Holding Counter Service Tables

[Gabkatt]

My family of 5 have held tables while a adult went to he line and got food. We will continue to do this, there is no way I am going to have my whole family of 5 stand in line for food then go with trays of food trying to find a table. Now if someone who is not buying food or just resting wants to hold a table then I don't think they should. But if you are purchasing a product then I feel you can save a table for a short period of time.

Exactly my point! When my family is holding a table, how long am I in line? We never go in the high season and I have never waited more than 5 to 7 minutes in line. Nor have I ever heard this complaint before. Also, no one has commented on my earlier statement about the parades. So if my family is holding a place to view the parade an hour early, are you upset that we are "in your way" and you have to walk around us (and everyone else). Should someone also be aloud to squeeze in at the last second simply because they didn't get there sooner? My point with this connection is that timing is the issue not a family holding a table. As I said before with a little planning you can plan your meals to avoid the bigger crowds and not have a problem finding a table. If you arrived to a CS and found my family holding a table, the mere fact that we were there and a table was available tells me its a timing issue. My grandmother is with us many times as well and she is diabetic and we have never had a problem.

 

[TammyAlphabet]

Holding tables is a common practice, as is holding chaise lounges with towels. Neither are very courteous. Just think, you hold the table for a half hour while your family is in line, then you sit and eat for half an hour or more. Tying up that table for a long time. If everyone just got their food and went to a table, ate and left, there would be plenty of room for everyone.

Next time I am there, I am going to do the european thing, just find a table with enough chairs and sit down. I am not going to ask, I am not going to even look at the person holding the table, If they protest, I will just say, table holding in WDW counter service is against Disney policy. I will report back what happens.

Tammy

 

[Rylee]

Holding tables is a common practice, as is holding chaise lounges with towels. Neither are very courteous. Just think, you hold the table for a half hour while your family is in line, then you sit and eat for half an hour or more. Tying up that table for a long time. If everyone just got their food and went to a table, ate and left, there would be plenty of room for everyone.

Next time I am there, I am going to do the european thing, just find a table with enough chairs and sit down. I am not going to ask, I am not going to even look at the person holding the table, If they protest, I will just say, table holding in WDW counter service is against Disney policy. I will report back what happens.

Tammy

You can sit with me!!!

With all our kids, we won't even notice a few more!

 

[Brian Noble]

I remember the mention of Disney telling guests they would no longer be allowed to hold tables at counter service restaurants if they did not have food.

Wishful thinking. One of the central tenets of Disney customer service is that, whenever possible, you should avoid telling a Guest "no". This sounds like one of those times that, while I'm sure Disney might prefer it if tables turned over faster (as they'd sell more food), they aren't going to walk around tables kicking people out.

 

[amery]

I must confess my disappointment with such a policy.

At the end of the day, what is a large party to do especially if their are kids in the group?? I see absolutely nothing wrong with a guest doing anywhere in the world what any of us would do in any mall food court on the planet. It has always been and should forever continue to be first come, first serve.

I can support the aguement if crowd levels were minimal and food lines were short as such and until I experience that at WDW, I will remain steadfast in my resolve until the mouse himself politely squeaks "sir, would you mind......"

 

[Mom2Evie]

I've been at WDW when they were allowing people to hold tables and when they weren't. It ran so much more smoothly when a cast member was monitoring the dining rooms, pointing people toward tables once they had a tray of food. This was during Easter week last year and because of the CMs dilligence, there were empty tables everywhere. It was fantastic!!

I've stood, holding food at Tusker House before while single women held tables for someone. I can't say who because when we finally did find a place to eat, they were still holdin the flippin' table for whoever was in line.

If a familyl sits at a table, holding it while the Dad is in line, they're using a table for an extra 20 minutes or so. If only 1/2 of the tables in a restaurant are held up that long, it increases everyone else's wait exponentially. Trust me guys, when they enforce this policy, it really, really works.

Let me add that never once did I see a CM keep a person in a ECV, wheelchair or with another type of handicap fromsitting. The beauty was that because so many tables were freed up, there were plenty of free tables for them to sit at. Otherwise, they would have been standing like the rest of us.

 

[patsal]

Well, we go in the summer and occasionally a few other times of the year and we are...gasp...table holders. I can't see all of us standing in line to get food and I must share that I have never once spent 20 minutes in a CS line waiting for food. The longest I think may have been at Easter time when I spent about 7 minutes waiting for food--in seven minutes no one could have enjoyed their lunch before moving on. We do eat at "off times" either early or late.
I think this is one of those situations where Disney needs to step in with an all or nothing--either they police the tables and have a "host" move people along or they just leave it alone.
I have no propblem following rules, but just like stepping over those who stop in the middle, and those who really like flash photography, if everyone isn't playing by the same rules, everything becomes much more complicated than it needs to be!

 

[CTDis4]

I don't mind the table holding while others are ordering, but I really get miffed when I have been standing in line for about 15 min or so, had enought time to read the overhead menu 10 t 20 times - made up my mind and the family of 12 ahead of me approches the counter and either the Mom or Dad turns around and starts with the first child and asks "so what would you like?" or the place is packed and it has a key pad ordering system and each child has to order their own meal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Tricia1972]

When we go to a CS location we go before the busy times. When we walk in there are always many tables open.

My sons, mom, dad and I have already told my DH and sister what we want for lunch, they have it written in a little notebook and while they go order, we go sit down. I find a high chair, get our youngest DS set up in there. My mom or dad make the ketchup, napkin and straw run. Usually when they get back to the table, DH and my sister are arriving with the food.

I personally will not change the way we do this. Not only is it much more relaxing for us, we aren't affecting anyone when there are open tables all around us.

I giggled when I read that a pp will come and sit down with us. You're welcome to come and sit next to us in one of the two open seats at the table for 7. Just make sure to sit next to my youngest DS so you can cut up his food and I can have a hot lunch for once!

Also a PP mentioned being hypoglycemic. My mom, sister and I are all hypoglycemic. Where we're more comfortable sitting down to eat, if we're having an attack we'll eat wherever. We won't wait to sit down before popping a few french fries. Also, to the pp, you may want to consider carrying something sugary and something with high protein. It's dangerous to play with your blood sugar so you are dependent on waiting in line in order to get your much needed food. I do not mean to be critical, it just scared me to read your post and see that you were that close to passing out before getting food.

 

[OKW Lover]

I wish people would put themselves in the other guy's shoes. Sure, you've got your table, but what about the family with children and carrying their tray of food, but now has to stand and wait for a table?

 

[Stinky_Pete]

I wish people would put themselves in the other guy's shoes.

Oh come on now! You that's too much to ask. All that matters is MY family.

 

[TLSnell1981]

I must confess my disappointment with such a policy.

At the end of the day, what is a large party to do especially if their are kids in the group?? I see absolutely nothing wrong with a guest doing anywhere in the world what any of us would do in any mall food court on the planet. It has always been and should forever continue to be first come, first serve.

I can support the aguement if crowd levels were minimal and food lines were short as such and until I experience that at WDW, I will remain steadfast in my resolve until the mouse himself politely squeaks "sir, would you mind......"

I can't believe they would even institute such a policy. I would think they could utilize the staff better by having them clean off empty tables to accomodate guests. I have had to clean off my own table numerous times.

This is one of the reasons I prefer TS.

 

[LglBlonde]

This will be our first trip with a toddler (God help us!), but I guarantee - one of us will wait in line, while the other gets a highchair, locates a table, and starts entertaining DS with goldfish/cheerios while we wait for the food.

It's a little unrealistic to expect a family to wait OUTSIDE the restaurant while one parent gets food, then that parent will have to go outside the restaurant, find the family and then go sit down. JMO.

 

[sandym718]

It's a little unrealistic to expect a family to wait OUTSIDE the restaurant while one parent gets food, then that parent will have to go outside the restaurant, find the family and then go sit down. JMO.

I agree with this, and I also think it would be absolute chaos to have Everyone eating waiting in line - large parties, tons of kids, etc. Just a mess. When we went in April/May, only once did we encounter a crowded CS. this was our first day (lost track of time and went to eat right at noon) at Cosmic Ray's. What we did each day was have one of us (DH or I) go order food, while the other took the kids to the bathroom + to wash hands, then got napkins, etc, THEN found a table. This cut down on the "holding" table time but was still practical. The only time it mattered was at Cosmic Rays', every other place had open tables and the "orderer" arrived just a couple minutes or less than the adult with kids. That first day my DH and kids were probably holding the table about 5 minutes before I arrived back - with the kids food. Then I had to go order mine, then DH got his (different queues, that was nuts!!). So only about 5 minutes was nobody eating at the table. It was also our very first eating experience at Disney, so it took longer for me in line than I would have guessed.

I think part of a group sitting at a table while food is being ordered is perfectly reasonable, though if the line looks EXTREMELY long, maybe better to take those kids outside or to a gift shop for a few minutes to kill PART of the time before coming back and finding a table. That way it's not 15+ minutes of using a table someone else could be eating at.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I wish people would put themselves in the other guy's shoes. Sure, you've got your table, but what about the family with children and carrying their tray of food, but now has to stand and wait for a table?

Nothing is stopping that family or anyone else from saving a table, while others stand in line to order. So why should the people who save tables feel guilty for doing something that was a smart idea, when other people did not think of doing it.

 

[OKW Lover]

Nothing is stopping that family or anyone else from saving a table, while others stand in line to order. So why should the people who save tables feel guilty for doing something that was a smart idea, when other people did not think of doing it.

How about common courtesy? Its not all about me. Its about not inconveniencing others just to make it easier for me.

Think about it. If there are 100 tables in a place and it takes 15 minutes to eat, then the restaurant should be able to handle 400 tables in an hour. But if people now occupy a table for 30 minutes at a time because they are reserving a table, then you've cut the restaurant seating capacity in half.

Like it or not, reserving tables works against you.

 

[sandym718]

Nothing is stopping that family or anyone else from saving a table, while others stand in line to order. So why should the people who save tables feel guilty for doing something that was a smart idea, when other people did not think of doing it.

Even though (as I stated above) we do hold them for just a few minutes while ordering food, I have to say - it's not just that people didn't necessarily think of doing it. If it's a group/family of just 1 adult and children, there is no one to "save" or go get a table.

 

[Mom2Evie]

Think about it. If there are 100 tables in a place and it takes 15 minutes to eat, then the restaurant should be able to handle 400 tables in an hour. But if people now occupy a table for 30 minutes at a time because they are reserving a table, then you've cut the restaurant seating capacity in half.

Like it or not, reserving tables works against you.

That was my earlier point exactly! Now if only everyone would cooperate, we could all go back to complaining about ECV or something more important.

It is my understanding that this policy is only enforce during busier seasons. This past April (Easter), some places implemented and others did not. Dining went so much more smoothly in the places with CMs posted at the entrances to the tables than not. The previous Easter week, nowhere had this in place. It was a mad house!! Obviously some of you haven't experienced a 25 minute waitin line at Tusker House and another 10 minute wait for a table. Trust me, it happens.
I think you guys really need to give it a try before you make up your mind. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by the result... and you'll enjoy your meal a bit more too.

 

[Tricia1972]

For me this is something that we will continue to do while the kids are little. If people think it's wrong, that's fine for them. This works for us and it works well. As I previously stated, we don't have people waiting to sit when we are here, and we're never there just sitting and waiting more than 5 minutes.

We didn't do this Easter week last year when it was just DH and I. That said, we still didn't run into any restaurants that were full, not what the pp said about CM's directing people, they were just simply empty. We ate lunch early at 11:00 - 11:30 and there were not many people there at those times.

For those of you wishing we were in line with our squirming kids, running around and whining because they are bored, I kind of hope you get what you wish for. Essentially you're wishing for long and loud lines.

NOW for those holding tables for half an hour or more, waiting for your party to arrive in the restaurant - shame on you if it's crowded and there are families circling. To me that's a horse of another color. You are taking much more time and really the table could be turned in that time. The table could not turn in the 2-5 minutes I am on it.

 

[MidgeD79]

I couldn't get the 7 of us to eat in 15 minutes if I wanted to! lol We are table savers. We are also parade spot savers, chaise savers and just about any kind of saver their is. The best way to not need to be a saver is going during off-times. I work for a school, so we can only go in the summer. We are also a courteous family and usually hold 3 kids on 4 laps on the bus so more people can sit down, tell people about free ice/ater, give away fastpasses if we are not going to use them and offer a better view of parades to children who can't see. I feel we are a give and take family and we do our best. We're not perfect.