Beirgarten - Communall seating

[I loveStitchnippyjon]

When dining at Biergarten it is not a requirement to make friends with your tablemates. If they don't feel like chatting, don't take it so personally!

 

[Kelrykengab]

OK Now My 2 cents...Our family of 5 has eaten at the Biergarten more than 15 times. We have ALWAYS been seated with people we didn't know.
ONLY ONCE did we have a not so good experience. It just so happened to be with French-Canadians. Yes, We said hello and how are you and where are you from... then they started talking in French to each other and didn't talk to us the rest of the dinner. They said goodbye at the end and left.
ON THE UPSIDE... In October, I took my mom and gma(a first for both) and we were seated with a single older lady(she was celebrating her birthday and her wedding anniversary by herself.)
She looked at our waiter and told him (Jannick ) she didn't think we wanted her there. I immediately told her please stay and eat with us. I asked my mom to move next to her. My 3 kids moved down to the end of the table by the rail. We got our food. We just started idle chit chat which turned into full blown conversation.
To end a long story...I bought her dinner without her knowing. When the check came to me and she didn't get her bill, she was shocked. She asked and I just smiled, we all gave her a hugs and said Happy Birthday. She walked away with a huge smile on her face. And my mom and Gma were please with my generosity.
Don't let one family ruin a fun food experience.

I loved this story and would have done the same thing. I am sure you turned what might have been a lonely moment into one she will never forget!
We are planning on eating here next trip & are excited about the seating; however, I hear there are 8 people to a table and we have 7 of us so we might not get a chance to meet many people. If there is a solo diner, we will def include them, but they may be sorry cuz we can be a little nutty.

 

[pearlieq]

I also agree the family did nothing wrong. They weren't under any obligation to talk to anyone. Given that it took several short responses to your conversation attempts to discourage you, I'd venture that you were annoying them.

When we visit Biergarten we'll acknowledge the other parties at the table upon arriving and leaving, but otherwise we converse amongst ourselves. I'm not looking for a social experience with strangers--I'm looking for a meal and a show.

Some people relish the communal seating. Others merely tolerate it. Neither one is wrong.

 

[MIGrandma]

See this is exactly why we have never eaten lunch at Biergarten. We have gone back and forth about trying it for years, but the seating with stranger thing stops us every time.

Our family of 5, not unlike the French family, would prefer to speak with each other and not feel obligated to make small talk with strangers. Does that make us rude? I guess according to how the OP defines rude. We are not rude! We simply would rather spend our meal as a family and not be pressured to become instant friends with strangers. A polite hello and goodbye is pretty much all I would expect from strangers.

After reading this thread I'm pretty sure we will never try Biergarten. Who knows if a person seated next to us that we greeted with a polite hello and then spoke among our family would post about how we ruined their ambiance.

I think we will just stick with meals that don't come with that kind of pressure.

I feel the same as you do. I don't enjoy making "small talk" with strangers while eating dinner. I didn't know this restaurant has communall seating, but I'm glad I know now because we will not even try to eat there.

I don't think the family was rude at all, they obviously just wanted to talk among themselves and I don't think there is anything wrong with that.

 

[luvthemouse71]

I've had a great experience at Biergarten regarding tablemates and a lukewarm one. I'm adaptable.. I talk to the friendly ones and ignore the snooty/unfriendly ones. I do admit, I get sick fun watching some people freak out when they realize it's communal seating- theres always someone who loses it,lol.

As to the OPs experience, they were French.. What do you expect( I'm half French, so I know what I'm talking about) they aren't the cuddliest of people, generally speaking.

 

[manning]

If they were french, their children most probably don't speak english. So they should rather have talked to you instead of their kids??

I really like being in the US but what always irritates me when being there is that everybody assumes that my seven year old daughter is already fluent in a foreign language and, usually, when people realize that she doesn't speak english they ask "when will she learn it" .
Do American children learn foreign languages so quickly that they are fluent by the age of 6 or 7?
As long as the US accept the entry of foreign tourists and hotels, restaurants etc. accept their money they have every right to be there and,of course, talk in their native languages, just as you do when visiting other countries.

The earlier you learn other languages you tend not to have accents. Has something to do with the ability of the learning process of the brain. When you learn young you think in the language you are speaking. When you learn at an older age you think in your native language then translate in your mind and speak the other language. My wife is Polish and learned english at age 4. She speaks both without accents.

Unfortunately we don't learn other languages here in USA or at such a late age that we tend not to speak it well.

 

[olbear]

OK Now My 2 cents...Our family of 5 has eaten at the Biergarten more than 15 times. We have ALWAYS been seated with people we didn't know.
ONLY ONCE did we have a not so good experience. It just so happened to be with French-Canadians. Yes, We said hello and how are you and where are you from... then they started talking in French to each other and didn't talk to us the rest of the dinner. They said goodbye at the end and left.
ON THE UPSIDE... In October, I took my mom and gma(a first for both) and we were seated with a single older lady(she was celebrating her birthday and her wedding anniversary by herself.)
She looked at our waiter and told him (Jannick ) she didn't think we wanted her there. I immediately told her please stay and eat with us. I asked my mom to move next to her. My 3 kids moved down to the end of the table by the rail. We got our food. We just started idle chit chat which turned into full blown conversation.
To end a long story...I bought her dinner without her knowing. When the check came to me and she didn't get her bill, she was shocked. She asked and I just smiled, we all gave her a hugs and said Happy Birthday. She walked away with a huge smile on her face. And my mom and Gma were please with my generosity.
Don't let one family ruin a fun food experience.

This is so awesome, thanks for sharing. If I ever go solo again, I hope and pray and I get table mates like your family. Not for the free meal, but the fellowship!

The one who don't understand or sympathize inthis thread, it's ok. You've probably not had my experience. And I for one, hope you never do. On the other hand, maybe yes, then you will understand how and why I felt the way I did.

 

[olbear]

Wow! I don't understand why a few of you are demonizing the OP! Sheesh!

OP- Yes, those french people were rude. Most people would have spoke to a solo diner sitting at the same table. It would have been nice to at least acknowledge you and said a few nice things. It doesn't mean that they had to entertain you with conversation for the duration. It's obvious the other couple had the same sentiments as you did regarding this rude family. Bottom line some peoplel just do not have any manners.

I hope you have better luck on your next visit.

Thank you Thank you Thank you!

 

[crashbb]

This is so awesome, thanks for sharing. If I ever go solo again, I hope and pray and I get table mates like your family. Not for the free meal, but the fellowship!

The one who don't understand or sympathize inthis thread, it's ok. You've probably not had my experience. And I for one, hope you never do. On the other hand, maybe yes, then you will understand how and why I felt the way I did.

And, it's okay that you cannot understand or sympathise with the other family.

You've probably not had their experience. And I for one, hope you never do. On the other hand, maybe yes, then you will understand how and why they felt the way they did.

Interesting that you can still only see your point of view.

 

[pearlieq]

If I ever go solo again, I hope and pray and I get table mates like your family. Not for the free meal, but the fellowship!

The one who don't understand or sympathize inthis thread, it's ok. You've probably not had my experience.

It's not that people don't understand your disappointment, it's that they don't understand why you felt entitled to having your social needs met during the meal by complete strangers.

When your disappointment crossed over into censure of the other family, some people got off the bus.

• Reaching over and sampling food from your plate = rude
• Singing "Edelweiss" at the top of their lungs through the whole meal = rude
• Stepping on your toes and calling you ugly = rude
• Not wanting to chat with you = NOT RUDE

It's OK to want nice, sociable tablemates. It's not OK to get miffed if that's not what you happen to get.

 

[olbear]

Over it! Moving on!

You nay sayers are amazing! You are as bad as you "JUDGE" me to be, not wanting to even begin to understand what this thread was all about. Get over your self, I promise you I will....

I never once said they were "rude", you all assumed I wrote that or interpreted what I said that way. (judging me) I only shared my experience. I have dined here many many times since EPCOT opened in 1983. And this was my first time to have table guests that did not say anything to me, even when I said a simple hello. When they began to speak french, I assumed they did not perhaps speak english, so I left it alone. But when they and their children spoke very clear english, I was a little taken back. I really do not have to explain myself as I have, and probably am wasting my time, because as you have assumed I have prejudged these guests, you have prejudged me not attempting to understand. Yes, I understand some are not social, as this may have been the case, I get that..DUH!!

Thank you sincerely to those who have posted your thoughts of understanding how I felt. For those of you who don't, no hard feelings as I will more than likely never meet you. So it really doesn't matter in the scheme of things.

 

[Khokhonutt]

...very large bikers. Think the typical- black leather jackets, lots of cursing, lots of drinking, etc...

Hmmm. I resemble that remark.

 

[princesscharming]

As for the debateabout whether or not it's OK for people to not interact with strangers at comunal seating, I think it is. I think as previously mentioned, some people like it, others tolerate it. I think the only thing that folks should abide by, is that they will be seated communally. (No tantrums.) But obviously some folks do not understand how it works.

Not wanting to talk to someone next you = OK (Although, I think it lacks a little compassion to not have a little convo with a solo)

Requesting a new seat if those you are sitting with are not as lively as you=OK

But based on some things, (ie. the family looking at her like she was a cyclops, and the older couple not favoring the family either) I think there is more to the story that OP is having a hard time getting across. I suspect the family was rude in the way they went about not wanting to talk to her. It may not be rude to not have a conversation with someone next to you. But I think it is rude, if they look at you like you have a communicable disease simply because you were seated next to them. I also think it's rude if their response to you is of disdain or overt rejection. (Not sure if I have the story correct. Just a guess.)

I think the Biergarten should have a helping of decency on the buffet. People shouldn't respond rudely. Nor should people be forced to interact in a way that's uncomfortable. Maybe the old saying should read, "When in Rome (Biergarten)...to each his own."

 

[luvthemouse71]

Over it! Moving on!

You nay sayers are amazing! You are as bad as you "JUDGE" me to be, not wanting to even begin to understand what this thread was all about. Get over your self, I promise you I will....

I never once said they were "rude", you all assumed I wrote that or interpreted what I said that way. (judging me) I only shared my experience. I have dined here many many times since EPCOT opened in 1983. And this was my first time to have table guests that did not say anything to me, even when I said a simple hello. When they began to speak french, I assumed they did not perhaps speak english, so I left it alone. But when they and their children spoke very clear english, I was a little taken back. I really do not have to explain myself as I have, and probably am wasting my time, because as you have assumed I have prejudged these guests, you have prejudged me not attempting to understand. Yes, I understand some are not social, as this may have been the case, I get that..DUH!!

Thank you sincerely to those who have posted your thoughts of understanding how I felt. For those of you who don't, no hard feelings as I will more than likely never meet you. So it really doesn't matter in the scheme of things.

It's just the nature of the beast here..some people are deliberately obtuse. Some start reading posts and are itching for an argument before they've even finished reading it completely. I think most people understood what you were driving at.

I think to book a reservation at a restaurant that is listed as communal seating and then get your panties in a bunch because someone wants to be be sociable is silly and yes, it's rude. Why bother? Book an ADR at a place where you get your own table.

 

[Micca]

OK Now My 2 cents...Our family of 5 has eaten at the Biergarten more than 15 times. We have ALWAYS been seated with people we didn't know.
ONLY ONCE did we have a not so good experience. It just so happened to be with French-Canadians. Yes, We said hello and how are you and where are you from... then they started talking in French to each other and didn't talk to us the rest of the dinner. They said goodbye at the end and left.
ON THE UPSIDE... In October, I took my mom and gma(a first for both) and we were seated with a single older lady(she was celebrating her birthday and her wedding anniversary by herself.)
She looked at our waiter and told him (Jannick ) she didn't think we wanted her there. I immediately told her please stay and eat with us. I asked my mom to move next to her. My 3 kids moved down to the end of the table by the rail. We got our food. We just started idle chit chat which turned into full blown conversation.
To end a long story...I bought her dinner without her knowing. When the check came to me and she didn't get her bill, she was shocked. She asked and I just smiled, we all gave her a hugs and said Happy Birthday. She walked away with a huge smile on her face. And my mom and Gma were please with my generosity.
Don't let one family ruin a fun food experience.

One of the nicest things I've ever seen here.