My horrible Biergarten table mates experience

[bicker]

The main fact here is that management of the restaurant should have moved the OP and her family immediately

It's strange, then, that the OP didn't make this the highlight of the original message, or the focus of their complaint, but rather seemed to accept it at face-value. Since the OP was actually there, I prefer to defer to her perspective in this case with regard to whether or not the restaurant really was full or not.

 

[Nancyg56]

I guess I am just plain downright mean.

This situation would have made my DM very uncomfortable....therefore a time and place would have been made to meet her and she would have left. Then my brother and I would have proceeded to make this young man's life a living pain in the butt....nothing obvious....but we sure as heck would not have let his behavior ruin our dinner! And gone out of our way to ruin his. Not Disney behavior I know...but sometimes Karma just comes at you!

I am with you, Mezers. I would not have left, and my DH would have stayed with me. First, DH is 6'5", and HUGE...50" shoulder span, etc.He is normally a pussycat,but cannot stand abuse. He probably would have glared the look of death at that surly young man. Very intimidating. My experience is that bullies only bully those who are afraid of them. I would have spoken with mgmt, and insisted that they address the situation. It is their responsibility to keep harrassment of guests from happening, and this behavior was harrassment. This was beyond a table mate who is not social.

OP, I am so sorry that you witnessed this behavior. I feel so badly that this mans family did not intercede for this poor woman, and her baby. Whole thing is very sad.

 

[robinb]

The main fact here is that management of the restaurant should have moved the OP and her family immediately, I don't care how full or overbooked the restaurant was. The situation made them very uncomfortable, and it's too bad that they were busy - make this family happy and move them to another table ASAP.

ITA. They should have moved the OP's family right away, even though they were full.

As far as DH remaining to finish his meal while his wife and child left the restaurant just boggles my mind. Your family is so upset that they feel they have no recourse but to leave, and you stay to finish chowing down? YIKES - that seems very sad to me.

You know, I'm not so upset by this as much as other people seem to be. I assumed that the OP's DH didn't want to be bullied into leaving, so he remained at the restaurant and ate his meal just to spite the ugly family. As long as it didn't bother the OP, then I don't see where it should bother us. Now, if I were so upset I wanted to leave then my DH would leave with me. OTOH, if my DH were in the same situation and I wasn't too honked off I would stay to make the other family mad. I can be passive agressive sometimes, LOL!

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

This situation is unbelievable. But I agree with the majority. There is NO WAY I would have left. I would have made such a fuss with that manager. That is total crap that the OP and family were not moved. Another example Of Disney's "wonderful" customer service.

 

[jann1033]

i agree also that it is outrageous for the op not to be moved...however if it were me and the place was really full i would have asked to be given the next available seat rather than ruin my family dinner since the idiot was not going to make the present arrangment agreeable...guess just be glad you don't have to live with him.

 

[NMAmy]

I really wish that Disney would make more of an effort to let people know that they'll be sharing a table at the Biergarten. I enjoy it, usually--I used to live in Germany so it's not big deal to me. You can have a lot of fun or it can be extremely uncomfortable--particularly when people don't realize they'll be sharing a table. We've had some great tablemates at the Biergarten but on our last trip, we got seated with a lady who was a real pill.

When she arrived at the table, she immediately turned around and told the server--we're not sitting there, people are already at this table. The server explained that guests share tables. She gave this huge sigh and as her husband came up, said loudly and sarcastically, "Well, honey, let me introduce you to the people we're dining with today." She and her family were rude to the server the whole time--a really lovely girl who I had chatted with quite a bit--her hometown was near where I used to live. A little girl was seated next to me and when she was looking at my plate, I explained what the food was and which ones my dd enjoyed. The lady whispered loudly to her daughter, "We DO NOT talk to strangers." We were all glad to get away from those people.

I'm so sorry that the OP had to observe such obnoxious behavior from her tablemate. I do feel so sorry for his wife. I also agree that an alternate table should have been found when they let the restaurant staff know that their tablemate was abusive.

 

[ReadingBelle]

Wow! I'm glad I have never encountered an abusive tablemate while at the Biergarten. The only strange experience I've had there was being sat next to 2 cast members who were debating whether they should sneak out without paying! Not exactly prime CM behavior!

 

[Ladyhawke10]

I really wish that Disney would make more of an effort to let people know that they'll be sharing a table at the Biergarten. I enjoy it, usually--I used to live in Germany so it's not big deal to me. You can have a lot of fun or it can be extremely uncomfortable--particularly when people don't realize they'll be sharing a table. We've had some great tablemates at the Biergarten but on our last trip, we got seated with a lady who was a real pill.

When she arrived at the table, she immediately turned around and told the server--we're not sitting there, people are already at this table. The server explained that guests share tables. She gave this huge sigh and as her husband came up, said loudly and sarcastically, "Well, honey, let me introduce you to the people we're dining with today." She and her family were rude to the server the whole time--a really lovely girl who I had chatted with quite a bit--her hometown was near where I used to live. A little girl was seated next to me and when she was looking at my plate, I explained what the food was and which ones my dd enjoyed. The lady whispered loudly to her daughter, "We DO NOT talk to strangers." We were all glad to get away from those people.

I'm so sorry that the OP had to observe such obnoxious behavior from her tablemate. I do feel so sorry for his wife. I also agree that an alternate table should have been found when they let the restaurant staff know that their tablemate was abusive.

This sounds awful, too! So sorry you weren't with nicer people!!

 

[aubriee]

How many people can they actually seat at a table there? I've wanted to eat there for years, but have always been apprehensive about the seating. I would love to take my mom there this summer. We are nice people and would make great table mates, but I'm afraid we'd get seated with folks like you did, or some other duds.

I believe the table holds eight people. I dined solo there in May and was very uncomfortable. I was seated at the same time with a group of four men. Then a few minutes later a group of three men were seated at our table. We were all uncomfortable. Everytime one of them started a joke he would get elbowed by a tablemate and they'd apologize to me. I ate quickly and got the heck out of there, swearing I wouldn't ever go back. I was the only female, by the way.

In Sept my ex (long story why he round up on the trip with my son and D-I-L) wanted to try the Biergarten. We had an ADR at Planet Hollwood that night, that my son and D-I-L decided to keep. My ex and I got a last minute ADR at the Biergarten. We were seated first and then a couple from Rhode Island were seated at the opposite end. The man was fine, but his wife was really unhappy and asked for a table for two. Just a few moments later two more couples were seated between us. After a few minutes the lady from Rhode Island settled down and we all had a good time.

 

[jann1033]

i thought they told us when we made our adr and again at check in we had to share a table with others...just wondering what those who did not realize that "thought " it meant..maybe we just looked crabby so they were warning us ! normally it would not be my favoirte thing to do but i didn't find it really uncomfortable..wonder if this happens in the Japan rest. alsoas those type of places in our area usually have you sit with others unless they are not busy

 

[crisi]

I think there are a lot of people who get told, and don't hear, don't listen, or plan on dealing with it when they get there by throwing a fit. "There must be tables for two or four, we will just demand one."

This guy's behavior sounds like it wouldn't have been pleasant to dine NEAR him. The people sitting around him got exposed to his show - and that's why I think he should have gotten tossed on his backend. I know that means he might take it out physically on his family later, but just because they coddle his tantrums doesn't mean society should -- guy's like this, if they do escalate to physical violence, don't really need an excuse. I don't have a great tolerance for misbehaving children (once they are old enough to know better) in restaurants - I have zero tolerance for misbehaving adults. I'm sitting down for a meal so that I can relax and enjoy myself.