Really?!?!

[Athaelia]

As a former hostess, it depends on the restaurant as to whether the bar seating is FCFS. Maybe when it's not busy it's okay to seat yourself, and especially after or before dinner rush, but NEVER on a wait. As a custy, I usually ask the hostess , "Is the bar open seating?" Unless it's obvious it is.

It seems some customers only want what's inconvenient or belongs to someone else. At the Sportsbar there could be tons of open booths, but they want the dirty one and expect me to drop everything and clean it. Being that I'm kinda passive-agressive at work, I'll lie and say I have to do something else for another custy first and make their asses wait, then proceed to clean the table as s l o w l y as possible if time permits.

[PepperElf]

I was referring to my hostess days at a family restaurant no bar there.

sounds like they could have used one - for the employees that is. cos after dealing with some of the EWs that go to restaurants I'm sure the staff could use a few stiff drinks.

[blas]

I was referring to my hostess days at a family restaurant no bar there.

[Sparky]

Sparky -- If I read it correctly, the original customers were there first. They had simply left their tebla briefly unattended, and the new couple/SC's moved their drinks to the bar without asking.

Yes, I understood that. I was responding to Blas, who mentioned customers bypassing the hostess stand. The hostess is not involved in bar seating.

[EricKei]

I agree with KB -- Tabs are per table/group. The SC's just made themselves responsible for that table.

Alternatively, they should have just been thrown out immediately.

Sparky -- If I read it correctly, the original customers were there first. They had simply left their table briefly unattended, and the new couple/SC's moved their drinks to the bar without asking.

[Sparky]

Did you say this happened in the bar?

At the Garden of Olives, and some other restaurants, you have to wait to be seated in the regular restaurant, but tables in the bar are first come first served.

Doesn't excuse what the table-stealers did, but does explain how they did it. Hope the OPs were able to get a nice table.

[blas]

Doesn't surprise me.

It never failed, as a hostess, if I ever had customers try to sneak off to seat themselves (taking advantage of me not being at my post and ignoring the sign), they would ALWAYS go to a damn dirty table. Bonus points if they would give the death glare like "How dare this table be dirty!".....ya dumb bastards, every table around you BUT this one is clean!!!

[KatherineB]

The nerve of the SCs. I can just imagine what would happen if the people they moved had reserved that specific table, e.g. a couple on their wedding anniversary reserving the table they sat at for their first date.

2 3 ways the staff could have handled it better:

1) "That is NOT your table. We'll show you to your table - if you don't like the table you're assigned, GET OUT!".

2) For obvious reasons, the SCs were not assigned that table. Waitstaff see the original customers at a different location, and serve them there. They also let the waitperson assigned to the SC/table pairing (i.e. nobody) do ALL the serving for the SCs.

3) Pointed out to the table-stealers that, as the bill was linked to a table rather than a party, they would be picking up the tab for the people whose drinks they had moved as well as their own order.

[wolfie]

The nerve of the SCs. I can just imagine what would happen if the people they moved had reserved that specific table, e.g. a couple on their wedding anniversary reserving the table they sat at for their first date.

2 ways the staff could have handled it better:

1) "That is NOT your table. We'll show you to your table - if you don't like the table you're assigned, GET OUT!".

2) For obvious reasons, the SCs were not assigned that table. Waitstaff see the original customers at a different location, and serve them there. They also let the waitperson assigned to the SC/table pairing (i.e. nobody) do ALL the serving for the SCs.

[Pixilated]

People who only want what somebody else has already got?

[DaisyQueen]

I'm still shaking my head over this one. Yesterday I treated myself to a lovely lunch at the Garden of Olives. While sitting at the bar, I noticed a customer talking earnestly to the bartender at the other end. Because I'm nosy that way, I paid attention and found out this woman was complaining her table was taken. Apparently she and her companion had sat at the high top table, ordered drinks, and then went to the restroom briefly. In the time they were gone, a SC came up, MOVED their drinks to the bar, and claimed their table. When the original patrons (OPs) came back, they confronted the SC and her companion who both refused to move and claimed they thought OPs left. There was a confrontation, the SC people refused to move from their table, and the O.G. staff moved OPs to another place. The OPs were very nice, kept their voices low, and didn't want to make a scene but wanted to make sure SCs and staff knew they were very displeased.
I watched the rest of the time I was there and OPs were gracious and given a discount on their meal and great service. The SCs had the coldest service from their server I've seen in a long time. It cracked me up. They did seem to notice this finally and quickly finished their meal and left.
Seriously? Who steals a table at a restaurant in the middle of the day when it WAS NOT BUSY and they would have waited less than five minutes for the next one?! Good grief.