Two-top tables in restaurants have got to go!

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I’m short and don’t like to sit with my legs dangling, and they’re usually just not as comfortable for me as regular height tables.

Same and the bar they put for the feet is often in the wrong spot. It's rarer that I get one that works well for me.

 

[BorderTenny]

Oh I'm obese (6-3, 265). But that's neither here nor there. DW doesn't like sitting at regular tables with chairs. Has to have a booth and has to sit facing the door so she can see out. Of course, places like Texas Roadhouse only have booths, so it's not a problem. But places like Saltgrass have both, so we have to ask for a booth once we arrive.

That's not true. DH and I were just at Texas Roadhouse last week for his birthday and were sat at a regular table.

 

[RedAngie]

I’ve been seated at spacious 2-tops, and also a few that seemed hardly larger than a pizza box. Maybe once or twice we requested more space than those tiny 2-tops and were accommodated.

Someone mentioned restaurants placing an extra chair at a 4 top to seat a party of 5. Many years ago I was in such a party and the place put an extra chair at the open end of a booth, right in the aisle. We grudgingly accepted it but within minutes the person sitting there was bumped two or three times by servers or other customers walking past.

We asked for a larger table but were refused, so we walked out. (Nothing was ordered yet, the server just brought water.)

 

[tvguy]

I think I explained myself pretty clear on my first comment so I'm going to leave that here

Clearly in recent history I HAVE frequented many places, but you don't seem to see that no matter how many times I repeat it.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Clearly in recent history I HAVE frequented many places, but you don't seem to see that no matter how many times I repeat it.

I'm not nor was I ever talking about your travels, it quite literally didn't matter to the comment I made. I've had to repeat myself because you continue to talk about the cruise that I never was even talking about.

At this moment you're very stuck on a recent trip, I've tried repeatedly to tell you I'm not talking about that. My comment was about over time, the fact that you said other than you can't recall, so thusly if at home (the "unless you don't frequent restaurants much at all other than a few." part of my initial comment that's what I was referring to) you only go to 12 places time after time after time it's going to mean you don't have the opportunity to see what places in your own backyard are like but if you did branch out chances are you would run into more places that have it in this case tables that only seat 2 (hence you might be able to relate to the OP more maybe who know but still). The comment was really as simple as that.

You answered finally, like I had a hunch, that it was because when you do go out you only go the same few places. Well indeed yes you wouldn't run into a situation if you only go back to the same several places.

Let's move on though and agree to disagree

 

[focusondisney]

Someone mentioned restaurants placing an extra chair at a 4 top to seat a party of 5. Many years ago I was in such a party and the place put an extra chair at the open end of a booth, right in the aisle. We grudgingly accepted it but within minutes the person sitting there was bumped two or three times by servers or other customers walking past.

We asked for a larger table but were refused, so we walked out. (Nothing was ordered yet, the server just brought water.)

Good for you! Maybe restaurants could get away with that years ago. I don’t think the majority of restaurants are doing so well they can afford to have people walking out anymore. With everyday prices going up, people may be eating out a lot less in coming months. Restaurant managers might want to make sure their customers are comfortable if they want them to spend more & come back.

 

[longboard55]

I often eat at the bar when I'm solo. Most bars I've found though, when all the seats are filled, have very little space.

We got out a lot and often eat late. I can not tell you how many times the bar is full and the rest of the restaurant is empty. The message is if you own a restaurant, put in a bigger bar. Yardhouse is a place that gets it.

 

[WDW_fan_in_TX]

That's not true. DH and I were just at Texas Roadhouse last week for his birthday and were sat at a regular table.

Gotcha. I guess it's just the ones around DFW. I've honestly never seen one with anything but a booth. But good to know.

 

[tvguy]

We got out a lot and often eat late. I can not tell you how many times the bar is full and the rest of the restaurant is empty. The message is if you own a restaurant, put in a bigger bar. Yardhouse is a place that gets it.

Interesting. Keep reading stories about how liquor companies and wineries are hurting because fewer people are drinking alcohol.

 

[Turn the Page]

One of our dear DISer friends was like the PP and their church (well how they assume they would be), I mean one time (when they lived here) they invited us all over to their apartment for pizza and because we knew their stance on alcohol we asked if they minded if we brought over beer for us, they said "well I trust you and I know you won't get drunk but just 1 beer and you'll have to take it with you because I don't want my friends to come see beer containers in my trash and think I'm drinking".......both my husband and I were like uhhhh it's okay really it's not that important to drink (it really isn't) .

Fast forward a few years once they moved down to Orlando and a bit into the pandemic had their first "adult beverage" and has never made any sort of comment since then. I'm not even sure they remember that interaction but it stuck with us and now they imbibe every now and then on adult drinks without judgement regarding others. They were/are very religious and brought up that way so I could see where the PP is coming from but if I felt that way about my church, that they would judge me like that with no cause pretty sure I would find a different church.

Years ago I worked at a jewelry store. We had women come in all the time looking for something they saw a woman wearing in church. Is that what you're supposed to be focusing on in church? Some of the most judgemental people i have ever met were super religious people. I just don't get it.

Back to the topic at hand, restaurants have policies and practices for a reason. If you need a bigger table then ask for one but don't lie about it.

On a similar note during the pandemic a local restaurant stopped doing take out. I think they were having a hard time getting the containers. A friend of mine asked if it would be rude of her to go in, order food, then when it got to the table to immediately ask for a box. Um....yes, it would. It's a pandemic. They aren't not doing take out for funsies. There's a reason for it.

 

[fla4fun]

I don’t think two tops should be abandoned completely, but sometimes they could be sized better. Using pizza as an example, if you can’t have two place settings, drinks and the pizza all on the table with space to move things around, then the table is too small. We have run into the same issue with four tops occasionally, that they expect each person to occupy about twelve inches of table space, and that is simply not enough room for people to dine comfortably.

If I am not comfortable while dining in a restaurant I am not going to return. Restaurants should consider what they are serving and the demographic likely to patronize their establishment when ordering the tables and chairs (or designing the booth sizes).

 

[mjkacmom]

Good for you! Maybe restaurants could get away with that years ago. I don’t think the majority of restaurants are doing so well they can afford to have people walking out anymore. With everyday prices going up, people may be eating out a lot less in coming months. Restaurant managers might want to make sure their customers are comfortable if they want them to spend more & come back.

We are a family of 7, always seated at a 8 top.

 

[focusondisney]

We are a family of 7, always seated at a 8 top.

As you should be.

 

[kdonnel]

As you should be.

But at my local Outback, they would be seated at a table for 4 with 3 added chairs.

 

[lovesmurfs]

I don't care about the size of the table as long as I don't get one of the high tops. I HATE those chairs. I don't even like the mid-high ones we have at our kitchen island.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

Wow, I had to google what a 2 top table was. I was picturing a table with 2 levels.

 

[Diznygrl]

I didn't know what a two-top table was either, but I got the gist after a couple of posts. The name still doesn't make sense to me though. I always just called it a two person table.

 

[dizneegirl]

Two-top, four-top, etc. - they're restaurant terms.

 

[mjkacmom]

Two-top, four-top, etc. - they're restaurant terms.

Yes, I used to waitress decades ago, but very common restaurant terminology.

 

[sam_gordon]

I didn't know what a two-top table was either, but I got the gist after a couple of posts. The name still doesn't make sense to me though. I always just called it a two person table.

two syllables vs five. We love to shorten things.