Guests uning quick service restaurant tables

[chartle]

1. but if these people wait until they have their food to sit, there may not BE a table..unless of clourse there are CMs directing people to tables, that would be different.

2. Plus, say you have a party of mam, dad and three kids...everyone doesnt need to stand in line(that would make the line longer) so the obvious thing to do would be to go get a table, anyway.

1 Sitting down at a table without your food actually creates this situation.

2. Not really because it does lengthen the amount of time it takes to get your food

 

[GiJohnsGirl]

Seriously? There usually isn't any space to stand to the side w/o being in the way. If I am paying for food; then I should have a table to sit at regardless if I have my food in hand or finished 5 minutes ago. If you went to any other restaurant it would be the same way. It would be different if an individual was not eating or avoiding the rain.

 

[Celine]

I'm really glad I was able to get the whole picture by reading this thread. I always, and I mean always, thought I was being MORE courteous having my children sit at the table, while *I* would get the food so as to help reduce the jamming of lines and by the registers. BUT, after reading this, I now see the other side. While I may have helped the congestion at the counter, I only made another mistake by leaving them waiting for me at a table. They weren't "holding it," since I wasn't worried about finding one. For me, I felt they were just "out of the way" of an already hectic scene by the counters.

Thanks for posting about this!!

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

I'm really glad I was able to get the whole picture by reading this thread. I always, and I mean always, thought I was being MORE courteous having my children sit at the table, while *I* would get the food so as to help reduce the jamming of lines and by the registers. BUT, after reading this, I now see the other side. While I may have helped the congestion at the counter, I only made another mistake by leaving them waiting for me at a table. They weren't "holding it," since I wasn't worried about finding one. For me, I felt they were just "out of the way" of an already hectic scene by the counters.

Thanks for posting about this!!

I really think it depends on the time of year and the time of day. We do this all of the time for lunch - I go order/ get the food and DH and DD sit down basically out of the way / not adding chaos to the line area.

However that said we always try to eat at odd hours - usually right at 11 (before it gets busy) and we tend to visit the parks during the value / slow season. They know not to sit down just to 'hold' a table - if it's that busy (and it was a few times during our December trip in 2010) they wait out of the line but not sitting down until I have the food.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I dont understand why saving a table is an issue becasue these people are dining at the restaurant and they are entitled to a table..whats the difference if they save it for 10 mins while they are waiting for their food to arrive? They need a place to sit either way.

People need a table to sit and eat once they have the food they ordered in their possession. Before they actually have food/trays that need to be placed on a flat surface so they can eat that food without spilling it, they don't need a table.

If every person/party waited until they have food before claiming a table, every person/party would be able to find a table exactly when they're prepared to sit and eat. I'm sure of this because it works when Walt Disney World restricts table access to only guests who have their food.

but if these people wait until they have their food to sit, there may not BE a table..unless of clourse there are CMs directing people to tables, that would be different.

But it's adults making the decision to occupy tables before they even get in line (and some of those lines can be twenty minutes or longer). Instead of needing to be directed by CMs, why can't everybody just be considerate?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Seriously? There usually isn't any space to stand to the side w/o being in the way. If I am paying for food; then I should have a table to sit at regardless if I have my food in hand or finished 5 minutes ago. If you went to any other restaurant it would be the same way. It would be different if an individual was not eating or avoiding the rain.

Well, no. Until you have your food, you don't need a table. Anything could happen between you entering the restaurant and you being given your food. One of your party members could have an emergency. The restaurant might not have the one food your picky eater must have. You might realize you're going to miss your FastPass window . You forgot your wallet and can't pay for the food. The power went out. Somebody sees a mouse Anything.

When you have your food, you need a table. Before you have your food, the guests who do already have their [trays of] food need tables.

 

[emeraldmom]

I really can see both sides of this issue. I guess in a way I'm on both sides. I have been the person with the tray of food trying to find a table, and I know what it feels like.

On the other hand, I really don't know how my family is going to handle this when we're there this summer. We have never experienced them "policing" the tables on our previous trips. They did when we were at Universal this past Dec, and it was an issue for us. They only seemed to "police" the inside tables there, so we ended up outside a lot. This wasn't as big a deal in Dec as it will be in July.

I will be there with myself, DS's 11 and 14, my mother, and my father. My father is in a scooter. DS 14 is high functioning autistic, and DS 11 has juvenile fibromyalgia and is in a wheelchair part of the time. We generally try to find an out of the way spot to park the scooter and wheelchair outside, then the guys go find a table while my mother and I get the food. Sometimes I bring the wheelchair in if we can only find a 4 seater table. My experience with WDW counter service is that there really isn't a place to wait off to the side. Plus, two of my guys really shouldn't be standing for a long period of time. The third guy, DS 14, requires a bit of special handling at times when he's in crowds.

I guess the guys are going to have to wait someplace outside of the restaurant until we get the food. Then Mom and I will get food and table, then call them to join us. Will they let them come and join us, even though they won't have the food, it will already be at the table with us? I want to try to follow the rules, but I have to try to figure out how to make them work for my family.


PS We own both the scooter and wheelchair, and both are used for people with real disabilities. Though you may occasionally see me switch kids, as DS 11 needs to stretch sometimes, and DS 14 can have BIG anxiety issues. Yeah, I read the latest scooter thread.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Call them when you get your food, not when you get your table.

 

[minnie mum]

And if waiting will be an issue for some of your party, try to eat either really early or really late to avoid the heaviest crowds during prime meal hours.

 

[slyster]

I'm assuming that CMs don't step in? I would think if I needed a place to sit and several tables were taken by those who no intention of eating that a CM would assist us? Or is this not the case.

It would almost be nice to be 'seated' by a CM like they do at large buffets. You order your food and you are directed to a seat instead of having to find one. It may not be ideal for the parks, but it sure beats having to hunt down a seat.

My partner and I have always split it...one orders while the other looks for a seat. We ususally only do that if the restaurant seems almost full.

I would also think that during lunch rush hour, most seats are taken BECAUSE most are ordering food. We have never had a problem sharing our table with strangers and we have offered to share especially when a restaurant is crowded. Most seem to appreciate the offer

 

[dmband]

I go at verrrry busy time of yr and always need to grab a table usually two for my family so I have no issue with saving one while my wife gets food
However I will not overstay our time, as soon as we are done we are up for someone else
And to be honest I'll usually look to see if there is a large family looking prone and give it to them since I understand the feeling

Ps I have never seen Disney not allow people to hold tables or just sit around as stated in past posts and I have no issue with asking someone who looks like they are done eating if they plan on getting up soon, sometimes it's the kick they need to realize they are being rude

 

[fan1080]

Those snacks we take in the park with us are an ideal excuse to snag a table while someone else is in line for food.

 

[SOnotLayuh]

I enjoy sharing tables with strangers - though it's only happened once. An older couple needed somewhere to sit, and DBF and I were alone at a table for four, so we offered the space to them.

That being said, however, there is absolutely no reason to "hold" a table. This seems to only be acceptable to people who think that Disney "owes them." Nobody needs the table until they have food - using it otherwise is just rude 100%

 

[smw]

Plus, say you have a party of mam, dad and three kids...everyone doesnt need to stand in line(that would make the line longer) so the obvious thing to do would be to go get a table, anyway.

no.

the line would have more *people* in it, but not more *orders* being placed... there would be no more actual *time* spent in line.

i don't understand why it's hard for people to grasp the simple math behind waiting til you've gotten your food resulting in more tables for everyone.

 

[Robo]

Ps I have never seen Disney not allow people to hold tables...

At selected CS restaurants during "busy" times, they do station CM's to stop guests from taking a table
if they do not already have their food from that restaurant in-hand.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

I don't know if this has been mentioned already but one of the MANY things I was impressed with in terms of crowd control inside the Wizarding World of Harry Potter was the seating system at the Three Broomsticks. We were there Easter weekend and it was effortless to get something to eat and sit down with it because of the system they had there.

You got on line to order your food and after you placed your order, paid for, and received your food you were directed a worker who pointed you to a table. I was amazed at how smoothly things worked there. There was no wandering around with a tray for someone to get up, staring people down waiting for them to leave, etc. We were not rushed out of there in any way, and were able to relax for a few minutes after we finished eating. I don't know if it only works this way during super peak times (like Easter) or if they do this all the times, but props to Universal for figuring out a way to make the CS dining experience more enjoyable.

That being said, I've never had a problem at Disney bc I try to eat early, or hit restaurants that have seemingly endless capacity (Sunshine Seasons, Columbia Harbour House, etc)

 

[Butterbunkins]

This thread makes me glad we go at a slow time of the year. In my last few trips I can only remember one time having difficulty finding a place to sit and that was during MVMCP at Casey’s. Every other time we order together and look for a table together and have endless choices. Many times we have sat down at QS tables without food, and never even thought twice about it because we were never taking valuable seating from others. But even during slow times of the year, I would never do this during peak meal times.

 

[jeni1072]

when we were there is March the CM's would not let us into the dining room without a tray in our hands. Could not even go while someone else was ordering, we all had to be together.

Also they had all doors closed off so that the only way into the dining room was through the ordering area.

 

[Geoff_M]

That being said, I've never had a problem at Disney bc I try to eat early, or hit restaurants that have seemingly endless capacity (Sunshine Seasons, Columbia Harbour House, etc)

We like Columbia and have never had a problem with seating there... but I've found Sunshine to be a real hassle to find a table at busier times since the addition of Soarin'. During our 2nd to most recent visit, we went to Sunshine to eat and ended up sitting on the floor in a back corner with our trays after giving up looking for a table after about 5 minutes of wandering around and getting "Don't even think about it!" stares from people saving tables. The best part was that 10 feet away from the place we finally squatted on the floor was a picnicking family that took up a couple of tables. They had coolers and thermoses with them and assembled rice dishes in bowls and passed them around. Our most recent visit this month I held my breath as we went to Sunshine again. I thought we were in trouble (still lots of table savers), but timed it just right with a family that was leaving and was able to ponce and get the table.

Now, with all of this, you'd think that we wouldn't save tables... but we do. I agree fully that table saving at busy times slows things down for everyone and creates problems. I used to argue against table saving here in the past and we didn't do it. But through such threads, I had a realization. When someone posted a poll and the results in voting clearly showed the "Table saving is OK" group in the majority on the DIS, I realized that in the past when I tried to take the "high ground" and not dispatch someone to grab a table in a busy CS restaurant, the only group I was hurting was my family and the primary benefactors of my good intentions were the plethora of others that were only too happy to grab and save any table we didn't. So, now, we "save" tables too.

However, I do applaud Disney's efforts at busier times to block table saving. If there's any doubt that "table saving" obviously reduces the number of times a table can be "turned" in a busy meal period, Disney's actions should be proof enough. I wish they would do it more. But in the absence of such monitoring, I no longer will risk making my family stand around when table saving is the rule and not the exception.

 

[Disney/Universal Fan]

I really can see both sides of this issue. I guess in a way I'm on both sides. I have been the person with the tray of food trying to find a table, and I know what it feels like.

On the other hand, I really don't know how my family is going to handle this when we're there this summer. We have never experienced them "policing" the tables on our previous trips. They did when we were at Universal this past Dec, and it was an issue for us. They only seemed to "police" the inside tables there, so we ended up outside a lot. This wasn't as big a deal in Dec as it will be in July.

I will be there with myself, DS's 11 and 14, my mother, and my father. My father is in a scooter. DS 14 is high functioning autistic, and DS 11 has juvenile fibromyalgia and is in a wheelchair part of the time. We generally try to find an out of the way spot to park the scooter and wheelchair outside, then the guys go find a table while my mother and I get the food. Sometimes I bring the wheelchair in if we can only find a 4 seater table. My experience with WDW counter service is that there really isn't a place to wait off to the side. Plus, two of my guys really shouldn't be standing for a long period of time. The third guy, DS 14, requires a bit of special handling at times when he's in crowds.

I guess the guys are going to have to wait someplace outside of the restaurant until we get the food. Then Mom and I will get food and table, then call them to join us. Will they let them come and join us, even though they won't have the food, it will already be at the table with us? I want to try to follow the rules, but I have to try to figure out how to make them work for my family.


PS We own both the scooter and wheelchair, and both are used for people with real disabilities. Though you may occasionally see me switch kids, as DS 11 needs to stretch sometimes, and DS 14 can have BIG anxiety issues. Yeah, I read the latest scooter thread.

Go ahead and have them find a place to sit while you are in line. If anyone would have a problem with this, then they should really stop and take a good look at themselves.