sitting in costa coffee

[IveGotToGoToMeDads]

Went to costa coffee ordered drinks, sandwiches & cake. Myself & partner said we will eat in rather than take away. Place was full most seats were taken apart from a four seater table where some woman was sat. I asked if the seats on her table were taken and she said we can not sit on her table as she is with her DS.
In the end a chinese couple offered their seats and we eventually got a seat.
AIBU expecting a seat on womans table for me and my partner as no one was sat in them?

I get that it was phonetic, but I don't really get why you write the one word phonetically but the rest of it in standard English.
It's going against good manners because the way the queue works is that you queue to: get food, pay, then find a seat, in that order. If you grab a table before starting the process then you're jumping the queue, which is bad manners.

As there were two of you, you should have got a table first - one of you sits at the table, the other gets the order. No tables left, go somewhere else or go back later. I wouldn't want a couple I don't know joining me at my table, Costa is expensive so I'd like to enjoy my order in peace.

Café etiquette threads never seem to go well in MN.

Round my way - as I think I've said upthread - older people in particular will tend to offer up spare seats when they see people in need. I can't recall many instances of people having to ask.

Maybe there are different attitudes in different generations and different generations.

Many years ago, I spent a term in Leningrad (as it then was) while I was a university student. My birthday landed very early in my stay. I decided to treat myself by having lunch out in Nevsky Prospekt.

There was a queue - hardly unusual in the Soviet Union. The Head Waiter came out and said that there was a place for one...so I got in.

I was discomfited to find that I was being led to a table with a family of five - Mum, Dad and three children. The Head Waiter made it clear that no one had any choice in the matter and I was worried about intruding - they were halfway through lunch.

God bless them, the parents welcomed me with a smile. I thanked them and the father insisted that I have some of the blackcurrant juice that they'd purchased.

They were Azeris from Baku and seemed delighted to be sharing their table with a hapless student from Scotland. I recall that they said that I really should visit Baku some day. They were lovely folk.

I doubt that the same would happen in modern day Petersburg, but for me it was an awkward situation that turned out well.

Sorry about the "ye" thing - I thought it was a transliteration of your pronunciation of "you", didn't realize it was a different word. I thought you were trying to be a special snowflake and wave your identity around.
Again, sorry - that's my ignorance and consider me told.
Not sorry for the queueing stuff though.

To translate: "You were capable of pushing in so you should have done". Might makes right!

Yep, my local Costa has recently had a refurb. There are more tables and chairs, but the tables have shrunk. The 4 seater table is tiny, and so is the sofa that comes with it. I would hate for a stranger to sit with me at such a table, or even worse next to me on the sofa.

It hasn't changed. It's perfectly usual to share a table in crowded cafés, I've done it many times both when I've been alone, or with a friend. And as for wanting to have a "private" conversation, I've never been in a café where I couldn't easily hear every word spoken by people at the surrounding tables.

I'm not being unkind. I genuinely don't see going to a cafe as some essential activity. I only go if it is to meet or chat with someone.

Sometimes if you're feeling down, getting out of the house to see other people - even people you don't know - is an essential activity.

Is pretty much 75% of the time I am in a cafe. I don't want to be at home, but I want to be out yet not with anyone. I love to people watch, or just sit and do a craft with a cup of tea.

You don't have to go to a cafe to get out of the house and see other people.

I think single patrons should not feel obliged to offer their seats to couples / families. She was a paying customer like everyone else. And maybe there were no smaller tables.

However, as it was a table for four, I would have been happy for a couple to sit on the other half of the table.

Me and DH did laugh when we went to Nando’s once and a family of 3 (mum, dad, gran) wanted to join our table for four. I didn’t say no, I just laughed, thankfully they saw sense and found a free table (of which there were a few!)

It's one of few socially acceptable ways of being able to sit, take your time and watch the world go by. It's also a a way of being able to get a snack without having to organise it for yourself - it can be a treat to perk yourself up.

Or are people on their own not allowed to have this?

It’s not for you to say how people
should socialise.

If you don't like the fact that couples or people in groups are reserving seats don't go or choose a time when it's not busy.

Equally, if you don't like the fact that SINGLE people are reserving seats don't go or choose a time when it's not busy.

That is what someone might choose to do. Why is that an issue to you?

I like to have tea, and either doodle or cross stitch. I can't think of many places I could do that.

YABU. Costa food and drinks are utter shite.

It seems you are not allowed to do that in a cafe because a person on their own will still be only occupying half a table... so selfish when a couple are stood waiting!
Maybe us single folk who like to sit in cafes should only be allowed to sit in a park instead.

You do, if you want to be able to sit in a shared space with other people that's warm and have someone bring you a coffee and a snack.

Seriously, please stop telling people who want to go to a cafe on their own that they should want to do something different.

It's not an issue at all unless they then complain about people who are not by themselves reserving seats.

First come first served I think .
I wouldn't move because I can't deal with change , and I like to sit where I sit due to Social anxiety , so out of the way but by the window 🤣

I was actually waiting for the park to be suggested.... "Buying a snack is a privilege! Make a snack and take a flask! If you can't find a space on a bench, take a blanket and sit on the grass! If your knees have gone, carry a folding stool with you! Buy a walker with a seat!"

I don't care if people go to cafes by themselves. Do what you want but don't complain about couples or larger groups being able to reserve seats when you can't.

No you don't.

YAAAAAAAAY! I can go out if I don't complain! Glory hallelujah!

Don't complain about that specific issue.