Have you ever had your table stolen at a restaurant?

[Bluestars]

This actually happened to me about 2 years ago at Le Chefs de France. The person calling out names spoke with a very thick accent. I went up to him after waiting over an hour to be seated and he said he already called my name and I was seated. I told him that was incorrect. He felt bad and gave us complimentary champagne. I think restaurants are better off giving out pagers vs calling out names.

I like pagers much better than calling out names.

 

[PghPixie]

Haven't had the table stolen as you are saying. However, we were on vacation in Jamaica, having just sat down for the buffet breakfast. We were served our coffee and went to the buffet to get our food. While we were up getting food, our table was cleared as they thought we left! We had just sat down and got our coffee. They were apologetic but it was sort of funny! We all had a good laugh

That happened to me once. I was out to eat alone with my son. We got up to go to the bathroom before our food even came. Apparently, the waitress brought our food while we were gone and a bus boy walked past immediately after and cleared the table, thinking we had left (without even touching our food??) It was kind of funny and an honest mistake, but pretty annoying because we had to wait for another meal to be cooked.

 

[Pixiedustaway]

Our food was thrown out once. We were in hershey eating at the hotel. Went up to the buffet and all our plates were taken. My kids had the buffet, we ordered off the menu. I saw the waitress carrying them away and said hey we weren't done. She apologized and got us new food. It took a little bit but they comped all the meals. We only paid for one.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

I think I must be a bad person, because after reading this thread I am thinking "hmmm, this could work...maybe I'll try this next time I'm waiting ages to get into a restaurant..."

 

[manning]

Inconsiderate people!
I would have asked the Hostess to take me to the table ... Embarrassed them....
But that's just me

Have them ejected...loudly

 

[JoeA]

I thought it happened once. I sat down, ordered, and then went to the bathroom to wash my hands.

When I came back the table was gone! My first thought was, "who stole my table?!" Then I realized I was just drunk and I was in the wrong restaraunt.

 

[PlainJane]

It could have been an accident. I took a guy's drink once at Starbucks, thankfully we figured out my mistake before I took a sip.

 

[RedAngie]

Not a table but I have had my order at WaWa stolen. They make your sandwich, slap it on the counter and then call out your number. I must have been in another part of the store when my number was called. It was taking forever. When I approached the counter and inquired about my order, they said it had been picked up

The store associates are SUPPOSED to keep your order behind the counter, and they're SUPPOSED to match your paid slip to your order number. But that doesn't often happen in practice. The store manager should have offered to make you another sandwich.

 

[RedAngie]

I don't know if someone "stole" our table, but the other night we attempted to eat at a restaurant at Universal's City Walk. Hostess said it would be a 30 minute wait, took my cell phone number, and said she would text when the table was ready. Four days later I'm still waiting for that text.

I KNOW she took my number correctly, because almost immediately a text came confirming the 30 minute wait. We waited about 45 minutes. I wanted to approach the hostess counter to see what the delay was, but DH was PO'd and wanted to go to another restaurant.

 

[here757]

I don't know if someone "stole" our table, but the other night we attempted to eat at a restaurant at Universal's City Walk. Hostess said it would be a 30 minute wait, took my cell phone number, and said she would text when the table was ready. Four days later I'm still waiting for that text.

I KNOW she took my number correctly, because almost immediately a text came confirming the 30 minute wait. We waited about 45 minutes. I wanted to approach the hostess counter to see what the delay was, but DH was PO'd and wanted to go to another restaurant.

Should call and ask

 

[cathyce2]

We had called ahead to be put on the list at Outback. When we arrived at the scheduled time the hostess said our party had been seated and she would be happy to direct us to join them. Uh, NO... we had all just arrived together. The hostess offered to put us back on the list for a 90 minute wait. The manager was very sorry but all the tables reserved for call ahead were filled and we would have to wait on the list. We went elsewhere and have never gone back. I hope that party of 6 choked on my steak

 

[Wishing on a star]

Too many very bad experiences at Outback.
Haven't been there in years, and have no desire.

 

[DebbieB]

I remember one time we were waiting at CRT to be called. They called the Royal B**** family and another family got up at the same time. Their name was Royal!

 

[BigAlsGal]

I remember one time we were waiting at CRT to be called. They called the Royal B**** family and another family got up at the same time. Their name was Royal!

Haha! The Royal Royals.

 

[magik]

I like pagers much better than calling out names.

I've had a table stolen even with a pager. My pager went off, we went up to be seatd and they said it must have gone off by mistake, so we kept waiting. 45 minutes later I asked how much longer, and they told me our party had already been seated. When I said our pager went off and when we came up we were told it went off my mistake so we went back to keep waiting; we definitely hadn't been seated. They found us a table then, but sure enough another (much smaller) party was sitting at the table that had a card with our family name on it. Think family of three sitting at a table that had obviously been set up for a party of 10.

 

[Bluestars]

I've had a table stolen even with a pager. My pager went off, we went up to be seatd and they said it must have gone off by mistake, so we kept waiting. 45 minutes later I asked how much longer, and they told me our party had already been seated. When I said our pager went off and when we came up we were told it went off my mistake so we went back to keep waiting; we definitely hadn't been seated. They found us a table then, but sure enough another (much smaller) party was sitting at the table that had a card with our family name on it. Think family of three sitting at a table that had obviously been set up for a party of 10.

Wow. That's crazy. I would have probably walked out from frustration.