You absolutely nailed it with the annoyingly selfish claiming tables scenario. I stubbornly stand in line with my dining companion and refuse their suggestion to nab a table for all the reasons you've outlined. I reckon the cafes will have to take the lead, although it will probably require them to employ a suitably bossy maître d'... Unfortunately I think you're right about it being a wider societal issue - ref. the return to pointless jostling in plane aisles - even a medical emergency on a recent flight didn't stop people trying to push out ahead of the patient & first responders!
The table thing absolutely floods me with anxiety. Your system is an excellent idea, but there's always that one arsehole...(though if the rest of us are following a system, maybe we can collectively shame the dickheads?)
I would like to argue for the opposite: claiming a table before ordering saves the awkward search with your hands full of potential spills and messes! Extreme examples of what people use in other countries to save their tables: phones (South Korea), wallets (Dubai), tissue packets (Singapore), handkerchief (Japan), jackets (Canada & Finland). There was a viral video that went around, and the comment section is gold for finding which countries follow which protocol - https://www.tiktok.com/@matcha_samurai/video/7134518449828613381
You absolutely nailed it with the annoyingly selfish claiming tables scenario. I stubbornly stand in line with my dining companion and refuse their suggestion to nab a table for all the reasons you've outlined. I reckon the cafes will have to take the lead, although it will probably require them to employ a suitably bossy maître d'... Unfortunately I think you're right about it being a wider societal issue - ref. the return to pointless jostling in plane aisles - even a medical emergency on a recent flight didn't stop people trying to push out ahead of the patient & first responders!
I agree! Not an easy solve sadly.
The table thing absolutely floods me with anxiety. Your system is an excellent idea, but there's always that one arsehole...(though if the rest of us are following a system, maybe we can collectively shame the dickheads?)
Shame can be a very effective social tool!
I would like to argue for the opposite: claiming a table before ordering saves the awkward search with your hands full of potential spills and messes! Extreme examples of what people use in other countries to save their tables: phones (South Korea), wallets (Dubai), tissue packets (Singapore), handkerchief (Japan), jackets (Canada & Finland). There was a viral video that went around, and the comment section is gold for finding which countries follow which protocol - https://www.tiktok.com/@matcha_samurai/video/7134518449828613381
Great points! I quite like the tissue packet or handkerchief techniques.