CS line ettiquette ?

[Zippa D Doodah]

Recent threads on related topics got me thinking... What is the "correct" way for a family/group to do a CS meal? Do you send one hunter-gatherer up to obtain the food while the rest wait at a table or other area in restaurant, or does the whole gang stick together?

We have always used the hunter-gatherer system. Usually I am the one who goes and buys the food and then meet up with the rest of teh family who will be waiting at a table. The exception to this is when the CS is crowded and tables are at a premium; in that case DW and the kids kind of linger away from the queue area until after I have gotten the tray(s) of food, then we find a table. I have seen many groups that stick together even though only one person is paying for the meal. This seems to clog up the queues, but not to the point that its a big deal for me.

 

[Tiffer]

This is what we do as well. One gets the food, the others get the table or stalk a table.

 

[seashoreCM]

IMHO it is OK to start looking for a table so you will expect the person(s) getting the food to have it by the time you sit down. PhD required to understand why and get it right but IMHO PhD not required to try.

IMHO it is acceptable to succeed in finding the table first.

You can argue that the sooner "they" produce the food the sooner you will eat it and get up and leave, but there are those who will argue that if the line for ordering is an hour long you should not be sitting at the table waiting all that time.

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Q: What does a panda do?
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[shoppingbou]

Hello!

We always go the 2 of us together to buy the food, even tough he's paying! We seem to always need more than one person to carry the trays of food!

Miam!!

 

[Janet-TX]

We use the same method. One person goes for the food; the remainder of the group goes and finds seating. Works for us. We see no reason for us all to stand in line.

 

[Ardenne]

We split up, usually. One adult gets the food for everyone, and the other adult takes all of the kids to the bathroom and helps them wash their hands. Whoever gets done first finds a table for everyone and waits for the rest to catch up. If we have more than 2 adults (like we did last year) the spare adult stays with the adult in line to help carry the food and drinks.

I never noticed anyone seeming to mind when we did it that way -- the adult getting the food can do it more easily without the children to keep track of, anyway, and heaven knows I didn't want them to eat without freshly washed hands, as much as they've handled all day up to that point! I swear my 2 year old must have touched *every single thing* he could reach some days.

 

[Todd&Copper]

We had a party of three, and 2 went to get the food and one held the table if it was busy. If it was empty, we all went up for the food. I trusted DMom and DSis to choose something I would eat.

 

[VirtuallyMe]

Having older children and younger children helps too

Usually in lines DH and one of the older kids will wait in queue for food- so the second person can help carry back- food for a family of 6 doesn't usually fit on one tray easily

Then I take younger kids and scout out a table

Third team... other older child- will run through condiment lines getting napkins, plastic ware, etc needed for everyone and brings it to table then will go hit the end of the food line to help if needed.

I have no problem with people who get a table while others are inside getting food- but when done eating people should clean up their mess and move along so others can sit and eat in a relatively clean location

 

[ntsammy5]

This is what we do as well. One gets the food, the others get the table or stalk a table.

Stalk a table! I like that description!

​

 

[Bev J]

We usually split up, 2 go for the table and the other 2 (1adult, 1older kid)go fetch the food. We have had times when we have our food and are just standing there waiting for a table to clear, by then our food is cold. So spliting up usually works for us plus we try and eat at less busy times and avoid CS that we know have a big problem-Pinocchio Village Haus is the worst!

Bev

 

[BooScout]

I understand people with large groups and/or young kids grabbing a table while someone else gets the food. Since I usually travel to WDW with just DH, when we get CS I insist that we get in line together. Its easier to find a two-person table on the fly. And I feel bad holding a table while families who already have their food are searching for a place to sit. However, it does bug me when I have my tray and I'm looking for a place to sit, and there are people holding tables for folks who are still at the end of the food line. I guess that's why we usually opt for popcorn or ice cream instead!

 

[Evil Queen]

We usually stand in line together and wait for food if it's just DS10 and I. If my 2 older boys are joinng us, after the food is ordered, I send one of the older boys and youngest to table hunt.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

Whew... glad to hear that there seems to be a consensus about part of teh party splitting off and finding a table . After reading some comments on other threads recently, I was afraid there for a minute that I was unknowingly breaking some sort of code. You know, sort of like being a habitual mug re-user or pool hopper and not knowing about it.

 

[CowboyCO]

I usually hit the line for CS whille DW and 2 DSes (7&4) go wash up and stalk for a table. This is for 2 reasons. The CS lines aren't designed for large groups and it can get very clogged up. 2nd reason-- Getting the food at CS doesn't take long at all-- usually only a few minutes after ordering, so if DW has found a table, we can eat while the food is hot. Otherwise, you are "Das Wandern".

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

It's simple. Obviously you can do what you want. But treat others like you would want to be treated.

1. You cetainly wouldn't like waiting in line longer than necessary, so have your order ready and your wallet or cards in an accessible spot when you get to the register. Don't spend 5 minutes at the register digging it out of your backpack. Is it that hard to make a dang decision?
2. Table saving is fine if the place isn't full as is lingering as long as you want.
3. If it's full and you've got a tray of hot food, you wouldn't want someone hogging a table while your food gets cold. So show a bit of courtesy. Sure if you're party is two spots from ordering, it's quite ok. But if you're sitting at a table without food for more than 10 minutes and your party isn't even half way through the line yet, consider getting up, then snagging one when they get closer. Or go ahead and keep that table, but let someone sit and eat while your family is in line.
4. You wouldn't want someone hanging around staring at you while you eat, So If you're hovering around someone who's clearly not finished in order to snag a table, that is most uncool. And no matter who you are, don't turn around and lean your butt on the end of the table. And please note that farting in their face will get you either outed in front of the whole place, or punched, or both.
5. If you've snagged a table that seats 8 and you're 4, you're not bad if you don't but think about letting someone sit with you that is wandering with a tray. It's going to make their day. And what goes around comes around. Maybe Karma is going to reward you. Obviosly if they reak of BO, you needent offer them the seat.
6. When the house is packed do not linger gabbing for 20 minutres after your done. Take what drink you have left and wander over to a nearby bench.

These situations always call for a little give and take. But too many take, but they never give.

 

[CowboyCO]

I forgot one last thing-- we NEVER eat CS at peak times--11:30-1:30. They are packed everything is a mess, tables are full and lines are long. We grab a late morning snack and eat CS at 1:30-2:00 for lunch. Then we do a late afternoon snack and do table service later in the evening 7:00- 8:30.

I love the DDP

I love Free Dining at WDW!

I love WDW

Did I mention I love Free Dining?

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

It's usually two of us, and having been the guy who dumps two large sodas while walking with the tray, I always insist that we both stand in line. One person to carry the drinks, the other the tray of food. This is especially the case in Animal Kingdom, where they don't have lids on the drinks.

If it's a larger group of us together, we'll split enough people to carry and the rest of the group to find a table. We usually don't eat at the peak times, either, so I can't remember a whole lot of times when it was too crowded for the group to sit right away.

By the way, did you know that when you drop something -- like two large sodas -- Disney will replace them free. Just tell a CM at the counter what happened. They also gave us new burgers and fries, since the first set was a little soggy.

 

[Pooh1219]

I am polite and considerate of others 99% of my life, but when it comes to counter service at WDW, it's very simple for us - one of us stands on line for the food and the other snags a table. Sure, it's tough when you finally get off line and start searching for a table, and I've done it many times. That's why our strategy changed a couple of years ago, and there's no reason to feel bad or guilty about doing it, either. Everyone has the same option.

 

[DisneyHokie]

In our family, we have 2 members stand in line for food and the "kids" (we're all in our 20's now) go look for a table. It's the worst standing in the middle of a crowded dining room with a tray and no where to sit!

 

[hidmickey:myantidrug]

This is what we do as well. One gets the food, the others get the table or stalk a table.

Haha, that is so amazingly described!

We do the same thing. The way I see it, what if it's raining? By us not all standing in line, we are making room for more people to fit inside the line. So really, by doing this, we are helping society as a whole!