holding a table

[elemusing]

I am listening to the podcast from 5/22 right now about the holding the tables. . .

I don't have a problem with people who are holding a table for a family who is coming to eat. Here is what really gets me: when you assume a family is holding a table and then they get up and leave. When families come in and sit down to "rest in the air conditioning" who aren't eating there! That is very rude.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

julie was so funny!
Its one of those things. I usually get the food while DH grabs a table with the 2 kids. I would never go sit somwwhere and take a table to cool off. If I am that hot I got back to my resort for a break.

 

[Tinkerbelle's Mom]

I have to say that from my perspective this bothers me. As a single mother to a wonderful six year old I can not send her to a table while I get food. It really annoys me as I wander for a table carrying our food and managing a six year old to see countless people sitting at tables and not eating. Like I said this is just my point of view. To counteract this I try to eat with dd at off times so our chances of actually getting to eat at a table and not on the floor increase.

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

Guilty as charged! I always send DH and the kids to get a table while I go order the food. It's not so much about getting a place to sit...it's to get my kids away from me so I can order without them constantly changing their mind or trying to order something we don't want them to have (so basically -- it's for my sanity!). Plus I feel the lines move a lot slower when you have an entire family standing there, not to mention it makes the restaurant look a lot busier than it is.

Tinkerbelle's Mom -- I really hadn't thought about this from your perspective, but as a mom I can understand why you would be upset. If I was in your place and I saw an empty table next to a large family (and they looked nice) I would probably explain to them that you can't leave your daughter alone and ask if one of them would mind sitting at the empty table for a few minutes while you and your daughter order your food. I would do this in a heartbeat if someone asked me to.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Plus I feel the lines move a lot slower when you have an entire family standing there, not to mention it makes the restaurant look a lot busier than it is.

I have to agree with this. We usually go in a party of around nine people, so two or three people get in line, the rest goes to find a table, and then one person comes back to the line to show the food people where to go, and to help carry stuff. I really think this is the best method for everyone in the food court area. I can't imagine trying to have all nine of us in the food line; kids, gear, and all; at the same time. Especially at a place like CHH, where the queues are so small.

Conversely, we clear from our tables as soon as we're done. I have a slight problem with people who linger long after they are done. It's fine during a slow time, but at lunch rush, it's kind of rude. I mean, I'd never single out one family who may be sitting there because someone has a good reason to sit there longer, but when you see lots of folks doing it, you know one of them is not thinking clearly. Certain locations are worse than others. If it's a big food court like SS, then it's usually not as problematic. If it's a small place with only a few tables - like the France pastry shop, then it's more inconsiderate to hog a table.
But overall, I really dont let it bother me. We're all about using our time efficiently. If other folks want to waste time, that's there business. I feel ike there's plenty of down time while I'm waiting in line. Folks waste time sitting in the restaurant make the ride lines shorter for us.

Incidentally, the last time we were at CHH, a CM was preventin folks from getting in line TO ORDER unless their entire party was present. I had never seen that before.

 

[rlduvall]

I found today's podcast to be one of the most interesting and entertaining yet.

I have always gone to get a table while DH orders the food. I had NEVER thought about it from another perspective, i.e. single parent with small child - even though I did take my 6 year old alone once. We just got our table after I ordered. I actually see both sides of the coin (even though I know I will continue to go and get a table ). Fortunately, we always go during off-season so there has always been lots of tables available. I had never even considered I was taking an empty table from someone who already had food. OOPS!!!!!

 

[Tinkerbelle's Mom]

Tinkerbelle's Mom -- I really hadn't thought about this from your perspective, but as a mom I can understand why you would be upset. If I was in your place and I saw an empty table next to a large family (and they looked nice) I would probably explain to them that you can't leave your daughter alone and ask if one of them would mind sitting at the empty table for a few minutes until you can come back with your food. I would do this in a heartbeat if someone asked me to.

Great idea! I had never really thought of that. I will most definately use that in the future.

Like I said it annoys me --- but I expect it to happen! Which is why I do try to eat at off times. This is just one of those things that will always happen and since I plan for it - it really is nothing more than annoyance.

 

[Andy B]

Firstly I find it interesting that this is a thread based on a pod cast based on a thread.

Secondly if you do not join the line as a whole family you do not still have to take up seats until the food is obtained.

I wonder why where I eat is different from others as it is not uncommon for us to get the food and be wandering trying to find somewhere to sit to eat and no one offers table space as they can see us looking even though they have a spare table, we have even lost tables to people sending scouts in to grab a table even though they see us with food.

I think one of the issues is the difference between the two approaches. If everyone was reserving then fair enough or if eveyone was waiting but some wait many reserve and some can't reserve.

As a statistical point a restaurant must have more tables than diners to satisfy those reserving a table. eg;

If a servery serves 20 meals for 4 in an hour and it takes 15 minutes to eat a meal then you need 5 tables for 4 per hour but if the next 5 groups in a queue reserve a table you now need double the number of tables.

 

[Fredd's Girl]

I'm guilty of this, not only at Disney but at home too. I don't see a reason for the whole group to stand in line...especially if there are few tables anyway, and we are patronizing the restaurant. The biggest issue with this that I have seen is at Pecos Bills in the MK. As it is, even if I don't wait in line with DH or family, I'm still walking around the restaurant doing the "stalking" thing, waiting for some family to be done so I can snag the table. That feels kinda awkward anyway...I'm really not staring at you or your family, I'm just trying to judge if you're going to be getting up in the next 30 seconds.

It's just one of the things you deal with I guess. I never saw it as a big deal. I figure that if I don't like dealing with it, I should have made ADR's where my group is guaranteed a table in a timely manner.

 

[DiRTyBuNNy]

I guess it all boils down to this...do you think it's more rude to send your significant other (and other members of your party) to go get a table while you order or to be standing behind one person who is going to order while 1-9 people stand in line with them. If you think one of those is rude then the other is rude also. There's no way around it unless you start installing benches for people to sit at while they're waiting for the food to be received so that they can then go get their table.

--Mr. DB

 

[Blue Skies]

I don't see the issue with holding a table. We do this often at the mall food court, fast food places, etc.

I would rather have people hold a table than extra people standing in line.

 

[MuppetDisneyKrazy]

If we were to sit and cool off, we'd buy a drink and cool off. That counts as ok right? I mean we actually purchased something.

 

[raidermatt]

Yes, a paying customer is entitled to a table, even if its just a soda. There's no rule, written or otherwise, that you can't sitdown until you actually have your food/drink in your hands. Just like there's no rule that a party of 3 can't take a table for 6 if that's all that's available to them.

 

[Andy B]

I guess it all boils down to this...do you think it's more rude to send your significant other (and other members of your party) to go get a table while you order or to be standing behind one person who is going to order while 1-9 people stand in line with them. If you think one of those is rude then the other is rude also. There's no way around it unless you start installing benches for people to sit at while they're waiting for the food to be received so that they can then go get their table.

--Mr. DB

Why do you say if one is rue so is the other? I suspect we are not normally talking about a group of 9 but even then woldn't it be better to be behind 9 people in a line only to find they are one group than 9 people only to find each is ordering for at least two people?

 

[Andy B]

I don't see the issue with holding a table. We do this often at the mall food court, fast food places, etc.

I would rather have people hold a table than extra people standing in line.

What wrong with them being in line? It is the same number or orders.

 

[raidermatt]

What wrong with them being in line? It is the same number or orders.

The counter service ordering/pickup areas are not very big. Since this is only an issue at busy times, those areas will be very crowded. Throw extra people in there and there won't be enough room for people to move past the register once they order. If you (or I) are behind them, we won't be able to even order our food until they receive their's and they work their way out of the area.

Paying customers are entitled to sit at a table if one is available.

 

[Andy B]

The counter service ordering/pickup areas are not very big. Since this is only an issue at busy times, those areas will be very crowded. Throw extra people in there and there won't be enough room for people to move past the register once they order. If you (or I) are behind them, we won't be able to even order our food until they receive their's and they work their way out of the area.

Paying customers are entitled to sit at a table if one is available.

I agree with this but it's not allways possible when tables are reserved by those at the back of a 10 minute wait queue to be served.

 

[raidermatt]

I understand the frustration when there's no table available. It's happened to all of us. I just don't think its realistic to ask the mom with the 2 and 5 year old to stand against the wall for 10 minutes instead of getting a highchair and getting the kids settled in at a table while dad gets the food.

 

[Tinkerbelle's Mom]

I understand the frustration when there's no table available. It's happened to all of us. I just don't think its realistic to ask the mom with the 2 and 5 year old to stand against the wall for 10 minutes instead of getting a highchair and getting the kids settled in at a table while dad gets the food.

What about the mom traveling by herself with the small child? What is she supposed to do when a everyone is holding a table for people who are still in line waiting to order their food? Is it fair to make her and her child wait for a table?

I have been in this situation many times (and realize that I will be many more as a single mother who likes to travel) and I consider this rude! Not rude enough to ruin a vacation over but rude enough to cause an annoyance. Plus it is difficult to explain to my dd why we have to eat on a curb or bench or the floor when there are people sitting at tables not eating.

 

[raidermatt]

It's a societal norm.

If there aren't enough tables at a given time, somebody and their small child are going to have to wait. As long as each is a paying customer, there's nothing unfair about it.