Bad Etiquette to save a CS table??

[LisaNJ25]

With a family of 6, yes, we always look for a table first. No point in adding all those extra people to the line plus trying to juggle trays with toddlers under everyones feet.

 

[centurythree]

Do those of you eating at these insanely busy times have dietary concerns that require you to eat within a certain time window? Or do the CS restaurants just stay slammed from open to close when you're there?

I just don't think I could stand to eat in a place that was that busy, saved table or not.

 

[sandym718]

I guess I understand both sides of this. When our entire family goes somewhere (DH, myself, 2 young children), one of us usually gets the food, the other gets the "necessities" - napkins, straws, ketchup, etc. and then finds a table. Typically by the time that person does that and finds a table, it's 5 minutes or less before the other person comes with the food. I think if it's longer than that and there are people looking for tables - it is polite to give up the table to those ready to eat. This never happened to us at Disney- it was never crowded enough that there were no tables available, except for our first day at Cosmic Rays. There, it took so long for DH and the kids to find a table that I was back with the food (for the kids - ours was in a different line, of course!) seconds later.

I've been on the other side, too. Not at Disney, but at our local malls. If I'm by myself with the 2 kids, we cannot get a table before the food. So when it's crowded, I'm carrying a tray of food, my purse and trying to keep hands on both kids or at least keep them close by. That's a struggle!!! And it's frustrating when people are staring at me struggling while they just sit there with no food. Not everyone can get a table first - solo travelers, only one adult in the group, etc.

I guess my overall opinion is that 5 minutes or so while someone is getting food is OK. Any longer than that, if you see someone searching for a table, give yours up and look for another. If it's not crowded, go ahead and sit!!

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

My family does the "save a table" thing and will continue to do so. I don't really care whether anyone thinks it's rude or not; I generally don't think it's rude I think it's good planning.

That's the spirit...As long as it's good for you then keep doing it.

No one is suggesting (I don't think) that people have to stand in line together, or stand in the aisles either. It's easy enough to find an out of the way place where you can keep an eye on the ordering partner and when he/she is actually ordering , then go and try to find your table. It'll be a matter of a very few minutes and in that time someone else will have been able to eat and leave the table you may have held the entire time.

All of this doesn't matter anyway. Not one person here is going to change their mind becasue we all (including me) know everything...But at least I'm leaning on the side of civility.

 

[Tricia1972]

Do those of you eating at these insanely busy times have dietary concerns that require you to eat within a certain time window? Or do the CS restaurants just stay slammed from open to close when you're there?

I just don't think I could stand to eat in a place that was that busy, saved table or not.

We've traveled twice during the second busiest week of the year at Disney. We always go right away when the restaurants open for lunch and we've NEVER seen the restaurants so full that people were milling the aisles looking for tables.

In our situation I'm always the first or second person in line when we split the group as I described in a prior post. The only time I've ever waited more than 5 minutes for my food (after ordering) is when Pinocchio's Village Haus took 15-20 minutes to make my Figaro Fries. The restaurant wasn't full (this was after 10pm) and I didn't feel bad having the group waiting at the table for me.

(LOL - in fact they were eating the Churros and drinking the water my Dad had been carrying, while waiting for me and my fries)

 

[AbbyPan]

I agree that a family seperating to find a table is "common sense".

What I do have an issue with is with people who have already eaten and they just sit at the table and talk while others are desperately looking for seats!!!!

Dude! you've already eaten...LEAVE!!!lol

 

[Anjelica]

I do think in certain circumstances it "may" be inconsiderate such as when a family with small children or elderly are looking (I would probably move, etc.). However I think good planning in terms of getting a table while one party orders food is perfectly acceptable. We have an 16 month and its easier for my husband to get him setup with high chair at a table while I order. If it was just husband and I (and not our 16 month and 4 year old) we would probably just wait in line together then get a table after done.

Keep in mind though that if folks go earlier or later than rush time then its really a moot point in my mind.

How is this different from those folks who hold 1-2 spots for parades because they had good planning?

 

[tiger4me2]

Well I always save a table while hubby is in line or the other way around . Whoever get the table we get one for two so that is not taking away from a family of 5. But if we got a bigger table as that all there was and a couple came up & ask how many seats did I need ? I would say join us as DH would be there soon as he was just waiting for the food. I see no harm in doing this. I was willing to share a table as long as it has enough room for DH.

 

[Debbie Jean]

I agree that a family seperating to find a table is "common sense".

What I do have an issue with is with people who have already eaten and they just sit at the table and talk while others are desperately looking for seats!!!!

Dude! you've already eaten...LEAVE!!!lol

Ah, but what is "common sense" to one is not to another.

Common sense to me is that people with food on their tray should be able to sit at a table before people who as yet have no food but are waiting for it. As long as there are tables to be had and folks with food can sit, I have no problem with families saving seats.

I have to agree with your second point, however... I find it really annoying to be walking around with a tray full of food while folks who have clearly finished sit there discussing how they want to organize the rest of their day... take it outside!!

 

[RMulieri]

I am going to have to side with all the "rude" people here. Either me or my Dh has gone to get the food while the other takes dd4 and gets a seat. I am curious, what do all of you people ( who think this is rude) do with the kids and rest of the family? I am not trying to be mean, just curious.Would you rather all of us get into an already clogged food line and wait too? I see no problem grabbing a table as long as someone is grabbing the food.

 

[Drewsmommybear]

I guess I'm somewhat on the rude side too. DS was in a horrible mood when we were eating at Columbia Harbor house so he and I got a table. I can say that more than once, someone else with no food came up to us and asked us if we were finished eating. They wanted to save the table that I was saving! Someone did ask if we needed all of our chairs and since we only needed three, I supplied her with the extra one.

Two things happened that took the table saving issue from minimally rude to all the way there. the first was this woman who practically dove on top of a family who were cleaning up their table. She sat down before they ever stood up. I guess the rest of her family was upstairs because she craned her head around the corner and started yelling "DONALD! DONALD!! I HAVE A TABLE DOWN HERE! DONALD! BRING THE KIDS DOWN!" My son looked at me and said, "Tell her to calm down, mommy."

A few moments after that, we saw some people race a woman in a wheel chair to get to a table first. Obviously the walking people got there first. My husband stood up and said, "Here, you can have our table."

I don't think saving a table is rude unless you make it that way.

 

[LISAMWDW]

We do this all the time. We actually think it is the polite thing to do especially if you have children. We don't want our children bumping into other people in line and/or making it more high maintenance to order food. No need for all the congestion in the food lines. It's way way easier to split up and have them wait at the table with an adult.

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

Some of you aren't paying attention ...Most of us agree that special circumstances are to be considered. I would certainly not think it rude for a handicapped peron or an elderly person or a person with an infant or multiple small children to try and get settled. It's the able bodied people, adults, older children and the like who self rightously sit holding a table while a family with food, ready to eat, search and search. Just boorish.

I too ALWAYS offer our available space to anyone looking for a place to sit. We often have a very nice conversation.

 

[sandym718]

Two things happened that took the table saving issue from minimally rude to all the way there. the first was this woman who practically dove on top of a family who were cleaning up their table.

oh, I can't STAND this!! Like Vultures going after the table. We always depart right after eating and cleaning up the table, sometimes when you're still eating, folks are standing practically on top of you, I can't stand that!! I understand the urgency, but a bit more discretion would be nice!

 

[ninety-seven]

Some of you aren't paying attention ...Most of us agree that special circumstances are to be considered. I would certainly not think it rude for a handicapped peron or an elderly person or a person with an infant or multiple small children to try and get settled. It's the able bodied people, adults, older children and the like who self rightously sit holding a table while a family with food, ready to eat, search and search. Just boorish.

I too ALWAYS offer our available space to anyone looking for a place to sit. We often have a very nice conversation.

When my kids are old enough, they are going to go get MY food while I wait.

 

[Debbie Jean]

I am going to have to side with all the "rude" people here. Either me or my Dh has gone to get the food while the other takes dd4 and gets a seat. I am curious, what do all of you people ( who think this is rude) do with the kids and rest of the family? I am not trying to be mean, just curious.Would you rather all of us get into an already clogged food line and wait too? I see no problem grabbing a table as long as someone is grabbing the food.

Well, I don't consider it "rude" really so maybe I'm not the person to respond but since you were curious...

The choices are more than "sit down at an empty table" or "stand in line". How about finding a spot off to the side and waiting until the designated "food" person has ordered, then look for a table?

I actually have no problem with your grabbing the table first, as long as people who have food are not left wandering around... in which case, it isn't "common sense" in my mind but really for your own convenience as opposed to theirs.

BTW, as a sometimes solo diner myself, I have never seen this as "rude" so much as annoying. But I usually try to dine at times and in locations where this won't be an issue. And besides, when I'm at WDW I'm so happy , it seems trivial in comparison.

 

[Disney8704]

Geeze whats wrong with these people? Did they all wake up on the wrong side of the bed or something?

Me - DH and I sometimes grab a table and then one of us go and get the food and sometimes we both stand in line THEN get a table. It really just depends how crowded it is. If its super croweded and I see a table that is available, we go and grab it while either DH or I go and get the food. If not crowded, and theres A LOT of empty tables, then we will both get in line and then get a table.

I dont find it rude to grab a table then get food. What I do find it being rude is someone not sharing a table when there arent other available tables and people just sitting there after eating.

Grew up with my mom saving a table and DH doing the ordering, 36 years and I know nothing different. DH and I do that sometimes too but when it is just the 2 of us and there are plenty of seats open.....and it is really busy I think nothing of asking someone to share their table with us if they are not using all of it.

We were in Epcot, Morocco last week at the Tangeriene Cafe, the only table left was a long booth one by the entrance. There was 6 teens at the opposite one finishing their meals. They were about to leave and a woman with 2 kids were going to sit down UNTIL this one one just about bulldozed her over for the table. I felt so bad for her and the kids so I told her to sit with us, we were just about done anyways. She didnt even give us a thanks or a smile, nothing! Oh well, some people are just that way I guess.

When we were at Ohana there was a big wait so we wanted to sit on the chairs or sofas in the waiting area. We go to sit down in 2 empty chairs and this woman came up and screamed at us THOSE ARE FOR MY FAMILY, MOVE. So we sat on the sofa, she said that was being used too. Well excuse me you freak but there isnt anyone currently occupying the seats and you cannot hold them all for crying out loud! I made a comment to her and she just snorted. There was no one around her for a while, I watched...her family was too busy throwing pennies into the waterfall. So we found a bench, I watched her shoo away many people that wanted to sit. The kicker is her family never came back to sit down, their pager went off and away they went.

We sat for a long time, I went up to go the bathroom and when I came back this woman was demanding that my DH move to the end of the bench so her family can sit...now mind you we are occupying the last 2 spots on the bench, it wasnt like we are spread out or anything. He told her I was coming right back but she wasnt having it, UNTIL I SHOWED UP. Then she backed the heck off.

Common courtesy people, we are taught this in grade school!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Here is something else to think of. What if you were in any of the 4 parks or Downtown Disney and purchased a lot of things, so you had various shopping bags. Are you suppost to hold them while your in line, order, pick your food and watch your kids or put the bags at the table with some family members to watch them, this way it's easier to order and get your food. I know WDW has free shipping of purchases to all their Resorts, however not everyone stays onsite and not all guests have their purchases sent to their Resort.

 

[maxiesmom]

Ah, but what is "common sense" to one is not to another.

Common sense to me is that people with food on their tray should be able to sit at a table before people who as yet have no food but are waiting for it. As long as there are tables to be had and folks with food can sit, I have no problem with families saving seats.

I have to agree with your second point, however... I find it really annoying to be walking around with a tray full of food while folks who have clearly finished sit there discussing how they want to organize the rest of their day... take it outside!!

So now in addition to keeping the whole family in line with us, we have to scarf our food down like hogs too? Just who gets to decide it too long to occupy a table? Maybe Disney should install timers with an electrical pulse. You get only 15 minute, and then you get a shock. After all the table is for sitting and eating, and you need to move it.

Sounds like a punch of people need to learn how to relax!

 

[mygirl]

i guess we are "rude" also. we have two toddlers so standing in line with them and then trying to hold their hands/carry them, and navigate the crowds to find a table while carrying food? yowsa!

although we don't do tons of counter service (we prefer TS - more relaxing for our family), when we do it is the best method for us. one takes the kids and gets highchairs/boosters and the other gets the grub. never thought of it as rude - just doing what we saw best/most effecient.