘help yourselves’ then it’s up to them to put the right name on the table!

It's bizarre you didn't speak to any staff when you saw other people sitting at your table. However, the staff also should not have been rude

You should have spoken to the staff and they could have sorted it.
Weird that you decided to waltz in and deal with it all yourself.

Your behaviour was odd and rude, even if you weren’t aggressive someone was still sitting there.
The staff were rude to you.
live and learn.

Lots of places put reserve signs on and you can still sit at them, often you'll be told you can sit there til x o clock

No way should you have sat down at the table. I would have gone mad if you'd done that to me.

Why on earth wouldn’t you just say to a member of staff “people are sitting at our reserved table, can you help sort this out?”

YABU - quite odd reaction from you.

The manager was well out of order to tell you off.
Really, they should have enough trained staff to greet people that have arrived 15 min ago. To change or remove reservation names if there is a change in sitting plans. To deal politely with people, instead of losing two sets of customers to their stupidity.
I would have gone to speak to a member of staff upon arrival. I think thst is a lesson to take from this. Nect time, let the staff to deal with it.
Also, you did ask the people already seated if they minded sharing for a bit, you did not ask them to move out, according to your post. For some reason MN translates that to you told them to leave, which is BS. Same for the idiotic manager, in the pink top.