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Post by elinoah on Oct 11, 2015 16:01:14 GMT
This week in NY, we went into a Shake Shak to eat dinner. (like a 5 guys or a glorified MCDs) It was pouring rain outside and I was with my sister and 70 year old aunt. We were exhausted from several days of sightseeing. Anyways, we go in to the place and it is packed with people everywhere, ordering, getting food etc. We go ahead and order our food with the idea we would try and find a place to sit when we got it. My aunt gets hers. I see a table of teenage girls in the corner, no food on the table giggling over their phones, I ask them if they would mind going to the B&N next door if they were finished so that we could sit down. They say, no problem and get up and leave.
My aunt sits down and as I go to sit down, this woman comes over screaming at me that I was cutting and that they were waiting for the next available table and that they should get this table! They do not even have their food yet. I tell them this table was NOT available until I asked people to leave, so we would be sitting there. I then offered to share the table by saying the three of us would share two chairs on one side and the two of them could share the other side. She just keeps screaming at me and how rude I am and how there was a line waiting to sit down. The women just kept telling me that they had been waiting and I was being unfair. I told her again that I made the table available by asking people to leave and that I would be sitting there. If she wanted to she could sit as well, we would make due. But of course she refused and then went off and talked to some other group of people who were supposedly waiting as well complaining about me and calling me a B!
There was no line that I was aware of, it is just a busy come and go place. Tons of people were ordering to go and leaving. I never even saw any of these people until I went to sit down. (meaning they were not distinguishable in the crowd as a line)
I felt a little bad about facing the woman down and it shook me up, but the fact was, I took initiative and asked people to leave in order to sit down.
What do the peas think?
Just to be clear this was NOT a Steak and Shake. NO ONE seats you. This is more like a McDonalds.
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Post by Susie_Homemaker on Oct 11, 2015 16:07:27 GMT
That woman was so rude and way out of line. If all she wanted was a seat you offered her that and she continued to yell and be awful. She just wanted to be angry and cause a scene.
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GiantsFan
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Post by GiantsFan on Oct 11, 2015 16:09:37 GMT
Well, I would never have asked people (teens or adults) already at a table to leave, but that's good initiative on your part.
As far as the other lady, tough cookies. In my years of eating at quickie restaurants there is no line for tables. You hang around and grab the first one you see. In fact when DH and I go to a busy place one of of stands in line to order while the other finds an empty table.
You were not in the wrong.
And FWIW, we have given our table up or shared with older people. IMO, it's the right thing to do.
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lizacreates
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Post by lizacreates on Oct 11, 2015 16:10:00 GMT
I don’t see anything wrong with what you did. To even suggest sharing the table and that you and your party would make do with less space is very considerate. I just don’t understand the way some people react to situations nowadays. If I go by 2PR experiences I’ve read here, it seems that a lot of people react explosively and disproportionately to situations that are basically benign!
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johnnysmom
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Post by johnnysmom on Oct 11, 2015 16:12:23 GMT
Everytime (admittedly, like twice) I've been to Steak & Shake we were seating by someone. But that's neither here nor there.....she's the crazy lady, you didn't do anything wrong. But a confrontation like that would have left me shaken up as I don't like confrontation even if I am right.
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Rhondito
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Post by Rhondito on Oct 11, 2015 16:13:49 GMT
So someone WITH food was expected to stand around holding it so that someone WITHOUT food could sit down? Uh, no.
You did the right thing.
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Post by elinoah on Oct 11, 2015 16:13:56 GMT
Well, I normally would not ask people to leave, but the girls were not eating and just playing on their phones, I asked them nicely and even suggested they go next door to the Barnes and Noble to stay dry. They were not upset at all.
I just never get into altercations with people and probably would not have this time except I was just exhausted, my aunt was falling over and the woman just seemed nuts. The look on her daughters face seemed like maybe this was not the first time something happened. My sister just said that woman made a rule up in her mind and then got mad when no one followed it. But naturally it has bothered me for since then.
Edited: This is a Shake Shak, not steak and shake, not waitresses, or being seated. Walk up to the counter and get your food type of place, like a 5 guys.
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Post by myshelly on Oct 11, 2015 16:20:53 GMT
Everytime (admittedly, like twice) I've been to Steak & Shake we were seating by someone. But that's neither here nor there.....she's the crazy lady, you didn't do anything wrong. But a confrontation like that would have left me shaken up as I don't like confrontation even if I am right. ?? That's a different restaurant. |
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Deleted
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May 8, 2024 9:40:41 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 11, 2015 16:23:45 GMT
Well, I normally would not ask people to leave, but the girls were not eating and just playing on their phones, I asked them nicely and even suggested they go next door to the Barnes and Noble to stay dry. They were not upset at all. I just never get into altercations with people and probably would not have this time except I was just exhausted, my aunt was falling over and the woman just seemed nuts. The look on her daughters face seemed like maybe this was not the first time something happened. My sister just said that woman made a rule up in her mind and then got mad when no one followed it. But naturally it has bothered me for since then. Edited: This is a Shake Shak, not steak and shake, not waitresses, or being seated. Walk up to the counter and get your food type of place, like a 5 guys. That's it, exactly. Your sister hit the nail on the head. I think you took initiative in finding a seat, and even offered to share when she presented you with her problem. You solved her problem of not having a seat. So, clearly she just wanted to be mad. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 11, 2015 16:58:00 GMT
I admit, I can see being annoyed that someone else went and took a table if they came in after me... because I'd be the person standing and waiting quietly for the next table to leave, instead of asking a table of people to leave. But I wouldn't be rude, I doubt I'd say anything at all, and I'd probably recognize that I could have been more assertive and asked the people not eating if they would be done soon so we could have their table.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 11, 2015 17:02:14 GMT
She screamed at you and berated you and you volunteered to share a table w her?
Wow.
I think you must be Jesus.
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Post by papercrafteradvocate on Oct 11, 2015 17:03:45 GMT
The Steak & Shake here is a place where your are seated by the staff and you give your order to the staff who then serves you. At The counter, you order and take your food to go, not to one of their tables. If that is the same restaurant, then yes, you were out of line not waiting to be seated by staff.
However based on what "wasn't said" in your OP, (you don't mention what the staff did or said) it's hard to say for sure! Lol! Did they say or do anything???
In any case, she was out of line making a scene and calling you names!
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Post by epeanymous on Oct 11, 2015 17:16:37 GMT
Ugh. I hate places like that and often just don't go in if it is that crowded. There are a lot of competing social rules. On the one hand, first to the table gets it. On the other hand, maybe first to get their food should get a table. When you have a table, you have a table. But then maybe you shouldn't keep sitting there when other people are waiting even if you are enjoying yourself. Plus while I don't think you did anything wrong, having people vulturing over your table because you look like you are almost finished, or asking if they can have your table when you are done, sis annoying.
Anyhow, I suppose that was a hard-core first-world-problem mini vent. As to your question, if there was a fairly obvious line of people waiting for tables and you went out asking people if you could have theirs, I think you did something that is not worth confronting anyone about but would be impolite, although it is probably true that there would not have been a table if you didn't say something. That said, I am guessing based on your description that this was more like people milling around all over the place, in which case I am not sure what else you could have done anyway.
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Post by myshelly on Oct 11, 2015 17:17:27 GMT
The Steak & Shake here is a place where your are seated by the staff and you give your order to the staff who then serves you. At The counter, you order and take your food to go, not to one of their tables. If that is the same restaurant, then yes, you were out of line not waiting to be seated by staff. However based on what "wasn't said" in your OP, (you don't mention what the staff did or said) it's hard to say for sure! Lol! Did they say or do anything??? In any case, she was out of line making a scene and calling you names! It is not Steak and Shake. That is NOT the restaurant she named in the OP. |
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lesley
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Post by lesley on Oct 11, 2015 17:19:48 GMT
The Steak & Shake here is a place where your are seated by the staff and you give your order to the staff who then serves you. At The counter, you order and take your food to go, not to one of their tables. If that is the same restaurant, then yes, you were out of line not waiting to be seated by staff. However based on what "wasn't said" in your OP, (you don't mention what the staff did or said) it's hard to say for sure! Lol! Did they say or do anything??? In any case, she was out of line making a scene and calling you names! The OP already confirmed it was a Steak Shak, not a Steak & Shake. |
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Post by elinoah on Oct 11, 2015 17:29:43 GMT
To be clear I was not hovering over the girls I asked to move. While waiting the 10 minutes or so on our food, I was watching for tables. I noticed those girls with no food on the table and they had been there awhile. I was very nice to them and like I said my Aunt had just gotten her food when I asked.
It is really no biggie cause it is over and done with now. Although, it did sour my meal. I was mainly curious to see what other people thought. I am not even sure those people were waiting longer than we were. We had already ordered our food and they had not. So maybe they were waiting for a table and then ordering. I don't know. We came in waited in line, ordered and then waited about 10 minutes for food. They could easily have come in and waited for a table before going to get in line to order food, in which case we would have been there longer. She was literally yelling at me and I was so oblivious that I was talking over her shoulder to my sister about getting mustard that at first I did not realize what the woman was even saying.
Oh well. Life goes on.
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gsquaredmom
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Post by gsquaredmom on Oct 11, 2015 17:35:59 GMT
Right
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Post by cmhs on Oct 11, 2015 17:39:21 GMT
I've only been to Shake Shack in NYC and it was a packed madhouse. Really, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the "correct" way to procure a seat. We ended up taking our food outside and ate it standing next to the window.
I agree with the pp who said the lady made up the rules in her head and expected everyone to follow them.
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Post by originalvanillabean on Oct 11, 2015 17:50:19 GMT
I think you were fine. She was a bit off.
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Post by 950nancy on Oct 11, 2015 17:50:55 GMT
When I walk into a crowded place my OCD takes over and I start scoping out a seat right away. I haven't ever seen a line of people waiting for a table. I see people doing the same thing I am doing. They send little Joey to find a table while the rest of us order. I haven't ever been to a Shake Shak, but know people that love it. I agree with the woman who thought she made up the rules for the restaurant. She was clearly stressed and having a bad day or unfortunately is having a rough life.
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johnnysmom
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Post by johnnysmom on Oct 11, 2015 18:47:34 GMT
Everytime (admittedly, like twice) I've been to Steak & Shake we were seating by someone. But that's neither here nor there.....she's the crazy lady, you didn't do anything wrong. But a confrontation like that would have left me shaken up as I don't like confrontation even if I am right. ?? That's a different restaurant. Well hell you're right. That's what I get for trying to do too many things at once  Either way, my opinion stands.....other lady was crazy, the OP did nothing wrong. |
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Post by anniefb on Oct 11, 2015 18:52:20 GMT
I don’t see anything wrong with what you did. To even suggest sharing the table and that you and your party would make do with less space is very considerate. I just don’t understand the way some people react to situations nowadays. If I go by 2PR experiences I’ve read here, it seems that a lot of people react explosively and disproportionately to situations that are basically benign! Exactly! |
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craftykitten
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Post by craftykitten on Oct 11, 2015 19:00:26 GMT
You're good, don't worry. I'd have done the same, especially with elderly relatives who were tired.
I can see that maybe if I were that tired and hungry, I *might* totally overreact if someone else took a table I 'thought' was rightfully mine. But then I would expect someone else I was with (like BF) to be reasonable and calm me down!
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Post by nlwilkins on Oct 11, 2015 19:23:39 GMT
party with senior citizen, that is eldery 70 year old tired lady, trumps any other party except one with two elderlay ladies. To me tha tis just plain oourtesy. EVEN IF the lady was sure your were bumping, you still trump her with the elderly lady.
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anniebygaslight
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Post by anniebygaslight on Oct 11, 2015 19:27:49 GMT
You asked someone sitting at a table to leave? Wow.
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Post by elaine on Oct 11, 2015 19:33:27 GMT
We have a Shake Shack at Tyson's here and it is nuts. Always packed and it is definitely " fend for yourself" in terms of seating at the way-too-few tables. The Shake Shack at the Nationals Ball Park always has the longest line in the stadium and our boys still insist eating from there. Waiting in that 45 minute-1 hour line makes me stabby, but I would never take it out on someone else!
That lady was a nut. If she can't handle the fall-out of going to a trendy burger joint, she should go someplace else.
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Post by knit.pea on Oct 11, 2015 19:44:15 GMT
On our visit to Shake Shack in NYC, there was no seating method.
At Shake Shack in Covent Garden (UK), you got your food *then* got in a line
for their seating area; you couldn't get a seat beforehand. They have
employees handling the seating.
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georgiapea
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Post by georgiapea on Oct 11, 2015 19:51:15 GMT
You were fine, you basically negotiated for that table. I'd have told the screaming woman to buzz off.
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Post by Zee on Oct 11, 2015 20:11:49 GMT
I wouldn't have asked someone to leave so I could have their table, but it seems in that setting that the table was yours. No lines, no waiting to be seated by a hostess, so...oh well
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NoWomanNoCry
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Post by NoWomanNoCry on Oct 11, 2015 20:46:20 GMT
I wouldn't have asked someone to leave so I could have their table, but it seems in that setting that the table was yours. No lines, no waiting to be seated by a hostess, so...oh well I agree 100% |
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Either way, my opinion stands.....other lady was crazy, the OP did nothing wrong.
Refupea #39
