Saving Tables....A Complaint

[legalsea]

I feel bad for people who can't find tables, but I have done my fair share of waiting while others finish eating. And in many cases when we are just about finished eating, we offer someone our table.

My sentiments and actions exactly.

I do love threads like this one, where we are asked to essentially buck human nature. Having one's spouse go and save a table in a busy restaurant, while the other spouse stands in line and orders food, goes back to the beginning of time.

I imagine that when Adam and Eve opened their first restaurant the first customer, Cain, came in and saved a table, explaining that he was waiting for his wife to appear.

 

[blondemom]

I never realized that this offends anyone. My husband always stands in line for food while I take the kids and find a spot to sit. Again, like most, I get the condiments, napkins, etc. I will gladly share the table with a solo diner if there is an extra chair. I will also give up my extra chairs if another family needs them. I figure that we are all there for the same goal - to have a meal. I agree that it if very effective planning for one member of the family to look for a place to eat while the other orders. I highly doubt that anyone would want to see me and my kids scouting out tables while trying to keep our tray from falling over onto the floor (or someone). For the record, when we were just a family of two, we would wait together on line. No one ever offered us their table while we were walking around looking for somewhere to sit. We passed plenty of families waiting for there meals. We didn't expect them too. We figured that was a lesson to be learned. One buys, and one looks for a seat. If this offends people, I am sorry. However, from the poll results, if it isn't my family saving a table, it is someone else on the DIS boards!

Just as an aside, last visit, we would leave the parks altogether and have a nice, quiet lunch at one of the resorts. There are plenty of inexpensive options. There are far less people waiting to eat. It is a nice chance to relax and maybe check out a resort different from our own.

 

[RACHELSMOM1]

So how do you guys feel about double booking reservations under 2 different phone numbers? To me this is the same sort of thing. I guess those double booking reservations 180 days out are just better planners.

Not the same thing-subject for another thread.

 

[Inkmahm]

They are clearly not the same thing:

1) Disney has a policy against double ADRs and will cancel them if they catch you.

People book double ADRs? Really? The thought never even crossed my mind. I can only be in one place at a time so I book one ADR for where I want to eat and that's the end of it. Not sure why I'd ever need two ADRs for the same time.

 

[Pixeldust Fairy]

I have. I have returned food because after fifteen or twenty minutes of trying to find a table, only to have others who move faster than me (without food) swoop in to save a table for their party that just got in line, I have brought my tray back to the cashier and explained why I want my money back – by then, my previously-hot food is no longer edible.

OMG, I find this totaly ridiculous. For the love of God, if I couldn't find a table to sit at, I would just look at maybe a ledge under a tree or some other spot. C'mon, there are bigger battles to fight that that. I have 4 kids and sometimes I eat my lunch standing at the kitchen counter because I just cant stop what Im doing. It is not an absolute necessity to sit at a table to eat your meal. Yea, its a comfort, but heck, if Im hungry, I will eat it on the run if I have to.

 

[webshark3]

People book double ADRs? Really? The thought never even crossed my mind. I can only be in one place at a time so I book one ADR for where I want to eat and that's the end of it. Not sure why I'd ever need two ADRs for the same time.

Example:

1) Not sure what park I'll be in so I'll book a ADR at 2 different parks.

2) I have outdoor seating at Rose and Crown to watch Illuminations. But hurricane "Ruin my Day" is coming through that night, so I simply go to my backup at Ohana.

Just examples. I'm going during free dining and was lucky to book just 1 meal each day. lol

 

[C.Ann]

I took a trip to Disney where I was solo for part of the time (thus had no one to "save" a seat for me).. After I ordered my food I found a table where another group of people had just finished up.. As I sat down and started to eat I noticed an older couple wandering around with their food looking for seats.. I waved them over to eat at my table - even though they could have been serial killers for all I know.. Personally, I didn't feel comfortable taking up a table with 4 chairs when there was only "one" of me.. Later during that same trip my sister joined me.. We were in Epcot - World Showcase - and both stood in line to order from that place where you get the fish and chips.. Once we had our food we found there were no seats available.. No big deal - we walked a little ways away from the CS, found a bench or ledge to sit on (can't remember which) and thoroughly enjoyed our food.. No big deal..

When traveling with a group, we do save seats - in order to save time and avoid congestion in or near the line.. We don't dilly dally around when we're finished.. We leave with our drinks in hand and wave over the first group of people we see walking around with food in hand..

We've never been in a CS line that took 30 minutes or more that I can remember.. If the wait for food was that long we would find another CS to eat at.. The longest waits we have had were for ADR's or TS restaurants that do not offer ADR's..

As with anything else in life, you have to expect the unexpected and deal with it the best you can..

 

[webshark3]

Come to think about it, if everyone found a table first instead of taking their families into the lines, we could proably reduce the 30 minute wait at the counter to 5-10 minutes.

 

[aubriee]

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

If you travel solo you can't.

At times solos seem to be treated like step children. At Tusker House one time I got my food, wandered around for several minutes until I spotted a group getting up. The table was for six people, but was the only table available. I had just sat down and started spreading my stuff out, when a lady approached and basically demanded I give her the table, as she had a family of six coming and since I was solo I should find another table. I looked around at all the full tables and told her they were welcome to join me, but I wasn't moving. No way was I going outside as hot as it was. She got huffy and stomped off and the elderly couple behind her (also looking for a table) said that if I didn't mind, they'd take me up on that offer. I got to meet a very nice couple from Simsbury, CT.

Anyway my point is, if the only table available is one for larger groups, would you consider it rude for a solo to sit there?

 

[TINKB72]

I don't see what the big deal is here of folks holding a table while the other folks in their party get the food???!!!! DBF and I do the same thing, as do the majority of people I've encountered in my life, not just at Disney but at any other "counter service" place I've been to. It seems to me that alot of people on this board like to complain about the most trivial things. In the area I work in, there aren't alot of choices for a quick lunch, other than a small Subway and a Wendy's. There have been plenty of times when I've gone into Wendy's or Subway on my 30 minute lunch hour from work and seen several people "holding" tables while the other people or person in the party gets the food. This is perfectly normal, in my opinion. I would never go up to one of those parties and "complain" about them sitting at a table with no food! I just think that people should be happy and thankful for what they have in life and not complain so much about silly things. Be happy you're in Disney, just enjoy it and go with the flow!

 

[madalex]

At times solos seem to be treated like step children.

Anyway my point is, if the only table available is one for larger groups, would you consider it rude for a solo to sit there?

I never felt treated like a "step-child" during my solo trip in April. In fact, I had lunch at Flame Tree one day. I looked for a table for two, but could not find one and ended at sitting at a table for four. The restaurant was rather crowded, with very few open tables around me. If someone had told me to move because they had a larger party, I would have politiely declined.

 

[thunderbird1]

If you travel solo you can't.

At times solos seem to be treated like step children. At Tusker House one time I got my food, wandered around for several minutes until I spotted a group getting up. The table was for six people, but was the only table available. I had just sat down and started spreading my stuff out, when a lady approached and basically demanded I give her the table, as she had a family of six coming and since I was solo I should find another table. I looked around at all the full tables and told her they were welcome to join me, but I wasn't moving. She got huffy and stomped off and the elderly couple behind her (also looking for a table) said that if I didn't mind, they'd take me up on that offer. I got to meet a very nice couple from Simsbury, CT.

Anyway my point is, if the only table available is one for larger groups, would you consider it rude for a solo to sit there?

Not rude at all. Solos or couples have just as much right to a table as larger groups. Just because you're alone, you should have to sit on a ledge in the heat while my group enjoys a table in air-conditioned comfort? Puh-lease.

Like you, I have offered to let others sit with me or borrow any extra chairs. I've also asked if I could use the unused other half of a larger table, and have never been turned down. I think most people are reasonable and understand that tables are hard to come by when the restaurants are crowded. I can't imagine asking someone to leave a table just because they have less people than I do.

 

[Simba's Mom]

If you travel solo you can't.

At times solos seem to be treated like step children. At Tusker House one time I got my food, wandered around for several minutes until I spotted a group getting up. The table was for six people, but was the only table available. I had just sat down and started spreading my stuff out, when a lady approached and basically demanded I give her the table, as she had a family of six coming and since I was solo I should find another table. I looked around at all the full tables and told her they were welcome to join me, but I wasn't moving. She got huffy and stomped off and the elderly couple behind her (also looking for a table) said that if I didn't mind, they'd take me up on that offer. I got to meet a very nice couple from Simsbury, CT.

Anyway my point is, if the only table available is one for larger groups, would you consider it rude for a solo to sit there?

Well, as a frequent solo traveler, I'll chime in (although my opinion is sort of biased). If it's the only table available, I don't see any problem. However, as a solo, I've often welcomed other families to share the large table with me, sometimes I've even waved strangers over. Once I had a large 6 person table at Pinochio's Village Haus, overlooking IASW, by myself. I saw a family of 4 looking for seats and I waved them over, telling them I was alone (often they think you're saving seats for the rest of your family in line). It was a really fun lunch for all of us. They'd never met a solo traveler at WDW before (at least no one they knew was solo). So just be willing to share your table, but not give it up!

 

[beth_cam]

So how do you guys feel about double booking reservations under 2 different phone numbers? To me this is the same sort of thing. I guess those double booking reservations 180 days out are just better planners.

Example:

1) Not sure what park I'll be in so I'll book a ADR at 2 different parks.

2) I have outdoor seating at Rose and Crown to watch Illuminations. But hurricane "Ruin my Day" is coming through that night, so I simply go to my backup at Ohana.

Just examples. I'm going during free dining and was lucky to book just 1 meal each day. lol

However to make a reasonable comparison between this kind of double adr booking and table saving you would have to compare it to saving two tables for a one table party, not giving up either one (atleast until the food is there at the one table) because you dont know for sure yet if you want to look out the window while you eat, or want to sit at a booth or regular table, want to eat inside or outside.

 

[lagunaseca]

But until you are in the actual process of ordering / paying for / receiving (depending on the setup of the particular venue) food, you are a potential patron. On the other hand, the Guests who have their food are actual patrons who can't find a place to sit and eat because of all the people who are holding tables for twenty minutes before their food is even ordered.

This is just a guess, but... because you’re all in a food service location, the purpose of which is to sell/obtain food and which provides seating for customers with food in already hand at/in which to consume that food?

Wow. "Actual patrons" and "potential patrons"? If you're at the counter and have to wait to give the CM your order what are you...a "patron in limbo"?
If my family is walking in Animal Kingdom and we stop and say, "do you want to eat here?" THEN I would consider us potential patrons. When we walk in and dh gets in line and the kids and I use the restroom and then look for a table I consider us to be patrons. Because once dh gets in line he isn't coming back without food.

And at no counter service restaurant or fast food place have I ever seen that the tables are only for people who already have their food. I don't think someone who isn't buying food should use a table of course, but that isn't what this thread is really about.

 

[webshark3]

Good point Beth. I never thought about the optional window view for a CS meal.
Multiple tables, here we come. LOL

 

[BillSears]

However to make a reasonable comparison between this kind of double adr booking and table saving you would have to compare it to saving two tables for a one table party, not giving up either one (atleast until the food is there at the one table) because you dont know for sure yet if you want to look out the window while you eat, or want to sit at a booth or regular table, want to eat inside or outside.

Or instead of saving two tables you could save one table for twice as long as you need it to eat.

 

[MrsJackSparrow]

I can't believe this thread is still going.

Put it to bed and quit bickering.

All of the people will not be happy all of the time even in the happiest place on earth.

 

[Jenny Sanders]

I agree. That's exactly how we do it with my family. It's a lot more organized that way...

 

[pta-mom]

I do not do well with people saving seats. As an example, we are fairly regular church attendees. What gets me are the people that show up once a year at Christmas, and attempt to save a whole row of seats for their family. This year I said "Thank you very much, we're here now ". And we sat down !!

Eeee...you're kidding right? Maybe this is why there are less people attending church these days!!

As for the original question, I really see no problem with people holding tables...my kids usually get the table while I get the food & if it really is busy, it will typically take them about the same amount of time to find a table as it does me to bring the food. But, I can see why it might be annoying to those who wait. I guess we might need to re-think this practise in the busier times.