Mum cops it over common cafe act while dining out with kids

"They spent the whole time tutting and giving us dirty looks." Would you do what this mum did?

A mum received a lesson in cafe etiquette after she took her kids out to eat recently at a local cafe.  

Explaining the situation to Mumsnet, she said the cafe was so busy when they arrived, they decided to do some shopping and come back later when there were tables available. 

After 30 minutes or so, the group headed back and saw that there was an empty table of four, so made a beeline for it.

"We sat down and took off our coats etc. and then went up to order," she began her post. 

She didn't think anything of this until she saw a couple at the counter complaining about their group to the waitress.

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Image: IStock

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"They spent the whole time in there giving us dirty looks"

"Apparently, they had been about to sit at our table and as it was the last one available in there they now had nowhere to sit," the mum explained. "Staff were very good and moved things around to get them some chairs but they spent the whole time in there tutting and giving us dirty looks."

The mum said she believes that when you're at a busy cafe, you should "always" find a table first and then order.

"If we waited in line with the kids and then went to find a table and couldn't get one, we would be stuck as the kids are too young to take the food or drink as takeaway," she reasoned.

"But then I did feel really uncomfortable and that maybe we did something wrong."

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"You're in the wrong here"

In the comments, people saw both sides.

"There will always be arguments for and against this. I run a coffee shop, and when it’s busy, I end up getting tables and reserving them for people joining the queue to avoid any confrontation!" one person wrote.

Another argued, "I wouldn't take a table away from someone who'd already paid and had nowhere to eat their food. You're in the wrong here."

"Food first, then table. Exceptions, elderly or pregnant," a third stated.

And a fourth claimed, "If it was the last table and there are people buying food it's fairly obvious what their intentions were."

On the other hand, a different woman said, "I vote table first and then food. I'm not going to order food if there isn't a table, so the other way around seems a bit daft to me."

"You're not unreasonable at all," agreed someone else. "Why on earth would you line up if you don't even know if you're able to sit down."

"Always get a table first, then some of your group can order while the others sit and wait. Pointless for all of you to join the queue!" replied another. 

Originally published as Mum cops it over common cafe act while dining out with kids