"Go Find a Table and I'll wait in line"

[Beer Me]

Always stake out a table unless CMs are controlling things.
We aren't occupying the table that long because i'll use mobile ordering whenever available or else go somewhere if the line is more than a few minutes.

 

[maxiesmom]

We always do this. I don't see anything wrong with it.

It slows down how fast the tables can turn over, that is what is wrong with it. But honestly to me it is no problem on a not so busy day. But if the place is packed it is very rude. I like when it is busy and they have CMs stationed so that you cannot sit until you have your food.

 

[OKW Lover]

I guess I don’t see the problem with part of a group finding a table while another part of the group orders and picks up.

If the venue is busy this results in a table being occupied for a longer period of time leaving more people walking around with trays full of food looking for a place to sit.

 

[Marionnette]

If the venue is busy this results in a table being occupied for a longer period of time leaving more people walking around with trays full of food looking for a place to sit.

I still don’t have a problem with it. To me, it one of those things that you expect to deal with at a crowded park. I would rather see a large party with tired kids find a table to decompress, than have them all waiting in line whining or standing off to the side where they would undoubtedly be in the way of everyone exiting the counter.

JMO. You don’t have to agree with me. But you’re not going to change my POV.

 

[tinkerhon]

There are other factors to consider as well - I travel with my two little ones ( 12 and 8) - DS8 is on the lower end of the spectrum, and the crowds that are normally at the windows (ordering area) upset him a bit, so his sister normally takes him to find a table for us near a quiet area ( if possible) -

 

[LaidBackDad]

If the venue is busy this results in a table being occupied for a longer period of time leaving more people walking around with trays full of food looking for a place to sit.

My experience as well as most people I know have the opposite experience. Saving tables while others order food speed up the process and creates less congestion. It’s the people who loiter forever after they finish their meal, thus forcing others stand around holding trays that cause the problems. At least if a table is saved for a few minutes people can return with their food and start eating and move on. Cast members guarding the tables only makes it worse.

 

[Dug720]

I guess I don’t see the problem with part of a group finding a table while another part of the group orders and picks up. I have a bigger bone to pick with people who pack a picnic lunch and take up table space while people who purchased food at that QS restaurant can’t find a seat.

That is equally bad IMHO.

 

[seb65]

Depends, honestly. With just my family, they usually wait with me or go gather the napkins/utensils. But my mom has trouble walking. Because of the crowded area, she will leave her scooter parked outside. So after we put in our order, she will find us a table. Sometimes it is just for 2, and then the rest of us will grab seats nearby or stand at the table.

 

[tnolan]

The ABC Commissary is usually so jam packed that we often do this. Sorry folks.

 

[Jennasis]

I won't do it. It's rude. We mobile order and then look for a place to sit. We were wholly unsuccessful in this regard on our recent trip in December. Frankly, I was super pissed that there were no CM's monitoring the seating situation.

 

[kaytieeldr]

How about a solution that satisfies both sides of this debate. One person stands in line to order, while the other person waits to the side. Once the food is ready, they then go and find a place to sit.

You mean exactly the way Disney managed qs seating when the venues are busy?

My experience as well as most people I know have the opposite experience. Saving tables while others order food speed up the process and creates less congestion.

It does not. If it did, Disney would not at times need to reposition CMs to control seating.

 

[cobright]

What it comes down to is this, if we aren't certain we will have a table at which to eat our food we don't order. If it is crowded enough that this matter is in doubt, we send out the kiddos to stake out a claim as soon as one opens.

It has happened before that we have ordered and received our food and ended up eating it out in the full sun on a bench. No one would tolerate this at any other restaurant. Order and pay for your meal then find out there's no where to sit.

As for table turnover. The price of my meal buys me a place to sit for the event. If I want to sit for ten or fifteen minutes and have a conversation after the entree while deciding whether to have coffee, cake, or a cocktail, it's my table, no o e else has a claim to it. If that time extends ten or fifteen minutes prior to the food arriving, then so be it.

I might feel different if the fast food joint is so cheap that providing adequate seating might cut into the place's profitability. But Disney bought their land for dollars an acre, charge me admission for the privilege of eating there, and then charge me monopoly prices for the food. A table to eat at and sit at for a few minutes before and after the meal is not asking too much.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

We mostly eat QS at off hours when there is plenty of seating and this is not really an issue. We mobile order (when possible) or order, grab our food and go to a table, of which there are often plenty during non-peak meal times. When we do eat QS during peak meal times, we do the same thing. I have a 4 year old and a 2.5 year old who we’ve brought at different stages of baby and toddler. We still don’t hold a table to get them situated.

I can’t imagine holding a table without food while people with full trays are looking for one. When people hold tables before they have their food, it disrupts the natural rotation of tables.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

We would never sit at a table while someone from our party is getting our food. I think it's one of the most selfish and disrespectful things that goes on at Disney. The one time me and my then 6 yo daughter were walking around with a tray of food at Casey's, I voiced my opinion to a CM. I simply stated how it's not right to let all these people take up tables while we have to stand with our tray of food. I then said how about giving me a refund and take the food back or clear us a table. He went and got a supervisor who then instructed everyone without food to please get up which they did. The supervisor came back to us and asked if we needed anything. I asked why they don't police the seating areas and he said that they do, just not all the time. I hate the fact that there are so many "entitled" people at WDW that think their vacation is more important than everyone else's.

 

[mamapenguin]

Here’s a thought, why isn’t there more indoor seating at quick service locations? No one wants to sit outside in full sun. This is one place that Universal has a better handle on.

 

[Dug720]

What it comes down to is this, if we aren't certain we will have a table at which to eat our food we don't order. If it is crowded enough that this matter is in doubt, we send out the kiddos to stake out a claim as soon as one opens.

It has happened before that we have ordered and received our food and ended up eating it out in the full sun on a bench. No one would tolerate this at any other restaurant. Order and pay for your meal then find out there's no where to sit.

As for table turnover. The price of my meal buys me a place to sit for the event. If I want to sit for ten or fifteen minutes and have a conversation after the entree while deciding whether to have coffee, cake, or a cocktail, it's my table, no o e else has a claim to it. If that time extends ten or fifteen minutes prior to the food arriving, then so be it.

I might feel different if the fast food joint is so cheap that providing adequate seating might cut into the place's profitability. But Disney bought their land for dollars an acre, charge me admission for the privilege of eating there, and then charge me monopoly prices for the food. A table to eat at and sit at for a few minutes before and after the meal is not asking too much.

And how many of those tables were occupied by people without food or with outside food? My guess is more than a few.

It's a circular problem. People refuse to eat if there are no tables, so they take up a table during the ordering and waiting for food process so that people with food can't find a table.

 

[Disneylover99]

We would never sit at a table while someone from our party is getting our food. I think it's one of the most selfish and disrespectful things that goes on at Disney. The one time me and my then 6 yo daughter were walking around with a tray of food at Casey's, I voiced my opinion to a CM. I simply stated how it's not right to let all these people take up tables while we have to stand with our tray of food. I then said how about giving me a refund and take the food back or clear us a table. He went and got a supervisor who then instructed everyone without food to please get up which they did. The supervisor came back to us and asked if we needed anything. I asked why they don't police the seating areas and he said that they do, just not all the time. I hate the fact that there are so many "entitled" people at WDW that think their vacation is more important than everyone else's.

Whoa. Talk about entitled.
I guess it's a two way street.

 

[Disneylover99]

Some observations over my Christmas/New Years trip......

Lots of people were using mobile order. Lots of people were hovering by the mobile order area waiting for their food to come out. CM's were trying to clear the area as much as they could by telling people to go and find a table and come back when their order was ready.

In some cases, it was quicker to line up and order, rather then use mobile order.

Some people get to counter service restaurants and then decide to mobile order with their family. So they are sitting at a table, looking at the menus and then ordering, taking a table for even longer then usual.

It's the first time over Christmas week that we did not see any CM's policing the tables, anywhere. I really think it's due to mobile order.

My take away is that if you want a table, eat at counter service locations as soon as they open for lunch or later in the afternoon. Dinner times are usually pretty good times to eat at counter service as well because more people seem to eat counter service at lunch and table service at dinner.

 

[tzolkin]

How about a solution that satisfies both sides of this debate. One person stands in line to order, while the other person waits to the side. Once the food is ready, they then go and find a place to sit.

I agree. It’s definitely not an either/or situation. My family never has more than two people wait in line (if one will need help carrying) to avoid crowding the lines with extraneous people. But the rest of us also don’t take a table either. We just wait out of the way (sometimes outside).

I get why people like saving a table, but I think everyone should be able to comprehend why it’s not the most efficient use of the space. If the lines are long, you may be sitting for 30 minutes before your food arrives. The average time to consume a CS meal is about 10 minutes. So in that time you’ve been sitting there, three other families could have eaten their meal at a table.

There have been several times where I have walked into a dining area and not one table had food. So I had to take my tray outside and eat standing by a trashcan with my family. Most were still just sitting there with no food by the time we were done.

 

[saraheliz]

On my last trip I did it but was picking up mobile ordering and was solo with my two kids (just shy of 9 and 11 at the time). So I would pretty much hit the button saying I was there, then find them somewhere to sit and wait and then grab the food. It was much easier than 3 of us standing with the mobile order folks, and they were occupying a table maybe 1-2 minutes prior to the food arriving. I wouldn't take a table up though if I had multiple adults and others had food and no place to sit.