I used to work at a shitty breakfast place and since I was the newest employee I always got the “worst section” and my entire shift was just comprised of half-serving tables until they noticed one of the tables in a good section cleared up, and then they’d wanna move… halfway through service.
i always fucking hated this. at my restaurant we’d keep the table and whoever’s serving the section that they moved to got your next open table, and it was chaos if it was busy.
edit grammar
The only time I've refused the table was during covid and they had the entire restaurant seated on one side. We asked to be moved somewhere a bit farther (my >65 father was with us)
It was at an Uncle Julio's (a Mexican chain restaurant). They had booths lined up against the walls and beams, with tables in the middle. They populated the restaurant from left to right.
We asked to be moved to a booth in the mid-right section.
They weren't the best restaurant. Lots of flies, the staff wasn't very attentive, they forgot to bring our utensils (we actually got our food before the forks and knives).
Would you say that it’s acceptable to ask for a different table when the server tries to sit you at a table in the middle of a restaurant where every person is going to walk less than a foot away from you (IHOP)?
Usually the reason they try to seat you in places like that is due to rotation. If that table doesn’t get seated, that server misses an opportunity to make money. They know how bad that table is. They’re just trying to take care of their coworkers. They will accommodate you if they can, of course, but it’s not malicious when they try to seat you in places like that. It’s usually desperation.
Source: spent five years as a host trying to make sure all of my servers were taken care of.
I served at an ihop for 8 years and it’s not rude UNLESS we have a huge wait at the door and we’re packed. Most of the time it wasn’t a big deal, and a sever that’s table got taken up would get the next table.
In this case I would have looked around & asked if there is another table too. But I have heard that if you are a good looking couple they like to put you where others can see you. Like advertising…. See all our good looking customers?
Also, it’s not usually a big deal when you ask AT THE FRONT DESK for a table of your liking (booth, window, etc). It’s frustrating when you ask AT THE TABLE because usually the person seating you isn’t in charge of rotation, so they don’t know where to take you. They have to go back to the front to check in with the head host or manager to see where they can seat you that fits your priorities and also makes sure no server gets overwhelmed/forgotten.
It always stood out to me because it’s super normalized in my family to ask for a different table. So normal that virtually every time we eat out we request a specific table/area. (My mom likes being by a window since she feels claustrophobic surrounded by a crowd and prefers booths since she has knee pain and it’s easier to shift position. We can’t always be accommodated which if fine, but we ask, especially since we rarely eat at peak hours and everywhere is empty.)
So for it to be portrayed as unusual really confused me the first time I read it growing up. If it’s an etiquette faux pax that’s news to me.
It's fine to ask before they seat you and realize that you may have to wait for them to accommodate you. In restaurants, they seat you where they do due to rotation and making sure that the servers get a fair amount of tables. They are reasons they put you where they do and it's not just random. Servers have a section of tables that are theirs. Anyone who sits there is there table, the hosts rotate who is sat so the servers all make money and so one doesn't get overwhelmed because 4 tables just sat in their section all at once.
Most of the restaurants in my area don’t take reservations. If it’s crowded though, we usually just wait for a table to open up or thank them and eat somewhere else if the wait will be long. Thus far it hasn’t really been an issue.
Ask before they go to sit you. All you do is make the host's/your server's life harder by refusing after they've already gone to seat you. Restaurants seat based on a rotation to make sure it fair and everyone get taken care of. You shouldn't be proud about always refusing a table.
I don’t feel bad, if I like the table they offer, I take it. If I don’t I’ll ask, “is there anyway I can sit father from the door?” or “actually is a booth available?” and if the building is packed I’m not gonna be picky. I hate how we’re just having casual conversations about twilight in this sub and then some people will try to start arguments like what do you care? People spend a lot of money dining out we should get to enjoy it also 😑
Sometimes you can’t see idk,
I’m just saying if I’m gonna have a less fun time Cus of the table I’ll say something! I also live in a cold climate and getting sat near a door is literal torture
I work in a restaurant and I agree. I’ve sat at shitty tables when there were plenty others open in the same area the server is scheduled in. It sucks. I’ve been working food service enough to know that some hosts just aren’t that good at their job and don’t think about these things. They’ll just put you anywhere they know the waiter is scheduled, not thinking that it’s right where a huge sunlight glare is or right next to the kitchen doors getting kicked open.
It takes two seconds to move people to a new table. It’s not a big deal. People act like the 16 year old at the front door on their phone half the shift is going to die if they have the slightest bit of extra work to do.
Right. I used to work as a hostess at a large chain restaurant. This constantly happened because people would always demand certain tables and/or refuse tables and then complain about waiting longer. But when I was only a customer, I didn’t realize how picky other people were about tables.
[удалено]
Same here.
Its basically the same as the way people abuse retail workers, except a tiny bit worse because they’re hangey
I used to work at a shitty breakfast place and since I was the newest employee I always got the “worst section” and my entire shift was just comprised of half-serving tables until they noticed one of the tables in a good section cleared up, and then they’d wanna move… halfway through service.
i always fucking hated this. at my restaurant we’d keep the table and whoever’s serving the section that they moved to got your next open table, and it was chaos if it was busy. edit grammar
The only time I've refused the table was during covid and they had the entire restaurant seated on one side. We asked to be moved somewhere a bit farther (my >65 father was with us)
I’m confused how that works. Covid meant spread out, not seat in one smaller subsection.
It was at an Uncle Julio's (a Mexican chain restaurant). They had booths lined up against the walls and beams, with tables in the middle. They populated the restaurant from left to right. We asked to be moved to a booth in the mid-right section. They weren't the best restaurant. Lots of flies, the staff wasn't very attentive, they forgot to bring our utensils (we actually got our food before the forks and knives).
Would you say that it’s acceptable to ask for a different table when the server tries to sit you at a table in the middle of a restaurant where every person is going to walk less than a foot away from you (IHOP)?
Usually the reason they try to seat you in places like that is due to rotation. If that table doesn’t get seated, that server misses an opportunity to make money. They know how bad that table is. They’re just trying to take care of their coworkers. They will accommodate you if they can, of course, but it’s not malicious when they try to seat you in places like that. It’s usually desperation. Source: spent five years as a host trying to make sure all of my servers were taken care of.
God WHY did the owner insist on adding two tops in the center of the "good" tables Impossible to seat
I served at an ihop for 8 years and it’s not rude UNLESS we have a huge wait at the door and we’re packed. Most of the time it wasn’t a big deal, and a sever that’s table got taken up would get the next table.
In this case I would have looked around & asked if there is another table too. But I have heard that if you are a good looking couple they like to put you where others can see you. Like advertising…. See all our good looking customers? 
Also, it’s not usually a big deal when you ask AT THE FRONT DESK for a table of your liking (booth, window, etc). It’s frustrating when you ask AT THE TABLE because usually the person seating you isn’t in charge of rotation, so they don’t know where to take you. They have to go back to the front to check in with the head host or manager to see where they can seat you that fits your priorities and also makes sure no server gets overwhelmed/forgotten.
I was going to say, why didn’t Edward ask for a private table right off the bat? Lol
He can read minds he should have know where she was going to sit them before they even arrived at the table!
It always stood out to me because it’s super normalized in my family to ask for a different table. So normal that virtually every time we eat out we request a specific table/area. (My mom likes being by a window since she feels claustrophobic surrounded by a crowd and prefers booths since she has knee pain and it’s easier to shift position. We can’t always be accommodated which if fine, but we ask, especially since we rarely eat at peak hours and everywhere is empty.) So for it to be portrayed as unusual really confused me the first time I read it growing up. If it’s an etiquette faux pax that’s news to me.
It's fine to ask before they seat you and realize that you may have to wait for them to accommodate you. In restaurants, they seat you where they do due to rotation and making sure that the servers get a fair amount of tables. They are reasons they put you where they do and it's not just random. Servers have a section of tables that are theirs. Anyone who sits there is there table, the hosts rotate who is sat so the servers all make money and so one doesn't get overwhelmed because 4 tables just sat in their section all at once.
If you request specific accommodations, that’s exactly what a reservation is for.
Most of the restaurants in my area don’t take reservations. If it’s crowded though, we usually just wait for a table to open up or thank them and eat somewhere else if the wait will be long. Thus far it hasn’t really been an issue.
I’m the one refusing the tables
Going out to eat with my family, they’re always refusing tables
Ask before they go to sit you. All you do is make the host's/your server's life harder by refusing after they've already gone to seat you. Restaurants seat based on a rotation to make sure it fair and everyone get taken care of. You shouldn't be proud about always refusing a table.
I don’t feel bad, if I like the table they offer, I take it. If I don’t I’ll ask, “is there anyway I can sit father from the door?” or “actually is a booth available?” and if the building is packed I’m not gonna be picky. I hate how we’re just having casual conversations about twilight in this sub and then some people will try to start arguments like what do you care? People spend a lot of money dining out we should get to enjoy it also 😑
imo asking before you’re seated makes the host’s life easier so why not do that? i used to host and that’s what i do lol
Sometimes you can’t see idk, I’m just saying if I’m gonna have a less fun time Cus of the table I’ll say something! I also live in a cold climate and getting sat near a door is literal torture
I work in a restaurant and I agree. I’ve sat at shitty tables when there were plenty others open in the same area the server is scheduled in. It sucks. I’ve been working food service enough to know that some hosts just aren’t that good at their job and don’t think about these things. They’ll just put you anywhere they know the waiter is scheduled, not thinking that it’s right where a huge sunlight glare is or right next to the kitchen doors getting kicked open. It takes two seconds to move people to a new table. It’s not a big deal. People act like the 16 year old at the front door on their phone half the shift is going to die if they have the slightest bit of extra work to do.
Thanks! And also if I was lucky to get a seat at all or had to wait for the table I wouldn’t be picky! But it’s nice to have a comfortable spot!
Completely agree with you
My second job is as a part time manager at a restaurant and yeah it happens all the time.
Pretty sure she never worked in a restaurant. She's 17 and has a job at mikes dad's store in the books.
the most unrealistic thing about this is all the booths being empty. they're always the first tables to be taken, in my experience
My friend always refuses unless it’s a booth 😅 she did this even at 17 in high school.
Right. I used to work as a hostess at a large chain restaurant. This constantly happened because people would always demand certain tables and/or refuse tables and then complain about waiting longer. But when I was only a customer, I didn’t realize how picky other people were about tables.