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

[kaytieeldr]

I absolutely agree. Disney is the only place I go that a shortage of seating in a restaurant causes people to blame other people. I cannot grasp the mindset that places the burden of a corporation's greed on the backs of people sho are simply trying to eat or rest. I have never once entered any restaurant to eat and was left wandering around searching for a place to land my tray. Disney? Holy chaos. It is common sense to have enough seating to handle your clientele, yet Disney gets the pass and the rest of us are held accountable

For the most part, Disney CS restaurants have the same combination of kitchen speed+seating capacity that each has had since, well, it opened. What has increased dramatically, notably over the last ten years, is the number of visitors. Nobody is blaming other visitor for Disney's inability or refusal to add seating capacity to existing venues. Nobody is giving Disney a pass on this.

 

[Disneylover99]

Not aware of any specific length of time is standard at TS vs how long is complaint-worthy, but the people who complain about having to wait (sometimes well) beyond their ADR time are, effectively, complaining about diners who take "a little longer" at TS meals. Looking at you, 'Ohana.

It would never occur to me to blame the diner if I’m waiting a long time for my ADR, especially at Disney. Most people want to dine and dash to get to their next fp. Thread upon thread asks, how long will it take me to eat at such and such restaurant. Most of the back ups happen because service is slow and/or Disney overbooks.

 

[Disneylover99]

For the most part, Disney CS restaurants have the same combination of kitchen speed+seating capacity that each has had since, well, it opened. What has increased dramatically, notably over the last ten years, is the number of visitors. Nobody is blaming other visitor for Disney's inability or refusal to add seating capacity to existing venues. Nobody is giving Disney a pass on this.

Haven’t you been blaming “table hoarders” this entire thread?

 

[Disney_Alli]

I changed my mind. It's not worth being hassled

 

[Jennasis]

While we are at it, can people PLEASE clean up after themselves when they're done eating?? I can't tell you how often I see tables just left with trays and food on them or ketchup smeared and crumpled napkins, or fries all over the floor. If I want to sit I either have to turn into the cleaning lady or find a CM to do it.

 

[Dug720]

I know! That was the most rediculous admonishment I have heard here in a long time.

I will admit I am probably more sensitive to that because of an experience I had at a dinner/concert venue here in NYC before. I bought my ticket the moment they went on sale. It was table groupings, but you only bought the seats you needed. There was no one else at the table I selected when I bought the ticket.

Well, I had just gotten seated when a trio - two guys and a girl - took the other three seats. I was already taking less than “my” 1/4 of the table, but the girl was all “Excuse me. Can you give my friend some room?” I politely explained that I was already taking less than what should be my space, and she said “Well, if you are all alone, you really should have gotten a seat at the bar and left the tables for real groups.”

She did not know that our server was right behind her with their waters. He cleared his throat and when she turned around, he said “She paid the same amount as you did for her ticket and she has every right to stay there. But because I do not want her evening ruined, I am going to find her a seat.” And he took me with him. He was explaining the situation to his manager, and the artist we were there to see/hear overheard the situation. She took charge and personally escorted me to the table with her family. You should have seen the girl at my first table’s jaw hit the floor.

So ultimately it worked out, but the implication or outright statement that solos should have to sit at a counter really irks me. (I do love that Beaches & Cream gives me a choice when I have an ADR there. I will usually take the counter because that is a fun place in that restaurant, but it is never assumed that because I am solo I deserve the counter.)

 

[Disneylover99]

While we are at it, can people PLEASE clean up after themselves when they're done eating?? I can't tell you how often I see tables just left with trays and food on them or ketchup smeared and crumpled napkins, or fries all over the floor. If I want to sit I either have to turn into the cleaning lady or find a CM to do it.

Yes to this! This is another good reason to get a table before you have your food. It’s always nice to be able to clean your table before the food arrives. Some tables are downright nasty.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

While we are at it, can people PLEASE clean up after themselves when they're done eating?? I can't tell you how often I see tables just left with trays and food on them or ketchup smeared and crumpled napkins, or fries all over the floor. If I want to sit I either have to turn into the cleaning lady or find a CM to do it.

Finally something I think we can all agree on!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Haven’t you been blaming “table hoarders” this entire thread?

Maybe blame and blaming have different meanings to different people? : I specifically said, "Nobody is blaming other visitor for Disney's inability or refusal to add seating capacity to existing venues. Nobody is giving Disney a pass on this."

 

[DisLiss]

Good point about the benches. And good point about adding tables. Disney is adding rooms constantly, but they aren't keeping up in adding space to put the people staying in those rooms. Everyone always says how there is no "slow" season or "value" season anymore, yet Disney still has several "seasonal" QS locations. Why? If these places aren't popular enough to keep busy year round, then change them, but don't close them! Particularly the ones with indoor seating. We see so many people ask where they can find a quiet place to sit for a bit...and those closed indoor seating areas are places people used to do that. Now they're apt to take the next best thing...a table at an over-crowded yet still open QS location.

As for encountering a line at McDonald's, you have options you don't have at Disney. Most people can just take their food and eat in the car. Or walk back to their office.

For us, it's generally not a big issue big. We tend to eat little bits here and there. We'll move over to a wall or fence and eat standing. When our kids were little they ate plenty of meals strait from their strollers. But as I just mentioned above, I get that a lot of people are looking to actually sit down because they need a rest or simply because they prefer to sit and eat, which is certainly reasonable!

So it comes back to needing more places to sit. I get that every business wants to increase their profits, but Disney needs to open up all of the eating areas and bring back some benches. In previous years we also ate plenty of snacks on a bench. Heck, I recall a time when one of the "characters"/hosts of Disney's annual planning DVD spent the whole thing talking about how great the benches were! Widen walk-ways where possible (They're doing this at MK in one spot right now, so they can find a few other places to do the same thing.) and line up some more benches here and there. There are ways Disney can help alleviate the over-crowding of the QS location is they really wished to do so.

 

[garnwr32229]

We do this, my dad and I wait in line for food. My husband and mom take the 3 kids to the bathroom and then look for a table. Typically we are getting the food as the are just finding a table. Or they will wait with us till after we order and then find a table while we are getting the food.

 

[NikkiDP]

Right now it is just me and my husband so we don't generally have to split up when ordering, but when we do it is after we have ordered. One will wait for the food while the other gathers utensils and what not and finds a spot. Never a lot of waiting without food on the table. I think it is okay for people to do, especially if you have young kids who are hungry and tired. It removed congestion from the order stations and the last minute mind changer haha.

I do think that people should be aware of there surroundings though when doing this. If a group is looking for somewhere to sit and you are holding a seat while a member of your party is in a line that could like 10-15 minutes it wouldn't hurt to get up. We have actually had a family hover behind us waiting for our table since they saw we were close to done. They started seating themselves at the table the moment they saw up starting to clean up and honestly THAT was far more annoying than having to look for a spot in a crowded restaurant lol.

 

[Disneylover99]

Maybe blame and blaming have different meanings to different people? : I specifically said, "Nobody is blaming other visitor for Disney's inability or refusal to add seating capacity to existing venues. Nobody is giving Disney a pass on this."

But you are blaming visitors for taking tables without trays of food. Are you not? Isn’t that due to seating capacity issues? Sorry. I just don’t see the difference.

 

[Tigger's ally]

I absolutely agree. Disney is the only place I go that a shortage of seating in a restaurant causes people to blame other people. I cannot grasp the mindset that places the burden of a corporation's greed on the backs of people sho are simply trying to eat or rest. I have never once entered any restaurant to eat and was left wandering around searching for a place to land my tray. Disney? Holy chaos. It is common sense to have enough seating to handle your clientele, yet Disney gets the pass and the rest of us are held accountable.

Wow, You must not have ever been to a Chik Filet near lunchtime. Stopped in several in the Lexington/Louisville/Paducah areas in recent years where there were people waiting to order and then waiting for a place to sit. And that was with the drive thru being packed as well.

 

[Tigger's ally]

Wrong answer. My adult ticket or AP cost the same as yours. I have just as much right to sit at a table as you. Relegating solos to the counter or bar is 100% NOT ok.

The poster didn't say you had to sit there, he basically said Disney could use more of those (especially at CS restaurants)for people who want to sit there. Lots of restaurants around our area are putting wall/window shelves with tall chairs for just that reason. It allows people who want to eat alone and not be bothered to do just that. Anybody that wants a regular table is more than welcome to them, whether it be a solo or more.

Don't understand why people just want to read posts and fire back insults around here anymore.

 

[Dug720]

The poster didn't say you had to sit there, he basically said Disney could use more of those (especially at CS restaurants)for people who want to sit there. Lots of restaurants around our area are putting wall/window shelves with tall chairs for just that reason. It allows people who want to eat alone and not be bothered to do just that. Anybody that wants a regular table is more than welcome to them, whether it be a solo or more.

Don't understand why people just want to read posts and fire back insults around here anymore.

A) They specified “for people eating alone” which naturally excludes all but solos.

B) I was not the only one who took offense to that.

C) Saying “Wrong answer” is not an insult. If I had called them a name or said they were prejudice against solos, THAT would be an insult.

 

[Lilsia]

Actually, I am completely sober, so perhaps I need to catch up with you? Having your entire party in line does not mean that it will take longer to order than if your whole party was not there in line. It really would only take longer if you were not prepared to order, which frankly can happen regardless of the number of people from a party waiting in line. That family member who changes their mind while you're ordering can just as easily do so while sitting at the table and come up while your ordering and make it take longer. Them not waiting in line with you does not change their indecisiveness. If you're worried about them changing their mind and making it take longer, don't accommodate their changes once you begin ordering. It's as simple as that. We decide what we want long before we get to the register, and it takes the same amount of time to order with 4 of us up there as it does with just 1 ordering for all 4.

This! People should have the common sense to figure out what they want before they get in line, or that very minimum, by the time it is their turn to order. This should be basic, ingrained behavior taught by your parents. Unfortunately, with the me, me, me society now, too many have zero concern about society around them, even though you are a part of it. I would see this kind of thing all the time where I work when I was doing that job. There had been more then a few times that the person just could not make up their mind and were taking several minutes and you can see the frustration and annoyance of everyone behind them. I would kindly tell them that there was no rush and that they can step back and look over the menu and that I would help the next person and then they could just come right back to me when they decided. Some did that but, shockingly, many got angry and refused to show this small courtesy to those behind them. I find that kind of attitude and behavior appalling. And we are talking about lunch time when people needed to get back to work, not everyone on vacation. People need to really look at their behavior at times and see how it affects those around them. I don't really like the "who cares how my behavior affects others" attitude. Like it or not, we are all a part of this society and need to do what is best for the whole, not just yourself.

 

[Chuck S]

Being single, I often eat out alone. I wouldn't mind eating at an old fashioned counter type thing. At Disney, I'd prefer if it had a window view. At a regular non-Disney table service restaurant, I miss the old style counter seating near the server order pickup area. It was always easy to get beverage refills when a server walked up to get an order, and you often got better service. I also miss old fashioned Woolworth style lunch counters. None of the Denny's or IHOPs or any other casual table service places near my home have counters, I'm always placed in a booth or table where is nothing to see, except for the empty seat across from me.

 

[jaysmom4285]

I admit that we've done this, but only when there are already plenty of empty tables, so we're not depriving anyone of anything. The few times when we've been at WDW when it's so busy that there aren't any empty tables to speak of, there have been CMs present making sure no one sits unless they have food. It appears that, if WDW wants to keep people from sitting at tables before they have food, they dispatch CMs to be sure that doesn't happen. Otherwise, it would seem that it's fair game.

 

[BK2014]

When you go to a quick service restaurant, you should be guaranteed to be able to find a table once your food is ready. You also should not be required to have your entire party stand in the ordering line. Even though the number of people in line does not increase the number of orders or the amount of food being ordered, it does slow down the process. Having worked at quick service restaurants, including Cosmic Ray's, I have seen this first hand. The more people in a group while ordering, the more they get distracted by indecisiveness, monitoring their children, or just not paying attention because they are otherwise distracted by something. It is not intentional, but it happens.

Problems are also created when there are people with trays standing around trying to find tables that are about to be vacated. It creates congestion in an already crowded space. It also makes it harder for the staff responsible for cleaning table to identify tables that need attention.

During busy times, I think Disney should do the following: Assign tables like they do at table service restaurants. You walk in, party of 4. They say there is your table. Those who are going to order food get in line and get the food, those who want to wait at the table can. If you are solo or your entire party needs to go order, they give you something to place on the table as a marker. But because it is a quick service restaurant, they should also put a limit on how long you have to occupy the table once you get your food. Maybe 30 minutes, maybe longer for folks with special circumstances or small kids.