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Opinions sought on this mild annoyance. People who claim tables in coffee shops/bars before they’ve ordered when there are people already in the queue.
Scenario. I’m in the queue at a coffee shop, I’m alone. It’s busy but there are a few tables free, so I’m happy I’ll get a seat.
Until.
The three remaining tables get taken by people who are part of groups who have arrived after me and are behind me in the queue. So they have someone in the queue and someone else claiming the table.
So despite me arriving first, they nab the last tables.
I believe you should not be able to get a table unless you have ordered your drink or there are more tables free than there are people in the queue. We are British, therefore we wait in line for our turn. By claiming a table you’re skipping the queue.
My mate says this is not reasonable and muttered something about using kids as table claimers.
I believe I am standing up for British queuing etiquette. He is less convinced…
I'm with you on this, drives me nuts !
Grrrrrrrrr
See also standing in the queue with your kids, having checked there will be somewhere to sit and a singleton in the queue takes the last 4 seat table.
Should people on their own be entitled to take up a table for four?
Edit - beaten to it!
Should people on their own be entitled to take up a table for four?
May I suggest a fluid table system? Where people move when a more suitable table become available. Yes, the solo diner gets the first table even if it’s a 6 seater as they are first in line, but they are moved to a small table as soon as one becomes available.
Problem solved.
The three remaining tables get taken by people who are part of groups
You think the whole group should queue for their drinks?
If solo I just put my bag/hat etc on the chair and claim it while in the queue. Just play the same game
Stick your jacket/bag on the table when you arrive.
Perhaps go more upmarket to an establishment with table service?
Not as annoying as the person on a busy train who tries to claim a double seat to themselves by sticking their briefcase/handbag on the seat next them.
Though most annoying of all was the person who was most irritated when I politely showed him my ticket and pointed out he was sitting in my first class train seat. "You mean you want me to move?"
It might be wrong if you as a singleton left a bag or coat to claim a table and then joined the queue. But if you arrive with more than one person then one queues to order and the others sit at a table.
Not as annoying as the person on a busy train who tries to claim a double seat to themselves by sticking their briefcase/handbag on the seat next them.
When I get on a busy train, I always choose the seat where someone has tried to claim it for their bag. **** 'em.
Tbh not doing so would be odd. How do you know who in the queues standing for take away and who wants a seat.
Most. Places I frequent will assign you a table then ask you to place your order at the counter.
Bags on seats on a train can get lost though that's just ignorant and like john ill challenge it
How do you know who in the queues standing for take away and who wants a seat.
You don’t. So you wait until you’ve ordered to get a seat. Easy.
You don’t. So you wait until you’ve ordered to get a seat. Easy.
Think that through a bit longer you'll see the issue
10 folk in the queue 7 tables 6 of the 10 people are wanting take away but you don't know that . Do you bother standing in the queue for a table. Drink ?
Your policy doesn't sound great for business
Though most annoying of all was the person who was most irritated when I politely showed him my ticket and pointed out he was sitting in my first class train seat. “You mean you want me to move?”
I see more and more of this attitude on trains.
It's not like booking a seat costs anything on a train - or sticking to that booking.
Does seem the wrong way round to me. Walk into the cafe, see if there is space, claim it (with child, partner, bag, coat, etc), join queue and order.
Went into a cafe that had this system formalised. You grabbed a marker, put it on a table to say it had been claimed, then went up and ordered.
I've been to many food places that say "find a table before ordering", I don't recall ever going to one saying the opposite.
Take a spare seat on their table?
Take a spare seat on their table?
Just ask them to bunk up and share a seat.. 😉
Unless it's a wait to be seated place we'll always find a table then go up to order. Makes sense. I don't want to order and then find we've no where to sit.
On trains (I always reserve a seat) and buses I will put my bag next to me , but always prepared to move it for someone.
I/we are obviously social parias 🤣
No, I don't think it's acceptable but, as most people do it, so do I - unless the café is quiet in which case there's no need.
Take a spare seat on their table?
Velocity Cafe in Inverness has pretty much that. Massive community table with only a handful of twin tables.
It's like the old student days of any old seat in the union.
Doesn't one simply use ones shooting stick?
I did a wee solo biking camping trip a few years ago.
Went for a pint in Kippford and sat at a table in the beer garden with my pint. I went inside for a second pint and to order some food. As I was on my own, in order to keep my table I left a quarter of a pint sitting there, along with my hat and the magazine I was reading.
Was inside for a matter of 2-3 minutes and came out to find a family had taken my table and thrown my stuff on the ground. When I politely explained I was sitting there and I'd ordered food to be delivered to that table, apparently I was the arsehole...
On trains (I always reserve a seat) and buses I will put my bag next to me , but always prepared to move it for someone.
Unacceptable IMO. No-one should have to ask you for permission to use a seat that you haven't paid for.
On trains (I always reserve a seat) and buses I will put my bag next to me , but always prepared to move it for someone.
Unacceptable IMO. No-one should have to ask you for permission to use a seat that you haven’t paid for
Not actually what I said. I said I'm prepared to move it for someone. If it's getting busy and someone is obviously looking for somewhere to sit I'll move it. I'm not ignoring people until they have e to ask.
Booking seats every day doesn't work if you are a commuter...I'll sit anywhere I can, even reserved, although I'll happily move or stand for someone who does have a reserved seat and I'm sat in it.
Following thought.... What about when you've 'paid for a seat' but have to stand anyway as there are no seats on our wonderful public transport systems at times?
Or, you've 'paid for' and got 'your seat', who do you give it up for?
On trains (I always reserve a seat) and buses I will put my bag next to me , but always prepared to move it for someone.
Fair enough, at least that's something. I still think it's rather entitled.
Not so long ago I left my small table to visit the pub facilities. I'd placed my half-finished pint on top of my half-finished book on the small table, to indicate I had been sitting there and fully intended to resume doing so. I returned to find three people sitting at "my" table, one of whom was reading my book. There were several other empty tables nearby. I pulled my sawn-off shotgun from its holster...
Entitled?
So you sit there on the bus or the train hugging your bag at all times to make sure there's no encroachment on an empty seat. Each to their own I guess.
You don’t. So you wait until you’ve ordered to get a seat. Easy.
Except that it's not uncommon for cafés to have a sign advising punters to find a seat before ordering.
Otherwise you walk away from the till with a bowl of soup and a crusty roll and stand there like an idiot, or...
You try to place your order and they ask for your table number...
What is annoying is how we don't tend to ask/offer to share a table... unless it's desperate and your arm is going dead/soup going cold!
Velocity Cafe in Inverness has pretty much that. Massive community table with only a handful of twin tables.
Ryvoan cafe in Aviemore has the same setup. I've been in a couple excellent Indian restaurants with the same. Seems to work well.
I'm not sure what the OP expects folk to do. A group of four to queue and order and then hang about waiting for a table to be freed up? Seems like a recipe for chaos in the usual compact cafes and so on. How are staff to start serving tables if the place is full of folk standing and waiting? What happens when their order is ready?
Cafes should just have some "Billy no mates" signs ready for you to pop on the table whilst you que. Only snag would be if you left it there when you left, screwing up the system.
But yes, solo you need to be prepared to move to a smaller table when the place if getting full for if nothing else the benefit of the cafe's ability to keep afloat and make money when they are able.
Entitled?
So you sit there on the bus or the train hugging your bag at all times to make sure there’s no encroachment on an empty seat. Each to their own I guess.
Now that's not what I said is it. Do you hug your bag when you have to move it for someone? The way you volunteered that you put your bag on the seat next to you suggests it is a choice with a motive to avoid having people sit next to you until you deem it busy enough for it to be moved (to you hugging it apparently, even though I very rarely see anyone doing that , there are several places to put a bag, but no doubt you always travel with too much stuff that you need immediate access to for any of those to work for you)
We're going to disagree on this one, so you continue to put your bag next to you and I'll continue to select people like you to sit next to.
Doesn’t one simply use ones shooting stick?
Good lord, doesn't one just get one's footman to queue for one's order?
On trains (I always reserve a seat) and buses I will put my bag next to me , but always prepared to move it for someone.
Unacceptable IMO. No-one should have to ask you for permission to use a seat that you haven’t paid
I use to think this and deliberately get people to move their bag. But changed after conversation with my daughter. She sometimes suffers from social anxiety and finds travelling by train particularly stressful. She therefore really prefers to sit alone as having a stranger next to her feels quite intrusive. Of course she does move her bag when asked but admits she does use it as an obstacle to try and protect her space.
Not sure if that counts as “entitled”? But it certainly reminded me to remember you never know what someone else is going through so pays to be kind when you can.
You go to a coffee shop to drink in, on your own?
Not sure if that counts as “entitled”? But it certainly reminded me to remember you never know what someone else is going through so pays to be kind when you can.
Buy two tickets?
Being a Carer is a thing, back when I was looking a disabled partner we got a lot of two-for-one tickets for concerts and suchlike. (It sounds like a sweet deal but I got dragged to all manner of shit that I'd never have paid money to attend.) It might be worth asking if the train company has such a policy.
If you want to keep the seat next to you free, just tap it with your hand and wink at any approaching passengers.
You go to a coffee shop to drink in, on your own?
Of course, why wouldn't you? one of the pleasures of being out riding a bike, walking etc is stopping for a coffee and snack.
"On trains (I always reserve a seat) and buses I will put my bag next to me , but always prepared to move it for someone.
Fair enough, at least that’s something. I still think it’s rather entitled."
More than that: It's arseholic!
Sitting down before you order is clearly inefficient in terms of table space. But as the first question when you get to be served is normally “where are you sitting?” I’ve now accepted that inefficient is normal and expected
Of course, why wouldn’t you? one of the pleasures of being out riding a bike, walking etc is stopping for a coffee and snack.
In a room full of people you don't know? Sounds horrendous.
In a room full of people you don’t know? Sounds horrendous.
I mean, by that token takeout is surely even worse? There's a whole wide world of people you don't know out there!
Cafes should just have some “Billy no mates” signs ready for you to pop on the table
Probably just need to carry a printed 'Reserved' page in a tatty folder protector sheet. Job jobbed. If you're flush get a little engraved 'Reserved' sign. While I'm joking I would not be surprised to find that someone already does this.
My annoying version of this is when ski race teams/families abandoned their bags on tables all over the lodge and leave one person to overwatch the tables while they're out racing and skiing. Basically, taking up all the tables and not letting anyone else sit there when they are outside. One of my pleasures in life is pointing out that they've tried to claim tables already reserved for ski school.