Panera's Table Hog

[letmetellyou]

Ah! Another IGNORE worthy candidate hits the forums.

I didn't say my needs were greater. Sure you did. You said his tables were covered in "junk" so you couldn't sit down. I was mostly pointing out that there were other tables available that would accommodate him and his laptop and that he need not impact the ability of other diners to find adequate seating nor the potential loss of profits to the establishment.

And BTW I wasn't being a rude prick in my observations or statements.

Now on to that convenient ignore function.

You felt your need to sit you and your wife's fat *** down was greater than his need to do what ever work he was doing. You made an assumption that he was either working or surfing for porn. ( I guess you figured this out because those are the only two uses you have for a computer). You have no idea what his impact is on the business because you have no idea what he spends there. Maybe he is the restaurant's most loyal customer and spends hundreds of dollars there a week. You have no idea, but your self importance makes you want to come on here and rant about his bad behavior because of your feeling of superiority. STFU! Ignore that!

 

[glhs837]

Maybe its not about the restaurant, it's about that individual, and being a good citizen and not placing his need to take up four seats, in a restaurant, I might add, over the needs of others to sit and eat at a restaurant. Which is a place for people to eat, I might add.

As always, it comes down to folks being selfish. A society is better when folks look around and try to minimize how their actions negatively impact others. Or, they could just continue being selfish.

 

[GWguy]

Maybe its not about the restaurant, it's about that individual, and being a good citizen and not placing his need to take up four seats, in a restaurant, I might add, over the needs of others to sit and eat at a restaurant. Which is a place for people to eat, I might add.

As always, it comes down to folks being selfish. A society is better when folks look around and try to minimize how their actions negatively impact others. Or, they could just continue being selfish.

I keep thinking how this might have played out if this were Japan. We could learn a lot from that culture. Think back to the tsunami.

 

[Sweet 16]

If the management thought it was a problem, I'm sure they would have asked him to move to a smaller table

No, typically restaurants will not ask any paying customer to do that. Not unless they want to get sued. Even when the customer is wrong, they are ALWAYS right!

 

[ftcret]

Restaurants range from unpretentious lunching or dining places catering to people working nearby, with simple food served in simple settings at low prices, to expensive establishments serving refined food and wines in a formal setting. In the former case, customers usually wear casual clothing. In the latter case, depending on culture and local traditions, customers might wear semi-casual, semi-formal, or even in rare cases formal wear.

Typically, customers sit at tables, their orders are taken by a waiter, who brings the food when it is ready, and the customers pay the bill before leaving. In finer restaurants there will be a host or hostess or even a maître d'hôtel to welcome customers and to seat them. Other staff waiting on customers include busboys and sommeliers.

Personally, I believe Panera to be something other than a restaurant perhaps an eatery which can be defined as a commercial establishment serving food. Regardless - (irregardless for the locals), Free Wifi is an encouragement for customers to take all the time they want, no limits on tables/seats - feel free to go (as I do) someplace not as pretentious or catering to those who cannot be disconnected from the internets for any length of time. When i find a place that offers free wifi in addition to food I cross it off my list, No more Bob Evans, Panera, certain McDonalds and on and on.
.

 

[vraiblonde]

Free Wifi is an encouragement for customers to take all the time they want, no limits on tables/seats -

Just like at the Starbuck's. If they didn't want you to hang around forever, they wouldn't give you a reason to do so. Yes, it would have been nice if the person had taken a two-seater instead of a four, but maybe there were none available when he sat down. Really, was he supposed to pack up and change tables just because someone else wants his seat?

At what point do we get to say, "Too bad, I was here first"?

 

[libertytyranny]

If you are going to be there awhile, the booths are more comfy than the tiny two seater tables, plus, if you have lots of papers/books you need more space. He got the table, move on. They offer wifi and catering because they like their business clients. Even when the place is packed tables turn over fast enough where you can find somewhere to sit.

 

[BadGirl]

If it were me sitting in a big table, knowing that I was there in the middle of their busiest lunch/dinner crowd, and saw that someone needed the table, I'd get up and let whoever needed it have it. I'd feel guilty as hell sitting there hogging up all that space when other paying customers need the table, despite that I was there first.

Now, if it were a slack time and business was slow, I'd camp out at a large table until it came the time that someone else needed the table.

 

[hvp05]

I'm falling into the camp saying that the person may have been a jerk, but he was under no obligation to move, unless told to do so.

I do have to laugh at Panera being called a 'restaurant' (allegedly). They serve soup, sandwiches, bagels and they have tiny tables. I think many people's first problem is expecting a formal dining experience.

 

[BadGirl]

I'm falling into the camp saying that the person may have been a jerk, but he was under no obligation to move, unless told to do so.

I do have to laugh at Panera being called a 'restaurant' (allegedly). They serve soup, sandwiches, bagels and they have tiny tables. I think many people's first problem is expecting a formal dining experience.

That they promote themselves as a "Bakery - Cafe" insinuates that they place a higher order on their food than on their internet capability/availability. If they called themselves a "Bakery - Internet Cafe", then I'd have a different opinion. But their business position is to be a RESTAURANT, that just happens to have wi-fi available.

 

[ftcret]

That they promote themselves as a "Bakery - Cafe" insinuates that they place a higher order on their food than on their internet capability/availability. If they called themselves a "Bakery - Internet Cafe", then I'd have a different opinion. But their business position is to be a RESTAURANT, that just happens to have wi-fi available.

That shyte isnt there by accident, it didnt just 'happen', it is a marketing technique even if it isnt in the name they certainly promote it when advertising. The intention is to entice users to stay and some of them might even spend money - I for one and going there now to get the biggest table for me and all my FB friends before the pesky 'eaters' show up...

 

[BadGirl]

That shyte isnt there by accident, it didnt just 'happen', it is a marketing technique even if it isnt in the name they certainly promote it when advertising. The intention is to entice users to stay and some of them might even spend money - I for one and going there now to get the biggest table for me and all my FB friends before the pesky 'eaters' show up...

You make a very valid point. Perhaps my saying that "just happens to have..." was a little flippant.

Anyway, regardless of their wi-fi availability, I'd still - PERSONALLY - feel awful if I were taking up valuable real estate if someone else were in need of it.

 

[vraiblonde]

I don't really understand why a restaurant would have wi-fi in the first place. Are you there to eat, or to surf the internet? To me that's just asking for vagrants to camp out all day nursing a beverage.

 

[bohman]

I'm falling into the camp saying that the person may have been a jerk, but he was under no obligation to move, unless told to do so.

I do have to laugh at Panera being called a 'restaurant' (allegedly). They serve soup, sandwiches, bagels and they have tiny tables. I think many people's first problem is expecting a formal dining experience.

So only formal restaurants (waiters, dress codes, etc) should feel obligated to provide a seat? Just because I'm not eating at the Ritz doesn't mean I don't want a seat, or at least some form of a table to sit the food on.

 

[ftcret]

So only formal restaurants (waiters, dress codes, etc) should feel obligated to provide a seat? Just because I'm not eating at the Ritz doesn't mean I don't want a seat, or at least some form of a table to sit the food on.

Then steer clear of an eatery/cafe/restaurant/whatever you want to call it that caters to such behavior as 'surfers' - problem solved.

 

[bohman]

Then steer clear of an eatery/cafe/restaurant/whatever you want to call it that caters to such behavior as 'surfers' - problem solved.

I've actually never had a problem getting a table at Panera, just playing devil's advocate.

I'm pretty sure that if I ever go there when it's crowded enough that getting a table looks dicey, I'll just walk around to 5 Guys.

 

[ftcret]

I've actually never had a problem getting a table at Panera, just playing devil's advocate.

I'm pretty sure that if I ever go there when it's crowded enough that getting a table looks dicey, I'll just walk around to 5 Guys.

 

[hvp05]

Just because I'm not eating at the Ritz doesn't mean I don't want a seat, or at least some form of a table to sit the food on.

So go find one. You said you will walk in and order then check if a table is available. If a place is packed with no tables available, I will go somewhere else; if I am really hungry for something from that particular place, I will order and take away. Unless you're looking for an easy way to get a free meal by complaining you want a refund because the seat you waited to find until after ordering is not available.

I'm pretty sure that if I ever go there when it's crowded enough that getting a table looks dicey, I'll just walk around to 5 Guys.

You're not so stubborn after all.

 

[bohman]

You're not so stubborn after all.

That depends who you ask, my wife might disagree. Anyway, just having a discussion. A crowd at Panera won't ruin my dinner. It might relocate it, though.

 

[bulldog]

Here's your sign

The Panera in Essex addresses this with a sign that is posted which says something along the lines of asking wi-fi users to use a smaller table and leaving the bigger tables for other customers.

I had a school paper due the Monday after returning from vacation in Hungary on Saturday, but we were staying in Essex for Easter and no internet service at Mom's house. So, off to Panera I went. I ordered a full breakfast and sat at a table for 4...because it was the only table I could find that had an electrical outlet that I could use and I knew I'd need the power. However, I did keep a sharp eye out for folks who may be looking for a larger table than what was available and would have gladly given mine up if the need was there.

At any rate, the fact that they had the sign was part of my point. Don't know if they all have them or not. The second part is the electric...maybe he sat there for that reason.