"Go Find a Table and I'll wait in line"

[Tigger's ally]

A) They specified “for people eating alone” which naturally excludes all but solos.

B) I was not the only one who took offense to that.

C) Saying “Wrong answer” is not an insult. If I had called them a name or said they were prejudice against solos, THAT would be an insult.

But nowhere did they say you couldn't sit at a normal table and you made it about your ticket entitlement. They said Disney could help by making the extra seating in QS. And you think it was a knock on people eating alone. Lot's of people eat alone at Disney. Making more seating that they COULD use would help couldn't it. Never did they say you HAD to eat there. There was nothing wrong with their post. Nothing at all. Why bring up the ticket? Everybody on these boards knows it doesn't matter what ticket anyone has. You can have a golden pass and you go into a QS and you are just like everyone else once you enter the gates.

 

[Moliphino]

A) They specified “for people eating alone” which naturally excludes all but solos.

B) I was not the only one who took offense to that.

C) Saying “Wrong answer” is not an insult. If I had called them a name or said they were prejudice against solos, THAT would be an insult.

They never said people eating alone HAD to eat there, though, just that it would be a nice option to offer.

 

[Chuck S]

I will say, if you have a manual wheelchair user in your party, and it is just the two of you, you almost have to place the wheelchair person at a table before you order. There is no way to safely juggle a tray of food in one hand, search for a table, and push a wheelchair with your other hand. Food is going to almost certainly fall, or you will run into someone with the wheelchair. Your only other option is to take the wheelchair into the orderline, with no room to turn it around, and have the person in the chair hold the food...and hope no one steps in front of the chair or runs into the side of you (yep it happens) while searching for a table. Wheelchairs seem to be invisible to a lot of people, likely because of the height difference.

 

[Dug720]

But nowhere did they say you couldn't sit at a normal table and you made it about your ticket entitlement. They said Disney could help by making the extra seating in QS. And you think it was a knock on people eating alone. Lot's of people eat alone at Disney. Making more seating that they COULD use would help couldn't it. Never did they say you HAD to eat there. There was nothing wrong with their post. Nothing at all. Why bring up the ticket? Everybody on these boards knows it doesn't matter what ticket anyone has. You can have a golden pass and you go into a QS and you are just like everyone else once you enter the gates.

Read my later post explaining why saying “solos could eat there” and a bar or counter gets my defenses up. And if they were there, I can easily see people in groups making it clear that THEY have a right to tables and solos should be at the counters. Never mind that I would never pick a table for more than 2 unless there were no other options in this setting. In the setting of my experience it was set more like Biergarten so you knew buying the ticket that you would likely be sharing.

And yes, we all paid to be there. Meaning we all have the right - if we are paying for food - to have a seat at a table without our food getting cold searching for one.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Assign tables like they do at table service restaurants. You walk in, party of 4. They say there is your table. Those who are going to order food get in line and get the food, those who want to wait at the table can. If you are solo or your entire party needs to go order, they give you something to place on the table as a marker. But because it is a quick service restaurant, they should also put a limit on how long you have to occupy the table once you get your food. Maybe 30 minutes, maybe longer for folks with special circumstances or small kids.

Assign tables? I can't see that being a good usage of labor money. They have table service places with hosts/hostess who get paid for that.

What special circumstances would that be to qualify as having longer? Kids? Geez I guess my husband and I well we're just the lowest of lowest. We wouldn't qualify for anything because we neither have special circumstances (which is vague) or kids. *sigh* Well in the words of other posters on this thread we paid for our food we deserve to enjoy our food just like anyone else.

If you want a limit on time then be equal about it and put a limit on time for Table Service. Do you know how hard some places are to get ADRs? Do you know how much people get upset because they couldn't get an ADR for a place? Well the simple answer to that is to limit how long one can stay. That way when you get close to your limit you can be shooed out just like you want anyone who eats at QS/CS to be. Quicker turnover means more ADR time slots you know.

 

[Moliphino]

Read my later post explaining why saying “solos could eat there” and a bar or counter gets my defenses up. And if they were there, I can easily see people in groups making it clear that THEY have a right to tables and solos should be at the counters. Never mind that I would never pick a table for more than 2 unless there were no other options in this setting. In the setting of my experience it was set more like Biergarten so you knew buying the ticket that you would likely be sharing.

And yes, we all paid to be there. Meaning we all have the right - if we are paying for food - to have a seat at a table without our food getting cold searching for one.

So ultimately it worked out, but the implication or outright statement that solos should have to sit at a counter really irks me. (I do love that Beaches & Cream gives me a choice when I have an ADR there. I will usually take the counter because that is a fun place in that restaurant, but it is never assumed that because I am solo I deserve the counter.)

Nobody in this thread has said that solos would have to sit at a counter. Nobody. You're reading way more into it than there is because of one rude group of people you experienced.

 

[BK2014]

Assign tables? I can't see that being a good usage of labor money. They have table service places with hosts/hostess who get paid for that.

Even a small increase in the efficiency of a quick service restaurant would result in enough increased revenue to cover the small hourly wage of a host or two.

What special circumstances would that be to qualify as having longer? Kids? Geez I guess my husband and I well we're just the lowest of lowest. We wouldn't qualify for anything because we neither have special circumstances (which is vague) or kids. *sigh* Well in the words of other posters on this thread we paid for our food we deserve to enjoy our food just like anyone else.

I am sorry you felt that my post was a personal attack on you and your husband, but I do not understand why. I threw out 30 minutes as an example, but really, how long does it take to eat a quick service meal?

If you want a limit on time then be equal about it and put a limit on time for Table Service. Do you know how hard some places are to get ADRs? Do you know how much people get upset because they couldn't get an ADR for a place? Well the simple answer to that is to limit how long one can stay. That way when you get close to your limit you can be shooed out just like you want anyone who eats at QS/CS to be. Quicker turnover means more ADR time slots you know.

This thread is about table holding at quick service restaurants. That is why I did not address table service restaurants.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Even a small increase in the efficiency of a quick service restaurant would result in enough increased revenue to cover the small hourly wage of a host or two.

Then suggest that to Disney. But you don't know the wage situation with Disney and you don't know if Disney hasn't already looked at the ROI for paying that CM to do what you want them to do especially all the time.

I am sorry you felt that my post was a personal attack on you and your husband, but I do not understand why. I threw out 30 minutes as an example, but really, how long does it take to eat a quick service meal?

Attack? No.

Judgement? Yes.

Judgment to anyone who doesn't fit your "special circumstance" (vague) or has kids as if those two things mean someone is more entitled to something than someone who doesn't fit into those.

As far as how long it takes that's exactly why I mentioned those things. There's no set time that people take to eat, some eat faster than others, some eat slower than others.

Does having kids or special circumstances (vague) mean you no matter what take longer to eat? I'm unaware of that. I didn't know that digestion times varied so much when someone automatically had kids (which what's the age limit for your definition of kids?) or whatever special circumstance you're talking about.

This thread is about table holding at quick service restaurants. That is why I did not address table service restaurants.

Your reasoning is the same for TS though. If you're going to single out QS/CS for a time limit in order to turn over tables quicker then do the same for TS. They have the same issue--turning over tables in order to seat more guests. But I doubt you'd find many people appreciating feeling like they are being shooed out in TS (and I know some have expressed that in posts that they feel they were being rushed) nor do I think people would appreciate the feeling of being shooed out in QS/CS.

People just want to be able to enjoy their food. There's no need to try and make someone feel like they don't deserve that because they are in a non-TS place.

 

[cruisin5]

Grabbing a table at a crowded QS before we have our food is something we've learned to do. Just like getting a 4th FP, or the first 3 for that matter. Everyone is "entitled" to do it.

 

[Oliviaxxx]

Again, I would not order food at an establishment before I knew whether or not I had a seat. I would never wait till I have a tray of food to then be searching for a table. If I went somewhere to eat and spent time waiting it out for a table, I would take my food to go or simply go eat somewhere else. I have done this many times at Panera. Our ShakeShack is always busy. Someone always is the table hunter while we order the food. I literally see this at every quick service place. This is working smarter.

If you don't use this strategy, that's fine. But don't be mad at those who chose to work smarter.

 

[marikujawa]

Whatever the problem is, the answer is not me holding a tray of food with nowhere to sit. If Disney stops people from going to a table unless they have food, that's what I'll do. If they allow people to save tables while someone else is ordering, that's what I'll do. Even if everyone following this thread agreed saving tables is bad or selfish and vowed never to do it again, it would have no impact on what goes on at Disney. This is a problem Disney has to solve, and they won't do it until they actually believe it's a problem.

 

[limabeanmom2003]

They won't underbuild? What did Woody's lunchbox get....4 umbrella tables?
They may underbuild. They may underestimate. Or it could be awesome! Nobody knows.

SW:GE sounds the same. No table service restaurant. Just a QS that will be extremely popular with very limited seating. They want guests BUYING. They don’t want guests sitting at tables relaxing. Seat or no seat available, guests will be lining up for food (which sounds delicious based on descriptions so far). Once you pay they want you out of there. Next stop- gift shop. Build your own lightsaber or droid!

 

[limabeanmom2003]

Think about it. They know it's going to be busy. It's Disney. They won't underbuild.

They will address the issue if it is a safety concern. It all comes down to the capacity number.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

SW:GE sounds the same. No table service restaurant. Just a QS that will be extremely popular with very limited seating.

There might be a TS eventually.

There are TWO QS places plus food carts for SWGE.

There was supposed to be a QS and a TS but the location (I believe it was the Cantina) that was supposed to be TS was switched to QS.

But TBH there's no amount of seating that could be built to accommodate the crowds of Star Wars.

 

[Cptnkirky]

We have done it but not because we can't get a table.. its more about less ppl in line. Of course that depends on if 1 person can remember all the order. Usually everyone wants to order for themselves or needs time in line to choose anyway. Usually by the time you are thru the line and getting your food, ppl are clearing out a table anyway. We don't usually go mid-summer when its busier, but we have never had an issue finding a table when the crowd is around the 7-8 range. We also did this when we had a baby, but that was for 1 person to start feeding them first while other was in line. Usually some people order while last person stays to order and pay while rest leave to get "stuff", then meet up to find a table when food is out. Most places are so big that finding someone waiting at a table is too much, and trays of food are too much for 1 to carry anyway

 

[Disneylover99]

SW:GE sounds the same. No table service restaurant. Just a QS that will be extremely popular with very limited seating. They want guests BUYING. They don’t want guests sitting at tables relaxing. Seat or no seat available, guests will be lining up for food (which sounds delicious based on descriptions so far). Once you pay they want you out of there. Next stop- gift shop. Build your own lightsaber or droid!

I agree. It will be extremely popular. No doubt. And it doesn’t matter how big they make it. It will be packed regardless of size.

 

[Nancyg56]

For the most part, Disney CS restaurants have the same combination of kitchen speed+seating capacity that each has had since, well, it opened. What has increased dramatically, notably over the last ten years, is the number of visitors. Nobody is blaming other visitor for Disney's inability or refusal to add seating capacity to existing venues. Nobody is giving Disney a pass on this.

Oh I beg to differ. This thread is littered with the blame game, and very few people have even held Disney accountable for the ridiculously low number of seating available for an ever increasing customer base.

Wow, You must not have ever been to a Chik Filet near lunchtime. Stopped in several in the Lexington/Louisville/Paducah areas in recent years where there were people waiting to order and then waiting for a place to sit. And that was with the drive thru being packed as well.

I have never been to Chik Filet. I actually never go to any fast food restaurant if I am going to have to stand to eat my food.

Again, I would not order food at an establishment before I knew whether or not I had a seat. I would never wait till I have a tray of food to then be searching for a table. If I went somewhere to eat and spent time waiting it out for a table, I would take my food to go or simply go eat somewhere else. I have done this many times at Panera. Our ShakeShack is always busy. Someone always is the table hunter while we order the food. I literally see this at every quick service place. This is working smarter.

If you don't use this strategy, that's fine. But don't be mad at those who chose to work smarter.

I agree. If I have no table I am not hanging around and chance balancing my food on my knees. I have no desire to tell anyone else how to handle their meals, but I will find a seat or move elsewhere.

Whatever the problem is, the answer is not me holding a tray of food with nowhere to sit. If Disney stops people from going to a table unless they have food, that's what I'll do. If they allow people to save tables while someone else is ordering, that's what I'll do. Even if everyone following this thread agreed saving tables is bad or selfish and vowed never to do it again, it would have no impact on what goes on at Disney. This is a problem Disney has to solve, and they won't do it until they actually believe it's a problem.

Agreed.

 

[BK2014]

Then suggest that to Disney. But you don't know the wage situation with Disney and you don't know if Disney hasn't already looked at the ROI for paying that CM to do what you want them to do especially all the time.

You are right, I do not know what Disney has or has not looked into, but I do know approximately what they are paying their CMs. But really, all I was doing was making a hypothetical suggestion on an internet discussion board, not proposing a business plan.

Judgement? Yes.

Judgment to anyone who doesn't fit your "special circumstance" (vague) or has kids as if those two things mean someone is more entitled to something than someone who doesn't fit into those.

I am sorry you feel like my post was judging you in some way. Again, it was a hypothetical suggestion. No plan would be perfect. I apologize for using vague terms that you do not like. If it makes you feel any better, I would be in the less "entitled" group as I have no kids or special circumstances.

People just want to be able to enjoy their food. There's no need to try and make someone feel like they don't deserve that because they are in a non-TS place.

I wasn't trying to make anyone feel like anything. I cannot help how people choose to react.

 

[DCLPrincess]

1) Solo travelers can't save tables. And I don't think we should pick on solo travelers, adults only, etc.
2) The world would be better if people were more considerate of others. But consideration goes both ways. For a solo traveler they think it's inconsiderate that people save tables but for the family with kids they think it's inconsiderate that people demand they take the kids in line or make them wait outside. I think both sides should try to see it from the other prospective.

 

[DisneyArkie]

I really can’t believe this is a problem some people take so serious. If we go to a QS and it’s full with no tables we go somewhere else. We don’t get mad. We don’t pout. If there is an empty table some of the family goes to claim it. If we order food we will know for sure we have a place to sit. Don’t be sensitive and assume people like me and apparently 65% of others are bad people or disrespectful. We are smart and plan ahead...

If I was a solo traveler and unable to save a seat I would personally go when it is less busy and not the lunch rush or find somewhere that may not be so busy.