Was I in The Wrong? Awkward Situation at Restaurant

So I had a rather awkward situation at a restaurant and was wondering if I was in the wrong?

Backstory:

It's Father's Day and there are a few people waiting in line to order. I don't know if these people already have a table or not but all the tables are taken except one so I go into self preservation mode and quickly snag the table. I was also still waiting for my dad to come so I didn't want to order yet. My girlfriend then asked me if we should wait to be seated first, which made me feel bad for potentially queue jumping so I looked back at the line and saw a couple who looked like they wanted to sit there. I offered them the table since they were there before us but the man said since there was only 4 of us, we could split the table.

The table was actually 3 tables combined into 1 and had 6 seats and the lady tried to separate the table so that they had an extra table for themselves but I told her that I needed the extra table because I was waiting for another person.

After we sorted out the issue, they went back to the front counter to order. As I was waiting for my dad, a different couple came to sit down at their table. At first I was going to tell them that someone was already sitting there, but then it reminded me of the OzBargain posts about people reserving parks for other people and I didn't want to be rude so I did the 200 IQ move and said nothing.

My dad finally arrived during all of this and sat down at the table that I had saved for him. While my girlfriend and dad caught up about life, I sat in silence waiting for the chaos to unfold.

The couple then came back and saw that someone had taken their table and the lady actually took it pretty well and said "wow that was fast" and then asked us if we can share even though there clearly wasn't enough seats for them and my dad gave them a firm no. Feeling guilty, I asked my dad if we should move but he told me to not give them our seats and at the time I agreed with him because I felt like there was no good choice so I went with the selfish choice.

They ended up sitting in the bar area to eat which is obviously not as pleasant. When I went to make my order, the same couple was in front of me ordering some drinks and the lady looked back and gave me a bit of a dirty look but I just ignored it. As we all finished our dinner and was about to leave, the lady said "Thanks for saving our table" sarcasticly and said it twice to make sure we heard her. I just said "No worries" back and left.

Looking back I can laugh at the absurdity of the situation but I am still left wondering if I was in the wrong and wanted the communities thoughts about the situation.

Poll Options

  • 504
    Yes, you should have told the other couple that people were already sitting there
  • 49
    No, it's their job to save their own table. One of them should have waited at the table
  • 22
    It's no one's fault. The restaurant should have had a reserve system in place.

Comments

    • +2

      But at least you have enough self awareness to reflect on this.

      He doesn't though. He's looking for validation of his shitty behaviour, hence this thread.

      • If I wanted validation I wouldn't have posted that reply to rooster saying that I was expecting this type of comment. I posted that comment precisely because I know how preachy some of you are on here.

  • +1

    No restaurant name provided means all this discussion is moot.

  • +2

    I think THEY should have left a jacket or something similar on the table to “reserve” it, or one of them stayed while the other checked the menu, then swap and pay.

  • -1

    If you are 'that' person why do you care after the event? move on.
    OOOOh its for the likes, my bad.

  • +1

    Thanks for sharing OP. You didn't behave to the gold standard everyone else here holds themselves to but making mistakes and accidentally being an (profanity) is part of life. We just have to do our best to minimise the severity and frequency of those moments

    It's important that you've recognised where you've fallen short and how you could be better in those situations

    Asking for advice isn't a bad thing but OzBargain is a trash place to look for it; unless you have a fetish for getting piled on to by angry strangers on the internet. You can see from most of the responses that they're assholes themselves that take the first opportunity to denigrate others so they can feel holier than thou

  • -1

    So in a split second of time, you thought of ozbargain posts and decided your course of action from that? Haha hoooooly shit!

  • We should make it a rule to have a TLDR summary in the forums

  • +2

    It's easy to take the moral high ground when it's not you in the hot seat and you have hindsight. OP has already done their part by giving up part of their table. It's not their job to babysit them, the other couple are adults and should be aware of what would have happened if they left their table unattended in a packed house. It could have also been entirely possible that the couple had vacated the table because it was packed and they wanted to go elsewhere, then OP would have been an idiot for holding the table for a non-existent couple. We only know that wasn't the case because OP was attentive enough to actually keep track of them around the room. 99% of people would not have done that and would not know or care where the other couple were once they had left the table. Vacant table in a bar is fair game.

    • -2

      If you aint an underworld lawyer you could be one.
      Or perhaps a painter. Good at covering up the cracks, and hiding the facts under the top coat
      Or sales. You'd be good at that. Thousands of ppl with houses full of stuff they never wanted in the first place.

      As for hindsight, the OP is the one navigating it. The comments aren't hindsight, their based on experience or foresight, even.

      In short, the OP was just good old fashioned rude. Just because everyone else is a selfish (profanity) you, me first ,dick, doesn't mean that has to be the default.

      Is vacant counter OK too when there's multiple "non rude" ppl standing back waiting for the server to ask if someone needs serving. Or would you just ignore the ppl already there and grind to the counter without asking, "are you being sorted,mate" ?
      How hard is it to be proactively courteous or thoughtful?

      Oh dear how hard for OP to say to the second in line table navigators, I'm sorry but there's somebody already at this table.

      • +1

        The last time you were at a packed bar and the table next to you got up and vacated their table and did not leave anything to suggest they were coming back, did you go out of your way to find out where they went and try to save their table for them? I can say it's most likely no. Do you do this >60% of the time? Need to apply the standard you're pushing on OP on yourselves from now on.

        • No, the last time it happened to me I conducted an online survey, because doing the right thing is so****ing complex, and I need herd approval for all my behaviour.
          /s

      • If you aint an underworld lawyer you could be one. Or perhaps a painter. Good at covering up the cracks, and hiding the facts under the top coat
        Or sales. You'd be good at that. Thousands of ppl with houses full of stuff they never wanted in the first place.

        Begins his comment with a little sly attack. You just can’t help it, can you..
        The fella wasn’t even being rude to anyone. You really need to be checked irl, clearly you could use some heavy handed talking to.

  • The couple (both of them) went to make an order while the tables were first come first serve? This is somewhat of a noob mistake. But OP should have stepped in so both parties are to blame.

  • +1

    At first I was like YTA but the more I think about it, why did both of them go order and expect you to save their table? Why didn’t one stay back, why did they assume it was your job to look after their table.

    • +1

      Agreed on all points. I would have told the second group that there were already people sitting there, but I also don't blame OP for the table being taken. The couple shouldn't have left the table unattended, or they could have asked OP if he could mind the table for them. They shouldn't have just assumed he'd mind it for them, then get upset when he didn't and then throw snide comments.

  • I might have said something like "hey, those people ordering at the counter are seated here". But if you didn't do that I would personally not hold it against you, so I voted "No".

    Given that this establishment appears to let anyone sit anywhere, it's the responsibility of the people who to reserve it by having one of them sit there while the other goes to order food.

  • OP you fked up.

  • Can't believe you didn't save their table for them - that is bloody un-Australian :( I would have been pissed as well.

  • Dog Act.

  • I voted for a quick round of Hara-kiri at the table brought on by shame.

  • I don't think I've ever relied on a stranger to save a table for me before.

    The rule is you leave one person behind to save the table while the other person orders for both people.

  • OP YTA

  • That’s why I don’t go out to eat on “holidays” lol. Just not worth the drama.

    The couple should have left one person minding “their” table. No it was not your responsibility to “save it” for them. Wth! It’s dog eat dog in this world!

  • Bro…

  • You never just take a table. You wait to be seated, sign or not, you wait.

    Since you helped yourself to the table, you should have shared the space.

  • You jumped the queue. You knew what you were doing by not waiting and taking the table straight away.
    Why don't you put that option in the mutliple choice.
    "I intentionally jumped infront of everyone and feigned ingnorance because idgaf"

  • They should have put hats or jumpers on their seats or asked you to save them.

    You could have also told them when they went to order that you will save their seats.

    They failed by not dumping stuff or asking you.

    And you failed by not telling them you will mind it or telling them to drop some stuff or to mind it.

    Oh, and you jumped the queue. Yer, you should feel bad.

    But hang on, did staff seat the other party?…. No?

    And the ‘different couple’ weren’t being seated either by staff.

    Lol…

    I choose: Everyone in it for themselves; bad feelings all around.

  • op is still feeling guilty, hence the thread.

    • Guilty? Not really. I just posted this story because I thought it was amusing and I was genuinely unsure if I had made the right choice or not. I underestimated the backlash though lol.

      I do feel a tad bit bad for the guy though. He seemed like a top bloke and I repaid him by being an idiot and letting his table get stolen haha.

  • +1

    You should have said to the lady 'Hey you passive-agressive biatch, cash me ou'side, how bout dat!'

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