Jellyrolls - what would you have done? (long)

[luvpooh]

So we went to Jellyrolls last night. It was very crowded, but we got there before 8 so had our pick of tables. It was just the 2 of us, and we were seated at a 4 top.

As the night progressed, and the club got crowded (I've only seen it that crowded once before), 2 ladies came up to our table and just took our 2 chairs that were empty and plopped themselves down! (Knocking my foot off that I had up on the chair BTW.) My bf and I looked at each other like, what just happened? They didn't ask if the seats were taken, if we would mind them sitting there, nothing! I am the most non-confrontational person, and am taking a no-stress approach on this trip, so I just made a comment to my bf, and we continued on with our night.

It wasn't going to ruin our night but I was shocked that people would do that. Would they do that at a restaurant too if there were no tables available but open seats at already occupied tables?

They left after awhile, and I went to take the chair back and put it where it had originally been, and all of a sudden, I feel the chair being grabbed out of my hand. A guy grabbed it and told his wife to sit there, and then her friend sat in the other open seat. Now even though I am non-confrontational, I did say something to these ladies to the effect of there were other people sitting there (even though those people weren't with us, they were sitting there). They were like, oh no, they just paid their check and left (which they hadn't), they had just gone up to the upper level where they had left the rest of their party had found open seats. Whatever. Again, not sure what these people thought this was. Has anyone ever heard of asking?

I guess they decided they didn't want to sit there, so they then moved to where the husband was sitting behind me, and the husband then went to a table next to us, where a poor girl was guarding 3 chairs that she was saving for her friends that were meeting her there. He continually asked her if he could sit there, and then finally sat down. He sat there for awhile, and the wife and husband continued to shoot me looks...WTH? I didn't ask them to leave, and I didn't say a word to them after saying that I thought someone was sitting there. The guy eventually got up from the seat, but I think it was just to go talk to the wife, and the girl (and one of her friends that finally showed up) quickly took the chair back and loaded their bags on it. The guy went back and said something to her, and she just shook her head so he must have asked if he could sit back down again.

Finally, someone very politely asked if they could take our chairs over towards the railing and I very quickly said yes, as to avoid more people just coming over and plopping down next to me like they were my long lost Aunt Mildred or something. This lady asked, and if she had wanted to sit at the table as well, she would have been more than welcome to, but she wanted to take the chairs to where others in her party were, so that was just fine with me!

So my question is, is this weird? Are we wrong for thinking that people shouldn't just set themselves down at a table where there are people already sitting? What would you have done?

 

[MidgeD79]

Sounds like the same type of people at parades. I wouldn't have done anything except maybe shoot daggers with memy eyes.

 

[anewvance]

I wouldn't allow it! I would straight out tell them they were being saved for someone.... yea someone who politely asks for them. Then again, i'm uncomfortable sitting with people I don't know anyway.

Just today we were at our city Oktoberfest. There are long benches that go around the main stage. There were a number of us and we got a nice bench for us that was facing the band. And it wasn't even that crowded, but people I guess wanted good seats... so everytime a member of our group would get up, seriously... someone would just plop themselves down. Which I figured was weird to begin with but also, the benches went parallel to the stage so if someone sat in front of me, all i'm looking at is the back of a persons head. So I would tell them that the owner of the seat would be back with a plate full of food in a minute and would love to have their seat back. Strange how many dirty looks I got... oh well, some people are just oblivious I suppose.

 

[Liberty Belle]

That happened to us at the Mexian counter service in Epcot. It was nearing time for Illuminations. We had one space empty at our table and this older Asian woman just plops down. She didn't even look at us. It was bizarre. We thought maybe it was a cultural thing.

 

[Karnak]

I think you just happened to run into a few rude people that evening; I'm glad it didn't ruin your evening. The one time I went to Jellyrolls, the piano players, one of them actually, was very rude and unfair to us and others in the audience. Unbelievable, and I won't be back to that particular joint again. (By the way, I can't believe that people actually give these guys tips to play songs; they sure aren't that good at the keyboard.) But that's another story, which I related in detail on another thread.

Enjoy.

 

[JulyGirl]

I wouldn't have a problem if people asked me for the seats, but just sitting down at a table occupied by others is pretty rude in my book.

 

[Tracy Savage]

I am starting to get nervous. There seems to be an awful lot of rude people at WDW lately. I too, usually blow stuff off but I do have a limit. I'll have to work on my nasty come backs for all the mean people I encounter....

 

[maelstrom]

I would've huffed and puffed so hard they'd be blown back to wherever they had come from. The nerve of some people.

 

[DisMN]

What would I have done? Well first of all, like one of the previous posters I detest Jellyrolls so I wouldn't have been there.

But if I had been there I would have looked at the facts. The place was crowded and you had two open chairs. You were using one chair for a footrest while dozens of people were forced to stand after a long day in the parks. I would have welcomed two people with sore tired feet.......sometimes in a crowded club type you should count on having to "share" a table with strangers. It's not like you had to pay for their drinks or even visit with them if you didn't want to. I liken the club table/chair situation to the communal tables at Teppanyaki where you have to share your dining space with people you don't know.

 

[orljustin]

It's a bar. Restaurant rules don't really apply. Personally, I would have asked if the seat were taken, but you really don't get to keep empty chairs in that atmosphere.

 

[cdrom610]

i agree with what everyone is saying about how rude this was, and how they should have asked before just taking the seats

however, to anewvance: you said you were at your town's oktoberfest and this happened to you also. in the german culture, it is very common to share tables with strangers in restaurants and bars. this is why at the biergarten restaurant in epcot they sometimes seat your party at a shared table. now don't get me wrong-- even though this is the norm in germany, i still do think it is/was incredibly rude of someone to just plant themselves in a seat that someone else had just left, without asking if the seat was free... but, what are ya gonna do?

 

[Piglet4Ever]

I would not mind if someone politely asked for my empty chairs, but if they plopped down at my table without so much as a how-do-you-do, uh uh.... I can't believe people actually do that. I can understand being frustrated when you can't find a seat, but maybe you should get there earlier than. Oh well...

 

[Feralpeg]

If there were no other empty seats, I can see why they wanted them. It would have been nice for them to ask first, but I can't see leaving empty seats at a table when there are people standing in the club. I don't think you can equate Jellyrolls to a sit down restaurant.

It is never okay for someone to be rude, but I see this all the time at fast food places at WDW. When it is busy, the rush for tables and chairs makes for sad behavior.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I am starting to get nervous. There seems to be an awful lot of rude people at WDW lately. I

I wouldn't worry. There may seem to be a lot of rude people there, but there are tens of thousands of OTHER Guests who are normal

I would've huffed and puffed so hard they'd be blown back to wherever they had come from. The nerve of some people.

Hmmm... what about practicing serial coughing, then displaying this new 'talent' at the table? Just until the interlopers leave, of course - then miraculously recover.


What ever happened to, "Excuse me, are these seats being used?" or "Could we please sit here? There aren't any other chairs right now".

 

[Lynne M]

I am starting to get nervous. There seems to be an awful lot of rude people at WDW lately. I too, usually blow stuff off but I do have a limit. I'll have to work on my nasty come backs for all the mean people I encounter....

Don't worry about it at all. People only talk about the rude ones, nobody posts that "I ran into a bunch of perfectly nice normal people at WDW" today. Sure, you'll run into some people without manners, but they're very much in the minority.

 

[Whosemom]

Just consider it training for a trip to Europe - like chris said, that's pretty typical in some other cultures, even if these were rude americans being measured by American standards.