"Go Find a Table and I'll wait in line"

[TongaToast21]

When trying to eat at a quick service spot (Casey's, Woody's notably) in any of the parks, do you send someone in your party to go and find/wait for an empty table? If they are successful, they essentially will be at a table with no food while you to wait in line, order food, wait for food, and then find them. Meanwhile people that have their trays of food are left standing looking for a spot. Occasionally I used to partake in this, but this most recent trip I realized how annoying this is when I see other people do it, so we stopped. What do you all think?

 

[Dug720]

I am usually solo so that is not an option for me. I greatly appreciate it when the restaurants enforce this with CMs stationed at the entrance to the eating area.

Even when I am with people, we go as a group to the table. Just the polite thing to do IMHO.

 

[sponica]

My feeling is that we reduce the unnecessary people in the food line by having one or two people order food and the party getting a spot.

ETA: I wouldn't do this with just adults. We had a toddler and my cranky MIL

 

[Micharlotte]

We also streamline the food line and I send the rest of the party to go get napkins and a table. However, we go in September and there are always lots of empty tables.

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

We do this, but we also mobile order and aren't holding a table for more than a few minutes ahead of getting our food. I will tell mobile ordering I've arrived, and then look for a table. By the time we've found a table the food is ready for pickup in most cases so it isn't as if my kiddos are sitting there for 20 minutes foodless taking up a table someone else could be using.

 

[kniquy]

do you send someone in your party to go and find/wait for an empty table?

Exactly as you stated -- it is very annoying to see people taking up a table when they have not even picked up their food. I think at busier times they might have CM's monitoring so that only people with food in hand can actually find a table. It is just being courteous to other people if you wait to sit until you actually have your food, BUT there are many people who are not as thoughtful.

To avoid this issue we sometimes try to dine either just doing TS so we don't have to deal with the issue or we will hit a QS at a slightly off time so that finding a table isn't too difficult.

 

[holden]

We always do this. I don't see anything wrong with it.

 

[cmorris303]

We typically only do this if there are a lot of empty tables and the line isn't that long. A family sitting at a table without food actually got up for us once because they didn't have their food yet and we had our food and couldn't find a table. We were just about finished when they got their food, so we returned the favor for them.

 

[georgina]

It is super annoying and RUDE when it is busy to have people with no food sitting at a table for up to 30 minutes while others with their food can't find a seat! I usually avoid busy times to eat for this reason.

 

[MooseBucks]

We do this with kids but probably not if it was adults only. We tend to travel in a large group so having 6+ kids and 4+ adults wait in line would be chaos.

I’m sure it’s loose loose - someone is bound to disagree with your choice (waiting in line with a huge group or grabbing a table)

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Yes we do although with mobile ordering now we are sitting at the table for maybe 2 minutes without food vs 20 minutes.
I don't feel bad about it since I need the table. We have had some terrible experiences having several trays heavy with food/drink and having nowhere to sit so we stood staring at people to get them to eat faster lol.

 

[sponica]

We do this with kids but probably not if it was adults only. We tend to travel in a large group so having 6+ kids and 4+ adults wait in line would be chaos.

I’m sure it’s loose loose - someone is bound to disagree with your choice (waiting in line with a huge group or grabbing a table)

My nightmares from when I worked concessions is 35 people in line, but only 4 people are actually ordering. There's probably some middle ground, like not everyone on planet earth eating lunch at 12...

ETA: I don't remember being at the table very long before the ordering party got there with the food...

 

[MooseBucks]

My nightmares from when I worked concessions is 35 people in line, but only 4 people are actually ordering. There's probably some middle ground, like not everyone on planet earth eating lunch at 12...

ETA: I don't remember being at the table very long before the ordering party got there with the food...

I can’t imagine and then their order probably changes 183628 times.

We aim for 11-11:30 lunch at WDW which seems to help but there is always a few meals that are just nuts!!

And I agree we’ve never waited more then 10 MAYBE 15 minutes for the group with the food to join the table... because we usually have to wait for a table too

 

[OKW Lover]

Its very annoying when people sit at a table to claim it while others who have their food must circulate to try to find a place to sit. It ties up a table unnecessarily.

 

[bumbershoot]

My feeling is that we reduce the unnecessary people in the food line by having one or two people order food and the party getting a spot.

ETA: I wouldn't do this with just adults. We had a toddler and my cranky MIL

I don’t feel that having people wait in line = unnecessary people in thee ordering line.

But people sitting at a table that’s meant for eating, without food, does = unnecessary people in that space.

I don't feel bad about it since I need the table. We have had some terrible experiences having several trays heavy with food/drink and having nowhere to sit so we stood staring at people to get them to eat faster lol.

At least those people are eating. It’s a lot worse-feeling when you have those trays and there are people sitting without food at the tables.

 

[mkb3]

I personally think it's rude, tables should be open for those who have their food. I'm a BBQ blogger in Texas and lines and crowds at some joints can be bigger than WDW. Places that enforce no seating without food as a rule I never have problems finding a seat compared to the places who do not enforce it.

 

[DisneyHardin]

My DH hates the cattle call feeling of being in the ordering lines, so I always order the food and he goes to find a table. I also have always felt like the order taker CM appreciates it when just one person is ordering for the group because it keeps things moving.

 

[OKW Lover]

How about a solution that satisfies both sides of this debate. One person stands in line to order, while the other person waits to the side. Once the food is ready, they then go and find a place to sit.

 

[Marionnette]

I guess I don’t see the problem with part of a group finding a table while another part of the group orders and picks up. I have a bigger bone to pick with people who pack a picnic lunch and take up table space while people who purchased food at that QS restaurant can’t find a seat.

 

[EveDallas]

I wouldn't order food if I didn't know I had a place to sit.