What would you do in this situation....

[Ali]

You know, from an opposite viewpoint, I think Americans are in the minority opinion of this whole "I must eat alone at my table" concept. In other parts of the world people understand that empty seats are available and just fill in and act as a community. At Disney I often share tables with others and have no problems with people asking me if I am going to be leaving soon. If we have room we let them sit with us as we finish. I know how tiring it is to walk all over the world and the benches and chairs are so wonderful to see. I would never be so rude as to sit unless I asked but I also would offer an empty seat to someone who was actively looking for a table.

If you eat at the Yakitori house restaurant at Epcot they have communal tables now in the center of the room and it is amazing how many families of 3 people think they can have the whole large table and spread out all of their stuff.

 

[brunette8706]

You know, from an opposite viewpoint, I think Americans are in the minority opinion of this whole "I must eat alone at my table" concept. In other parts of the world people understand that empty seats are available and just fill in and act as a community. At Disney I often share tables with others and have no problems with people asking me if I am going to be leaving soon. If we have room we let them sit with us as we finish. I know how tiring it is to walk all over the world and the benches and chairs are so wonderful to see. I would never be so rude as to sit unless I asked but I also would offer an empty seat to someone who was actively looking for a table.

If you eat at the Yakitori house restaurant at Epcot they have communal tables now in the center of the room and it is amazing how many families of 3 people think they can have the whole large table and spread out all of their stuff.

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Hi! Well she wasn't from another country. If she did ask me, like I said earlier, I wouldn't have a problem with her sitting at my table. But she just sat there without asking me if she could. She didn't know if I had other members coming over. It's always polite to ask first, in my opinion.

 

[joan4mickey]

I was so glad when I came to Ali's post. I kept thinking some people have physical handicaps, that one doesn't always notice. I have a friend with MD and she wears pants so you don't see her braces, but standing and walking are hard for her so finding a place to sit is important. Just a thought. The chair was available.

 

[Disney Fool]

In other parts of the world people understand that empty seats are available and just fill in and act as a community..

Yes, but we ARE in America, and it IS rude to sit down uninvited at a table where someone else is eating. (In Europe, it's also common to blatantly stare at someone, but I wouldn't do it here!)
I'm sure all of us have seen a struggling parent with a tray of food trying to find a seat; and many of us have offered to share a table, especially when it's crazy busy. But this instance was ridiculous and rude!

 

[ntsammy5]

I think I just would have loudly f@rted.

Bill From PA

 

[brunette8706]

Yes, but we ARE in America, and it IS rude to sit down uninvited at a table where someone else is eating. (In Europe, it's also common to blatantly stare at someone, but I wouldn't do it here!)
I'm sure all of us have seen a struggling parent with a tray of food trying to find a seat; and many of us have offered to share a table, especially when it's crazy busy. But this instance was ridiculous and rude!

*
This. You took the words right out of my mouth. I said in my launch post if she would have asked to sit I would not have had a problem. But just sitting there, not knowing if other people were going to join me I thought was very rude.

Thank you for your post.

 

[turtlechick6]

Yes, she was rude. She should have at least asked nicely. You got there first and unless you were taking up a giant table just by yourself you were doing nothing wrong. I would have told her the seats were being saved for someone else and she needed to get up and move.

 

[Suellen]

You should have said... Feel free to take the extra chairs wherever you can find a table.

I'm telling you ~ the sense of entitlement in this country is completely out of control.

How hard is it to say "Do you mind if I sit while I wait for my husband?" Really???

 

[disneymomma1978]

I was so glad when I came to Ali's post. I kept thinking some people have physical handicaps, that one doesn't always notice. I have a friend with MD and she wears pants so you don't see her braces, but standing and walking are hard for her so finding a place to sit is important. Just a thought. The chair was available.

Seriously???
I'd hope your friend would ASK before just sitting down at someone's table when they are obviously eating!

Brunette, we haven't always agreed before but you handled this situation a lot better than I would have!

 

[ladyhawk14624]

Wow. How stinking rude! I would have been very uncomfortable too but I think the inner witch in me would have come out. I would have had to sit there for quite a while. I would have texted, played games on my phone and just about anything in between bites just to annoy her. Like you said, if she had asked that would have been one thing but to just plop down without anything was too rude for words.

 

[brunette8706]

Seriously???
I'd hope your friend would ASK before just sitting down at someone's table when they are obviously eating!

Brunette, we haven't always agreed before but you handled this situation a lot better than I would have!

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Hi disneymomma1978-

Hey girl, I hold no grudges. Seriously.

Anyway, she was making me so mad! LOL! I'm eating my salad and instead of "enjoying" my salad that I paid $9.00 for I was thinking of a way to handle the situation! LOL! Like I said I can laugh now, but at the time I was STEAMING! LOL!

Thank you for your "gracious" comments.

Take care.
Brunette

 

[disneymomma1978]

*
Hi disneymomma1978-

Hey girl, I hold no grudges. Seriously.

Anyway, she was making me so mad! LOL! I'm eating my salad and instead of "enjoying" my salad that I paid $9.00 for I was thinking of a way to handle the situation! LOL! Like I said I can laugh now, but at the time I was STEAMING! LOL!

Thank you for your "gracious" comments.

Take care.
Brunette

 

[SarahKate]

You know those people (yeah, you all know who they are) who just know someone's waiting for a parking spot in the mall parkingl lot, and they proceed to take their sweet time getting in the car, starting the car, sitting in the car, putting the car in gear? That's what you should have done with your salad. Separate the tomatoes from the lettuce; spread your napkin on the table carefully, rearrange the salt and pepper shakers, smile at her, put down your fork, pick up your fork, sigh, chew, chew, chew....

This would have been great! It's healthier to eat more slowly any way, but I'm guessing OP probably ate a little faster than usually just to get out of the awkward situation. I've been known to do the parking lot thing if I see that there are two people going for the same spot and I try to angle my exit to give the person the advantage who's in the right of way. And leaving slowly - I don't intentionally take my time intentionally. But I don't rush myself to leave....I do the same things I normally do. I will rush if I see traffic backed up though!

I can't imagine being in the OP's position. Honestly, I don't know what I would have done. OP - you did the right thing by telling her she was RUDE. It was. She invaded your personal space. It's one thing to be crowded in line and just a few inches between you and someone else. But sitting down to eat is a totally different game!

 

[brunette8706]

 

[brunette8706]

This would have been great! It's healthier to eat more slowly any way, but I'm guessing OP probably ate a little faster than usually just to get out of the awkward situation. I've been known to do the parking lot thing if I see that there are two people going for the same spot and I try to angle my exit to give the person the advantage who's in the right of way. And leaving slowly - I don't intentionally take my time intentionally. But I don't rush myself to leave....I do the same things I normally do. I will rush if I see traffic backed up though!

I can't imagine being in the OP's position. Honestly, I don't know what I would have done. OP - you did the right thing by telling her she was RUDE. It was. She invaded your personal space. It's one thing to be crowded in line and just a few inches between you and someone else. But sitting down to eat is a totally different game!

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LOL! Yes, I know, eat slower, but yeah, I was eatiing way to fast, to get out of there. I had to tell my husband about this, (because I was second guessing myself). He said the same thing most people here are saying. But I wanted to get some really good opinions (only on the DIS forum), and boy did I. I really appreciate everyone's opinions. Sometimes I think, "is it me"!? LOL!

 

[winterman]

Brunette8706, how did she respond to your comment? I'm dying to know her reaction.

 

[Zeebs]

Yes, but we ARE in America, and it IS rude to sit down uninvited at a table where someone else is eating. (In Europe, it's also common to blatantly stare at someone, but I wouldn't do it here!)
I'm sure all of us have seen a struggling parent with a tray of food trying to find a seat; and many of us have offered to share a table, especially when it's crazy busy. But this instance was ridiculous and rude!

Firstly can I just say, I also think it is rude to sit down without asking, regardless where in the world you live. I also think the OP handled the situation very well.

But with regards to your comment, as someone who has travelled quite extensively, I try to make a real effort to ensure I don't offend anyone or come across as rude, but the fact of the matter is there are somethings that just don't cross your mind, aren't listed in the helpful things to do and not to do in a certain country.

Kirsten

 

[smallfri1112]

I think I just would have loudly f@rted.

Bill From PA

OMG HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

I work in an office and most of the time end up eating my lunch at my desk. As soon as someone comes over to ask me a question, I find that I can't eat my lunch anymore. For some strange reason, I can't find my appetite.... If that happened to me, I probably would have told the woman that I am an uncomfortable eater and that's why I was sitting by myself....

 

[cm8]

My husband and I were at a counter service restaurant at the Magic Kingdom. My husband didn't want to get anything to eat but I was starving, well the restaurant was very crowded, he went on a ride and I went to get a salad, I finally found a table. So, I'm eating my salad and a woman sits down right across from me (at my table that I was eating at). She asked if I was leaving and I said yes shortly, I still had about 10 bites left from my salad. So, she's sitting there watching me eat, and I'm getting more and more annoyed with her. So, I finally said, excuse me but I'm still eating, so she said, "Oh, I'm sorry, but I'm waiting for my husband. She didn't move or anything, she just kept sitting there. I can not stand to eat in front of people and it was just bothering me so I'm eating faster just to get out of there. But, I finally said that she was very rude to sit at my table while I was eating. Now, if she would have said, "do you mind if I sit at your table while my husband gets food,?" , I wouldn't have not cared, but she didn't. She just sat herself down and that was that. Was I out of line?

Thanks for your input because I didn't know what to do I was so mad! LOL!

Take care. Brunette

I would have had her excuse herself from my table. She did not ask to sit.

You know those people (yeah, you all know who they are) who just know someone's waiting for a parking spot in the mall parkingl lot, and they proceed to take their sweet time getting in the car, starting the car, sitting in the car, putting the car in gear? That's what you should have done with your salad. Separate the tomatoes from the lettuce; spread your napkin on the table carefully, rearrange the salt and pepper shakers, smile at her, put down your fork, pick up your fork, sigh, chew, chew, chew....

:rotfl2:, my husband does that when he feels he is being rushed, I tell him to hurry up cause someone might have to pee

 

[brunette8706]

Brunette8706, how did she respond to your comment? I'm dying to know her reaction.

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She said, "Oh, I'm sorry". But (stupid me) said it after I took the last bite, and ready to get out of there! LOL! But she just sat there!! She really didn't flinch or anything! That part was amazing! I didn't want to say anything right away because I thought she was older 50's, but the more I thought about it the more upset I was getting. LOL!

To the other poster that asked what size table I was at, it was a table for 4 (the only one I could find). The wierd thing was instead of her sitting di-angular from me she was sitting right across from me! UGH! LOL!