Saving Tables....A Complaint

[Andy B]

I think this argument is hilarious, but that being said- what do you do when you get fastpasses? The CMs want one person to take all the park tickets to the fastpass machines and then doll out the fastapsses accordingly so there isn't a big mass of people at the fastpass machines.

This situation is totally different, those not at the fast pass machines are not stopping others.

If this was the same situation the holders of tables would not want the fastpass waiters before them in a ride line even though they didn't have passes.

 

[lady_hlh]

I voted for going to get a table because you really don't want my hyper 5 year old in the big line next to you swinging from the ropes when she could be sitting at a table.

 

[mommyaof2]

I have no problem with saving a table. Why wouldn't you? We are a family of 4 with 2 kids and I would not stand in line with everyone just to order the food. If everyone stood in line with the rest of their party it would be a mad house! There would be way too many people in line then. I don't see what the op's problem is with it.

 

[pweyl36]

Clearly, I'm in the minority on this topic. But let me ask you this....what do you do as you look around and see folks with food struggling to find somewhere to sit down and there's table after table occupied by folks such as yourself...with no food. Do you feel sorry for them? Ignore them? Do you just not care? Or do you feel guilty because you know that you're sitting at a table that they could be using to eat their lunch? Seriously. I couldn't help but wonder what all of those people were thinking as they watched folks walk around with their trays of food in search of a vacant table. If it were me, I would give it up. I just couldn't sit there and ignore them. Clearly, their need is greater than my comfort.

What i would be thinking is "boy they should of gotten a table first."

 

[BillSears]

So there are 2 families looking for a table. One has their food and is ready to eat the other just got there and have sent Dad off to the line that will take 15-20 minutes to get the food. A table opens up and the family with Dad in line gets to it first. I guess it's OK because...

"You snooze you lose."

"Walt Disney World Cast Members don't care if guests save seats for other family members at counter service locations."

"Nothing wrong with saving seats...I think it's actually a smart idea!"

"Boy they should of gotten a table first."

etc...

 

[disneyfav4ever]

This situation is totally different, those not at the fast pass machines are not stopping others.

If this was the same situation the holders of tables would not want the fastpass waiters before them in a ride line even though they didn't have passes.

I disagree, in both cases it is just one person is waiting in line, using mutiple tickets. And your second sentance doesn't make sense, who says the table holders won't have FPs too? When I'm there with DM is September, I completely intend on one of us saving a table, while the other one of us waits in line, as well as taking full advantage of the fast pass system.

 

[Mkrop]

So there are 2 families looking for a table. One has their food and is ready to eat the other just got there and have sent Dad off to the line that will take 15-20 minutes to get the food. A table opens up and the family with Dad in line gets to it first. I guess it's OK because...

"You snooze you lose."

"Walt Disney World Cast Members don't care if guests save seats for other family members at counter service locations."

"Nothing wrong with saving seats...I think it's actually a smart idea!"

Boy they should of gotten a table first."
"etc...

Mainly this one!

I just do not see the logic doing it the other way if you have more than one person.

ETA: Plus if I took my kids in line and heaven forbid they misbehave (oh yeah that's another thread)haha

 

[lagunaseca]

So there are 2 families looking for a table. One has their food and is ready to eat the other just got there and have sent Dad off to the line that will take 15-20 minutes to get the food. A table opens up and the family with Dad in line gets to it first....

Your scenario has a bit of a grey area. If my kids and I went to look for a table while my dh was in line ordering our food and we saw an open table and another family with food heading for the same table I would let them have it. But if we find an empty table, sit down and a family comes out with their food and I only have room for our family at the table then I wouldn't get up and give up our table. I can see why a solo diner can't save a table but if even a couple is together in line at some point as you see you are progressing, one should go find a table. It is not practical to start looking for a table when you already have your tray in your hands.

 

[NMW]

I don't think there is anything wrong with saving tables. I'd much rather have kids waiting at the table with one parent than swinging from the bars, whining, changing their minds about their order 50 times. Not to mention strollers! People with strollers should sit while another member of the party orders the food.

At most places DH and oldest son go to get the food, while myself and two younger children get a table, straws, napkins, ketchup, etc. We started doing this when my kids were little, just to get them and the stroller settled. Even now with our youngest age 5 and strollerless, it's just easier.

At a place like Cosmic Rays we usually split up to order because we all want different things and the order lines are split up. We go off season though and have never had a problem getting a table after this.

If my two younger kids and I were walking up to a talbe and a family WITH their food was walking to it also, we'd let them have it of course, and look for another. However, if we were sitting and a family with food walked by us, I would not get up and give them our table. That just kind of defeats the point of saving the table. What if our food were to arrive 3 minutes later?? Would then then get back up for us? That's just silly to me.

 

[runswithscissors]

We have always saved a table while one or two people from our party orders the food. Why would we all stand in line to cause even more gridlock? In addition, I have never been perturbed by the sight of other individuals sitting at a table awaiting other members of their party.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Your scenario has a big of a grey area. If my kids and I went to look for a table while my dh was in line ordering our food and we saw an open table and another family with food heading for the same table I would let them have it. But if we find an empty table, sit down and a family comes out with their food and I only have room for our family at the table then I wouldn't get up and give up our table. I can see why a solo diner can't save a table but if even a couple is together in line at some point as you see you are progressing, one should go find a table. It is not practical to start looking for a table when you already have your tray in your hands.

I totally agree with you. I wouldn't rush to grab a table if I saw someone with food was already going for it at the same time. And obviously, solo, I can't save myself a table, but DM and I will be "table saving" this fall.

 

[mom23boys]

We always save tables, I see no problem with it. We have 3 boys and usually my elderly mom so they sit with my DH and I order the food. We do it everytime, everytrip.

 

[Paul in CT]

I also see no problem with part of a party saving a table while the other orders. If table after table was occupied by people without food and there was a half hour wait in line, the problem was with the CS restaurant not with those saving tables.

I do agree that someone occupying a table without ordering anything to eat in the establishment is not acceptable.

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

How can you tell if someone is table saving or just sitting there w/o ordering? I don't mind table saving during slow times, but when it's crowded, I do wonder if all those sitting without food are really table saving or just sitting.

I am all for CM's monitoring the area during busy times so those with food get priority for tables.

 

[C.Ann]

I don't understand why you think it's wrong? Why should a family make their kids stand in line unnecessarily, when they could be getting a table, perhaps grabbing the napkins and condiments, and thereby speeding up the whole process? Having the whole family stand in line just adds congestion to the ordering area, and then if there are no seats your food is getting cold while you're looking around.

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I agree.. The ordering areas are congested enough without the whole family standing in line; making last minute changes in regards to their orders; etc.. It would take forever and a day to get through those lines..

Unless it's a restaurant where you wait for a hostess to seat you, I have never gone out to eat where it isn't customary for one person to order while the remainder of the party finds a table; picks up condiments, straws, napkins, etc..

 

[C.Ann]

Personally I agree with the OP. The tables are meant for those eating not for those who will be eating in half an hour. The OP said the line for food was half an hour long..

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If I just hopped in line, how would I know that? Maybe Disney should install those wait-time things that they have near some of the rides in the counter service areas as well.. Otherwise I don't see how someone just walking in could know what the wait time is.. When we were there last year we went to one counter service place that "looked" like it could be a lengthy wait and was actually lightning fast as opposed to a shorter line we had been in the day before where the whole family was standing there trying to get their kids to stop changing their minds; stop dancing around; stop bumping into people; etc.. "Looks" can be deceiving..

 

[C.Ann]

So, I'm wondering...those of you who don't think a table should be saved....do you ever linger at the table for a few minutes after the last of the food is chewed and swallowed....you know finishing up the conversation you were having....maybe figuring out where you are going to go next? I think I have more objections to the people who have finished eating...piled up their trash on a tray to the side of the table and are sitting back talking...and talking....and talking. Even though I used them as examples, I'm not meaning just a "ok, what do we want to do next, pull out the map and let's see which way to go".....I'm talking about people who, like your table savers who haven't gotten their food by the time you leave.....there are people who finished before we sat down near them, and are still chatting when we leave....that's another table that could have been used by you wanderers to eat but was occupied long past the eating stage.

-----------------------------------------------

We always vacated as soon as possible (even taking our unfinished drinks with us) and when we reached the point where we had finished our food and only needed to clear off the table, we would look around and wave a "wanderer" over..

 

[dalt01]

I read a thread before my trip about saving seats at the counter service places. I had my first experience with this last week because we waited until 2:00 for lunch (against my advice). After waiting in line at the ABC Commissary for what seemed like over 1/2 hour (with 2 children), we finally got our food. During our search for an empty table we observed table after table occupied by folks without a crumb of food. Some by one person. Some by one parent and children. So when we finally saw some folks leaving a table we walked over only to find another couple standing there (WITHOUT food) waiting to grab it for themselves. My husband had a very unpleasant standoff with these folks who didn't speak English apparently. He let them have the table and we found another one across the room (cursing them the whole way). We watched these folks the entire time we were there. We settled in to eat, ate and cleaned up after ourselves and these folks were still waiting on their food (she sat at the table alone while he ordered). They weren't the only ones either. There were tons of people there that we passed with no food (when we were looking for a table) that were STILL waiting on their food after we had finished. Not one person offered to let us use their table until their food arrived. We would have been grateful had they done so and thanked them upon leaving once their food arrived. I don't mind taking my last few bites in the vertical position. I think CMs should patrol these areas during busy times and insist folks vacate a table if they don't have food so others WITH food can sit down to eat. Until that day comes, I'll continue to eat an early lunch...even if I'm not all that hungry yet.

that was probobly my thread. i actually asked someone to vacate a table they were saving while our stuff was getting cold. i couldnt agree with you more. however you might as well save your breath because nobody seems to understand that if there is no saving at all things will actually go smoother. that the table saving causes the gridlock. i guarantee it. i was for many years in the restaurant business in a place where you seat yourself instead of waiting to be seated and we policed this during peak hours to keep things moving. when it was not policed there were always people standing around with food getting cold. when it was policed that did not happen. it is a very selfish practice but you will never convince people of it.

 

[septbaby]

There is a "counter service" restaurant in New Orleans (I pray its still there) that won't allow you to sit until you have your food. a former manager sat while his wife was inline getting their food. One of the little counter girls (boss is 6'5" tall) came over and told him to get up, he obliged. In that case he understood rules were rules and that little gal wasn't gonna take any mess from him! If you knew the guy you would have loved to see that exchange.

There really isn't a problem saving a table if they are turning, but if guests are in line for 10-20 mins and the table is being held, another group could have used that table, devoured their food and be ready to leave in the time.

A middle ground is to tell someone, hey my family is in line, but you can use it quickly until they get here with the food. That takes courtesty, on both sides.

 

[jcpuppy.com]

I have to say we do it to. Once everyone decides what they want I will get in line while DH takes the kids and finds a table. Once they are settled he will join me in line to help carry out the food (as long as we can see the kids from where we are in line). I don't see any problem with it

This is us..kids get table with dh help, I wait in line, order food, hubby gets any napkin and stuff needed and then helps me ferry food to table9that kids are saving)
sorry, its a dog eat dog world in the fast food service place