AIBU to not get the table grabbing behaviour at a cafe?

[IncognitoPanda]

It’s Black Friday - needless to say it’s heaving. Queue of maybe 10 people at a cafe where you order at the counter and tables generally very busy. I cannot believe the number of people who think it’s reasonable to put one person in the queue whilst the other smugly nabs a table as people leave to sit saving it for their party when people who have queued and paid cannot find a table by the time their drinks are made. AIBU to go and join them at their table and make awkward small talk whilst their buddy still queues so that my coffee doesn’t go cold as a solo shopper?

When I'm solo, in order to avoid this, I tend to go into pub chains who do app ordering, so I grab a table then order via the app. Means I don't have to get up to order and risk losing the table.

I wouldn't save a table on my own but when I'm with my toddler and baby I leave a changing bag or some thing there, If there's a queue even if noone 'hogged' tables then how would you know if you'd definitely get a seat? When I'm alone I risk it as I could squeeze in any corner.

Well I've never had this problem. Put a coat, bag, book, water bottle etc on the table then order.

Many places you need a table number to order, what you do in that situation?

It's really no where near as hard as people make out on these threads. Calling everyone selfish but it is surely basic common sense to find a table before ordering food

Exactly and in the rest of Europe you'd just get table service which does not result in any extra tables...

YANBU totally not unreasonable, but I think most PPs will say you are and that it's OK for one person to grab a table while the other queues.

Of course, they don't give a flying whatever about single people in the queue. Because of course, single people dare to take up a WHOLE TABLE to themselves, the selfish fuckers.

Quite. In the rest of Europe you sit down, someone comes and takes your order then brings it to you. It tastes nice. When you're done you ask for the bill and you pay about a quarter of the price you'd have been charged in a UK chain.

I am happy to frequent cafés in Europe. I don't do it here.

It is perfectly possibly to grab a table with a coat or similar and then queue as a single person. I have done it many times.

As others have said, it doesn’t even make sense to order unless you know you have a table.

If you want a table available for you when you bring your drink, why don't you reserve one?

If you can't be bothered, fair enough, but then you'll have to wait until one becomes free. It's an odd behaviour, so don't complain other people are more efficient

What a strange thing to be annoyed about

what does it have to do with being single?

Just grab a table before you start queuing, it can't be such a hard concept 😂
We all manage.

We had lunch in the cafe at the Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester earlier in the year. They had little signs you could put on a table to save it while you were queueing - I thought it was a really good idea and makes it fairer for people who are on their own and don't want to leave any of their belongings unattended to save the table.

I don't think it's selfish for only one person in a group to queue, but I do think it's selfish if your designated queue person is still in the queue and you don't budge up to make room for a single person who's already got a coffee to sit down. A that point they need the table and you don't. It might be different if they're wandering round with a full meal.

I just go to a table, dump my coat and a bag (keep keys and phone on me) and then go and queue. Easy.

Dump my coat and bag on the table, keep keys and phone with me. Easy.

You think there are no counter service restaurants in the rest of Europe? You are certainly incorrect.

Actually you're also wildly wrong that they're all cheaper than the UK!

According to people on the last thread I was on about this, you can. You just leave your coat or something similar at a table. I am often alone in cafes and since being told that's apparently acceptable have done it a couple of times when a cafe was busy enough that I wasn't sure a table would be free by the time I got my drink and food. If it's not looking busy I don't bother and just find a table after paying.

I do this. Im not going to pay for food and a drink and have nowhere to sit. If im alone, I put my coat on a seat. Everyone does it.

What? I always get a seat first. What do you do if you have your food and nowhere to sit, that makes no sense.

Why would everyone need to queue? One person orders, pays, gets the money from everyone in the party if needed. Surely people together dont actually all go up and order separately? Ive never come across (or done) this in my entire life.

Having said that, if there are seats at my table, I'm happy for others to perch on the end.

The "queue then find a table" system for plated food is, frankly, moronic.

You need a table to sit and eat a plated meal. Unless they're handing out food in a paper bag, get a table first and then get your food.

It's annoying having people wandering around with laden trays simpering about where they could possibly sit because they didn't have the wherewithal to secure it before getting their food.

Only one set of people in this situation are employing their brains.

Ive only had this happen once, someone asking-not-asking to sit at the other seat and started sitting down looking like she was ready for me to say no. I said my friend had just popped to the toilet and we were waiting for our orders to be brought over so the seat was indeed taken. Worked a treat as she couldn't argue with that so Im always prepared with that line now 😬

I’m disabled and struggle to stand for long periods ( more than a minute or so) so I sit down while my husband queues. What else are we supposed to do?

I often put a book or my coat on a table then go to the bar / counter to order if I'm on my own.