Blocked/reserved table in food courts?

[topt]

1 hour ago, Yagoda said:

Mine would be if I rhodesian drilled some skell and my lawyer wouldnt answer the phone. Or my plug takes off for a month and forgets to give me a bag to tide me over. Or if my hemmies act up when Im ready to go to an FKK.

Any chance of a translation in understandable English?

[BusyB]

5 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

 

I find this behavior strange and annoying. Sit there and use the table or the table is available for other people. It could be simple.

 

Luckily, I found a free table within a minute, and all was fine. But I considered already going to one of those reserved tables, put whatever someone put on the table to the side, and then eat there.

And if someone would come and complain: Yes, I noticed you forgot your bag. Here, take it back. 😉 

 

What do you do in such situation? 

 

 

Speaking as a singleton who frequently dines alone in food courts that line sums it up ... even at rush hour I've never failed to find a table within a couple of minutes.

 

I still find it arrogant of people who do that though and I'd have no sympathy if their belongings got stolen or trashed.

 

I've also learned to simply envy those who have partners/family to hold the fort - or hold a space in a queue at the check out or the check in or the ticket desk or ... Swings and roundabouts really: there are huge advantages to being single as well. Autonomy, freedom and owing noone an explanation to mention only a couple.

 

Just part of life - just gotta deal with it. And if I've got some deadline to beat I make sure I'm early enough. Easy really.

Edited May 25 by BusyB

[KhunLA]

23 minutes ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

hence the convenience of the 7-11 double pork burger..cash n carry and its tough finding burgers at the food court amirite?!

Again ... 

You really should try one, if you haven't ...  If in TH.  The Chicken GraPao Spaghettis is nice also, as not a fan of white rice.

 

Try to restrict my 7-11 munching, to when we're actually 'on the  road' while O&A.  Same w/KFC, as located at the PTT Parks which we frequent while out, for the CS.

 

Partial to a few of their meal & sandwich offerings.  Along with the sweets, but know most aren't the healthiest choice, though some no worse than other vendors & restaurants.   That's why many things taste so good, extra of things we should be eating in moderation.

 

At home, I rarely eat pork burger, bologna, chips and such, as I know I'll be eating when O&A.  Hate eating the same things repeatedly.

 

Again the beauty of food courts, plenty to choose from, and other vendors close by or in the malls.  Most having street vendors close by also, if not just outside the door.

 

Parking & access to public trans, really does make life easy & tasty, on the cheap.  All non thinking, stress free, and rarely disappointed.  If so, it didn't cost much, and always nice to try something new or regional.

Edited May 25 by KhunLA

[freeworld]

1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said:

And why did you think you have the right to reserve that table for you? 

Is there a law stating it cannot be done, are there signs up stating it cannot be done, are foreigners the policemen of the food court tables now?

 

What about if there are many empty tables and one puts their stuff down and goes off to buy food and return to the table, does that also come under the purview of it cannot be "reserved"?

 

I just do it but  if they want that table they can stand there until I return and speak to me to ask me politely to remove my stuff but they must not touch my stuff.

 

Its the same as a couple finding a table, one sits down while the other goes off to buy food, whats the difference?

 

See all the time people put stuff on the table to reserve, full water bottles, shopping bags etc... does not bother me at all, I understand the reason why they do it.

Edited May 25 by freeworld

[khunPer]

6 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I find this behavior strange and annoying. Sit there and use the table or the table is available for other people. It could be simple.

 

Luckily, I found a free table within a minute, and all was fine. But I considered already going to one of those reserved tables, put whatever someone put on the table to the side, and then eat there.

And if someone would come and complain: Yes, I noticed you forgot your bag. Here, take it back. 😉 

 

What do you do in such situation? 

Same as putting towel on a sunbed by the pool or on the beach at a resort to reserve it for later...

 

In my opinion it's Okay to find a table first and then get the food, instead of standing with a tray with warm food and nowhere to sit...

[charleskerins]

5 hours ago, ballpoint said:

I don't blame those who do it.  They found an empty table and are making sure it will still be free after they've bought their food.  When with my wife, we will look for a free table before buying the coupons / cash card, and then one of us will sit at it while the other buys them and gets the food.  I see no difference between leaving a person at the table, or placing an object on it to "reserve" it.   I usually avoid food courts when I'm on my own, however, as I never have anything I can leave on a table that I don't want stolen, or doesn't look like rubbish that will be thrown away or ignored.  For that reason, I've always thought that when you buy your coupon / cash card you should get some sort of place marker that you can leave on the table indicating that it's taken.  The same goes for fast food restaurants when they're busy.  Grab a place marker by the door and put in on a table before ordering your food.  If I had a baht for every time there's been plenty of empty tables when I go in, but by the time I've been served, they're all taken, so I'm left walking around with a tray of food asking people if I can sit at their table, I'd have sagging pockets.

"I see no difference between leaving a person at the table, or placing an object on it to "reserve" it. "       Big difference

[Yagoda]

1 hour ago, topt said:

Any chance of a translation in understandable English?

I don't do ESL

[topt]

Just now, Yagoda said:

I don't do ESL

Just as well

[Liverpool Lou]

7 hours ago, digbeth said:

but from their perspective, what happens if you go and bought a dish and caried around and found out there are no seats available? 

That's one of the downsides of dining in a food court, goes with the territory.  One solution would be to just sit down and eat at an occupied table with an unused chair, those already there do not have any greater entitlement to it.

[Liverpool Lou]

6 hours ago, JBChiangRai said:

In hotels I collect all the towels on sunbeds and put them in a pile.

Why?

[Liverpool Lou]

2 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

And why did you think you have the right to reserve that table for you? 

He's special, he's a western AN member.

Edited May 25 by Liverpool Lou

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, freeworld said:

Its the same as a couple finding a table, one sits down while the other goes off to buy food, whats the difference?

I think that is a huge difference. A person is a person, and likely that person doesn't want to sit there alone forever. The other person will likely join them soon, all is fine.

 

I guess that some of those "reserve signs" will be there for a long time, maybe a person who works at the shopping center goes there at 11am, reserves one of the many free tables, and then they go for lunch sometime after 12. No problem, I reserved a table...

 

Personally, I don't need laws for everything I do. When I do something, then I automatically think about if that is a good idea considering my surrounding. I.e. I don't play something loud on my phone in public, especially in a lift or such occasions. Is there a law against that? I don't know, probably not, it's just something most civilized people don't do. We also don't stop in the middle of a busy walkway or reserve a toilet just in case we case to use it an hour later.

 

If you think such behavior is acceptable, that is your problem. It seems there are enough people who think like you.

 

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, khunPer said:

Same as putting towel on a sunbed by the pool or on the beach at a resort to reserve it for later...

 

In my opinion it's Okay to find a table first and then get the food, instead of standing with a tray with warm food and nowhere to sit...

Do you also think the towel reservation is ok, and then not using it for hours?

[OneMoreFarang]

9 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Why?

He helps the hotel staff to keep the pool clean. 

[JBChiangRai]

7 hours ago, JBChiangRai said:

In hotels I collect all the towels on sunbeds and put them in a pile.

 

21 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Why?

 

8 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

He helps the hotel staff to keep the pool clean. 

 

Because I don't like this tactic of rushing down to the pool, spreading out your towels to reserve your sunbeds whilst you toddle off for breakfast.

 

Later in the day, people will leave their soiled towels on sunbeds and go back to their rooms, nobody can use those sunbeds because they don't know if they are free until the staff collect them all which is typically at sunset.

 

Are you on of those people who race to the pool to spread your towel before strolling to a leisurely breakfast?

[Liverpool Lou]

18 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

Are you on of those people who race to the pool to spread your towel before strolling to a leisurely breakfast?

Are you the self-appointed towel monitor?

[Kalasin Jo]

7 hours ago, HappyExpat57 said:

Another case of T.I.T.S.?

No. It happens in other countries too. Not to mention the habit of placing a beach towel on a sunbed by the hotel pool at dawn apparently to reserve it for the day then clearing off for a an hour or more to get some more sleep, put your make up on, go to the gym,  get breakfast etc. One nationality excelled at this antisocial behaviour but now it seems it's very common place.

[JBChiangRai]

4 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Are you the self-appointed towel monitor?

 

If I am staying at the hotel and witness it, then Yes indeed I am.

[richard_smith237]

8 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

What do you do in such situation? 

 

IF there is no where else to sit, just take one of the 'reserved seats' on a larger table, assuming its just one or two people. 

If they don't like it, thats kind of tough.

 

But, they are only avoiding the issue you were potentially facing in ensuring there was somewhere to sit when they had  a tray full of food...  completely understandable and not really the end of the world. 

 

 

 

[Kalasin Jo]

Like you did within a minute, find another free table if alone, or if accompanied one of you stays at the table and the other gets the food in. Or sit and when the owner(s) of the left items returns politely say how glad you are they remembered they had left the items behind as you were about to hand them in to staff.  If they say it was to " reserve" the table  you could politely say tables are not reservable here but I don't mind sharing the table with you or ask them if they mind sharing the table with you as it is so busy. at the moment. Better still go earlier or later., after the rush.

I think this is inevitable at busy times. Yes it is annoying but it's even more so if your alone, you've got your food on a tray but there is nowhere to sit, especially if you see people who have finished still lingering, deeply involved with their mobiles. I'd go and stand in front of them with  full tray looking desperate. Polite people should get the message, clear the table and move. These places are designed for rapid turnover not for a leisurely meal. 

[KhunLA]

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

That's one of the downsides of dining in a food court, goes with the territory.  One solution would be to just sit down and eat at an occupied table with an unused chair, those already there do not have any greater entitlement to it.

We've done that, asked first of course, and visa versa, told people to sit, when obviously looking and can't find a spot.  Only 2 of us, usually, and most are tables for 4 or more.

[OneMoreFarang]

16 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

IF there is no where else to sit, just take one of the 'reserved seats' on a larger table, assuming its just one or two people. 

If they don't like it, thats kind of tough.

 

But, they are only avoiding the issue you were potentially facing in ensuring there was somewhere to sit when they had  a tray full of food...  completely understandable and not really the end of the world. 

 

Yes, I agree, it's not the end of the world.

 

I just think that if nobody would reserve a table then there would be more free tables, and then nobody would see the need to reserve a table.

If more people do their reservations and if they do this for longer times, then the situation gets worse for everybody.

And if nobody reserves a table then the opposite is true.

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

Thanks for all your replies.

 

To make this clear: Yes, it's not a big problem, and normally I avoid rush hour. But on that day, I just finished a meeting at that time, and I had one dish from the food court in my mind. I bought the food, I found a table, and all was fine.

 

This thread is about such behavior in general. Personally, I think it's not nice to reserve a table like that. It seems some members here agree with me, and others disagree. Fine.

That's the whole purpose of this thread and communicating with each other. Finding out what other people think. We don't have to agree with each other all the time. It's still interesting to understand why people behave the way they do. 

[EVENKEEL]

8 hours ago, freeworld said:

Worse are those who have finished eating, and linger on staring into their phones and many when they get up do not clear their tables just leaving the mess behind for others to clear after them.

No body clears the table after eating. 

[richard_smith237]

10 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

 

Yes, I agree, it's not the end of the world.

 

I just think that if nobody would reserve a table then there would be more free tables, and then nobody would see the need to reserve a table.

If more people do their reservations and if they do this for longer times, then the situation gets worse for everybody.

And if nobody reserves a table then the opposite is true.

 

 

 

100% agree...     many such issues are caused by 'human nature' and are the measure of civility within a culture. 

 

Some cultures express a better consideration of the 'greater good'... whereas others express more of a 'me first' attitude... and the more that 'me first' attitude is prevalent, the worse it gets - its also often exacerbated the busier a place is... 

 

 

 

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

28 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

100% agree...     many such issues are caused by 'human nature' and are the measure of civility within a culture. 

 

Some cultures express a better consideration of the 'greater good'... whereas others express more of a 'me first' attitude... and the more that 'me first' attitude is prevalent, the worse it gets - its also often exacerbated the busier a place is... 

 

It might also depend on the "class" of the people.

I wonder if this reservation concept is more often used i.e. in the expensive Paragon or i.e. in a Big C somewhere.

I don't know, it would be interesting.

[scorecard]

9 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Sometimes I go to food courts, yesterday in Terminal 21 about noon. It was busy.

I went to the shop and bought my meal and then I looked for a table.

There were lots of tables without people, but on most of them were small or not so small items like an umbrella, maybe a keycard, or a shopping bag.

It seems some people "reserved" these tables by putting something on the table and then walk away and take their time to get the food. And then I guess they expect that everyone recognizes that the table is blocked/reserved by them and nobody else is allowed to use it.

 

I find this behavior strange and annoying. Sit there and use the table or the table is available for other people. It could be simple.

 

Luckily, I found a free table within a minute, and all was fine. But I considered already going to one of those reserved tables, put whatever someone put on the table to the side, and then eat there.

And if someone would come and complain: Yes, I noticed you forgot your bag. Here, take it back. 😉 

 

What do you do in such situation? 

 

 

I guess the world will end. Buy lots of tissues.

[fondue zoo]

9 hours ago, JBChiangRai said:

In hotels I collect all the towels on sunbeds and put them in a pile.

 

yeah, move all the items to different tables in a row

[OneMoreFarang]

5 minutes ago, fondue zoo said:

yeah, move all the items to different tables in a row

 

And then have a hidden camera to film how everybody accuses the others why they did that. 

[Screaming]

This tread is really funny, arguing about the seating at the "fine dining" establishment of Terminal 21.