Etiquette of getting a table at a restaurant

[kyle]

So we're finally out of Australia after 2 years of lockdowns.

Eating at a restaurant by the river at Lucerne, Switzerland, last night, I've noticed a phenomenon where tourists from other places, mostly Americans and Germans, would go straight to an empty table (as the restaurant was pretty full) and then ask the waiting staff if they could have that table and would become narky if the reply was no.

Is this something new? I'm so used to 'please wait to be seated' here.

 

[drron]

I have seen that recently here in Australia as well. Not nice.

 

[kyle]

I have seen that recently here in Australia as well. Not nice.

The word 'entitlement' comes to mind

 

[Forg]

Maybe they’re used to the places that don’t do reservations & where you just walk in and grab the next available table? I would usually refer to them more as “cafe” than “restaurant” though …

 

[OZDUCK]

I have been in restaurants in Germany, definitely not cafes, where the waiter looked at me as if I was an idiot when I asked where to sit instead of just plonking myself down. But then again German service staff are not noted for their obsequence.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Was entrance clearly marked ‘Please Wait To Be Seated’ or similar?

If not and no line in front of me I guess I would do the same.

But if refused you gotta accept it or put a reasonable case IMHO

 

[tgh]

There is a little bit of "art" in getting the right (or any) table in many parts of the world
My spin is that a puff of guile, a scoop of sycophantic butter, and in some places a large donation…motivates the maitre'd to find an appropriate table wh ….shrinking violets can please themselves

 

[k_sheep]

I'm traveling in the wrong circles. Never have a trouble getting a table when it's a takeaway sandwich from the supermarket

 

[Forg]

I'm traveling in the wrong circles. Never have a trouble getting a table when it's a takeaway sandwich from the supermarket

You're doing well, I can never even FIND a table in the supermarket where I can eat my takeaway 7-11 servo-spec sandwich.

 

[k_sheep]

You're doing well, I can never even FIND a table in the supermarket where I can eat my takeaway 7-11 servo-spec sandwich.

Gotta take it to the park, chase away the skateboarding kids, and tell the retirees they've just discounted the sauerkraut at the deli. Free bench.

 

[Forg]

Gotta take it to the park, chase away the skateboarding kids, and tell the retirees they've just discounted the sauerkraut at the deli. Free bench.

... could I wear my Stilton Jacket?
They put pockets with room for kilo's of Stilton on the insides of jackets for good reason.
Usually clears me a bench.

 

[offshore171]

Eating at a restaurant by the river at Lucerne, Switzerland, last night, I've noticed a phenomenon where tourists from other places, mostly Americans and Germans, would go straight to an empty table (as the

That's a design fail rather than a customer fail.

It should be clear enough to those entering a restaurant whether the arrangements are:

1. Please wait to be seated
or
2. Please take a seat

Especially in a tourist area where most of the customers will be first timers at the establishment.

 

[jb747]

I’ve seen people, where there is an obvious queue for tables, simply bypass the queue and take a table. There was no reward for them though, as the staff simply ignored them entirely. No service for you.

 

[muppet]

That's a design fail rather than a customer fail.

It should be clear enough to those entering a restaurant whether the arrangements are:

1. Please wait to be seated
or
2. Please take a seat

Especially in a tourist area where most of the customers will be first timers at the establishment.

Lol puh-lease … they know what they’re doing - they don’t want to risk waiting their turn.

 

[Buzzard]

At a restaurant I would wait to be seated.
At a bistro I'll check for a Please Wait to be Seated sign. If there isn't one or a queue of people waiting, I'll seat myself.

 

[AIRwin]

If seating myself, I'll try to make eye contact with one of the waiting staff and point towards the direction of the table as a gesture that I'll be taking it...

 

[offshore171]

I’ve seen people, where there is an obvious queue for tables, simply bypass the queue and take a table. There was no reward for them though, as the staff simply ignored them entirely. No service for you.

That's fair enough. If there's an obvious queue, then the situation is clear. That's a fail by the attempted queue jumpers, and the establishment is right not to reward bad behaviour.

 

[offshore171]

Germans, would go straight to an empty table (as the restaurant was pretty full) and then ask the waiting

Plot twist. The Germans put beach towels on the seats then went back to their hotel room for 6 hours...

 

[LadyC]

Plot twist. The Germans put beach towels on the seats then went back to their hotel room for 6 hours...

Not just a German thing - plenty of Aussies do it here unfortunately!

 

[coriander]

Not just a German thing - plenty of Aussies do it here unfortunately!

Sudden gusts of wind can be a terrible thing.......
(Actuallly, years ago on Hamilton Island I removed two towels on the seats that had been there since breakfast and gave them to the lifeguard / person on duty and innocently said "someone must have forgotten these!" He smiled and took them, nodding his head. Thirty minuites later, two people arrived "Where's our towels?" "Lifeguard took them, thinking they were used" I said. Got lots of dagger looks (which don't work on me as I'm married) but they weren't game to take it up with lifeguard.