Do you like sharing tables with other families?

[Dopey420]

I HATE sharing tables with other families, like at Biergarten! I try to go to Biergarten with enough family members that we get our own table.

I'm not anti-social, I am just an EATER. I have lots of friends, and my last trip to Disney, I went with 3 other families on a group trip that I organized. So it is not that I don't want to make friends. I come to the buffet to EAT. I put my head down and CRUSH!

I like to eat a lot of food and get out of there and back to the parks!!! If I have to chat with people, that takes away from my serious eating time! My family and friends don't seem to have a problem with it. I'm sure my last table mates at Biergarten thought we were rude, but if I have to chat with people I don't know, I don't eat as much, I am worried about my table manners more, and feel like I have to talk too much instead of eating. My dinner will take twice the time if I have to chat.

Also, the last 2 couples that we sat with at Biergarten talked about their cruises exclusively. I have never cruised and now have ZERO desire to cruise, just based on their descriptions of their cruises. It sounded like lots of time eating with people I don't know.

 

[Jubilee]

Well, you're right about that..if you don't want to eat while you meet people and make friends, do NOT cruise! My MIL and SFIL love cruising and they have all these strangezoid weird friends they cruise together with now XD

That said, I am in between on your original topic. I love talking to other families, but I think I let off a, "Don't talk to me vibe" because people usually wait for my initiation. I have been told I look like a B@#$% before and I don't know why

 

[Justsyd2]

I don't mind sharing a table with other people. I have had great experiences learning about others. I think it's a great way to practice tolerance, and to learn.

 

[ms*mountaineer]

We love meeting new people when we travel - and sharing a table at a place like Biergarten wouldn't bother us one bit.

 

[NMW]

We have never made an ADR at Biergarten because of this. I think it's a gamble. You could have nice, normal people eating with you. Or, you could have complete wackos. Too much of a gamble for me!

 

[Jubilee]

PS I am eating at Biergarten 4/27....anyone else?

 

[NMAmy]

We really enjoy it. The last time, it was just DH and I at the Biergarten and we sat with three other older couples and they were a hoot! One gentleman was celebrating his 70th birthday. We ended up staying and chatting with them much longer than we had originally intended and we had a wonderful time.

Oddly, we often get seated with people who live pretty near to us.

We did have one group from heck that we were seated with at the Biergarten. The family apparently didn't realize it was communal seating and threw an absolute hissy fit that we were sitting at "their" table. Even though we were there first. But we've been many times and that family was the exception instead of the rule.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I won't do it with my kids. If they start to have a meltdown or something I don't want to ruin someone else's meal.

We do Benihana's around here just DH and myself and enjoy it.

 

[bangzoom6877]

We went to Biergarten in july and sat with a very nice man and his daughter. The other 2 seats at the table remained empty. We had a wonderful experience. We have also had great experiences cruising. We like to meet other people. We also go to Lancaster, PA and eat at family-style restaurants where you sit at a large table with other people. Also never a bad experience there. And we still manage to eat a lot! All our experiences have been positive, but I guess we have been lucky! I actually look forward to meeting new people, especially when everyone is on vacation.

 

[MickeyNicki]

I dont like it either but I love Beirgarten....we try to get a table by ourselves but they never give us one and we usually go early 4-5 pm when they are not busy....I tell the hostess to sit us at the very end of the table so I am not squished with strangers,

Funny enough Hibachi places do not bother me one bit

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) I like sharing tables.
2) You meet interesting people.
3) In fact, I ask to sit with other singles when I am on the road.
4) The conversations have been fantastic. *

* I have sat with corporate CEO's, wekders in a training class, a second-tier Hollywood actress, several politicians. All have been great experiences. OK, so maybe the politicians only agreed to dinner so they might lobby me. But, the rest we cool to dine with and talk with.

 

[ROEDISNEY]

I am not crazy about it but will do it if I have to.

 

[disnut8]

We don't mind it at all, especially at the Biergarten because that is the way it's done in Germany. In fact, we try to encourage people even at crowded counter service places to join us since we're just two people. Why stand there with a tray full of hot food getting cold when you can sit down with us and start eating?

If you do sit with me at the Biergarten and you don't want to talk, that's fine. Just please tell me you are there to eat so I don't attempt to make small talk with you. That's what I find rude (and only once at the many times we've dined at the Biergarten) - people who ignore me. Be honest, say you don't want to participate in the conversation, sit at the end of the table and have your meal. One simple sentence on your part and the entire meal will be so much more enjoyable for everyone.

 

[donaldndaisy]

We've never dined at Biergarten and after reading this, we never will. We've dined with strangers before and have always had the most awkward experiences. We've listened to couples insult each other, watched kids have meltdowns, inappropriate displays of affection, weird conversation topics and my favorite, the "potty-mouths". Nope we will never dine with strangers, again.

 

[teach22180]

We had a fun dining experience on the Disney Wonder. My 19 year old and I were assigned to a table of 8 with another single mom with two pre-teen boys and a young couple on their honeymoon. I think Disney planned it so my girl would connect with the young couple, only a couple years older than she, and I would have a friend in the other single mom. We got along well and even went to a movie all together one night, but it's not like we're best friends now! Like anything in life, it's all about your attitude. We just enjoyed sharing our day's adventures each night at dinner. I went alone to the Hall of Fame ceremonies for some Redskins last summer, and I met the nicest couple eating lunch. Normally, I just would just eat by myself, but I did enjoy talking to them and hearing about Ohio as they were local!

 

[ScarletFire]

I like to eat at Biergarten and never feel forced to make small-talk with strangers. Beyond a few introductions, we pretty much keep to ourselves. It's nothing personal, just the way we are.

I'm eating with a party of six next month. Since it's spring break, I'd imagine we'll have an extra couple with us. I'm still going though; it's that good.

 

[2manypets]

I'm an introvert, my DH is a extrovert. We just size up the table and put him near the talkies.

 

[catne]

I'm sure it can be very fun with the right mix, but we had a rotten experience in May 2007 -- was myself, DH & 18 yr. old daughter. Well, we were seated first at the table, so we got the "ring-side seats" by the dance floor, then our drink order was taken. Next, they seated another party of 3 -- was a 50-something guy & two adult daughters. Well, right after we'd all exchanged first names & such, the waitress brings the beers DH & I ordered. Thought the guy was going to have a heart attack...and the prune faces we got from the daughters! Lordy...it's a BEER garden. Apparently they didn't know that's what "biergarten" means, lol. Well that was the end of the small talk with them...they weren't going to have anything to do with us nasty beer drinkers (and that's funny, because that was the first beer I've had in about 10 years! But I figured I better drink beer in a beer garden. )

Then the last couple - an elderly husband/wife - was seated.These folks didn't even exchange names, they looked absolutely horrified to be seated with strangers. The wife made a big production about moving their cutlery & such as far away from the rest of the table as possible - instead of each of them sitting on a side, they pulled their chairs around to squeeze onto the end of the table -- the waitress told them sorry, they can't sit on the end cuz they're blocking the aisle...so they sat as close to the end on each side as they could - plates almost fell off the table they were that close to the edge. They waited until the waitress brought their drinks...and then they took their drinks with them to the buffet line (guess they thought the rest of us would take sips or maybe spit in the drinks while they were gone )

Anyway, I know some people have a great time there (my parents did the year before!) and we liked the food & the show...just not the sitting with others experience.Blah.

 

[Ariel Wanna-be]

We have never made an ADR at Biergarten because of this. I think it's a gamble. You could have nice, normal people eating with you. Or, you could have complete wackos. Too much of a gamble for me!

ITA.

I don't want to come off as a snob, or anti-stranger. I'm not. I actually think it would be fun to sit by some nice, normal strangers and have an enjoyable dinner sharing conversation and fun.

However. I am a freak magnet. If there is a lunatic within four miles, they will find me. And no, I'm not exaggerating...my friends and family always joke about it. It doesn't matter if I'm in line at the post office, or sitting in a theater, or browsing in a store. They always find me. And when I say "loon" I don't mean someone who's just not like me, or someone who looks different, or someone who talks different. I mean full-on whacko's.

I must give off some sort of vibe.

.

 

[tinkerrn]

LOL......I have wanted to eat there, but now I am having second thoughts. I hadnt thought about sitting with strangers and eating....how weird!!