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#Post#: 71355--------------------------------------------------
Restaurant seating
By: mime Date: November 2, 2021, 3:30 pm
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I think this is a little bit of etiquette:
A group of 12 of us from work went to lunch together. Some of us
started sitting at tables for 4 in the dining area. I (and some
others) figured that was good enough for our group. One of our
coworkers saw this and told us that there was a bigger table
upstairs and we should go there.
When we got upstairs, the table was one long counter running
along a railing that overlooks the main dining area. This means
we were all seated at a counter in a long line of 12.
Some people thought this was important because this allowed us
to be at the same table together. I didn't like it because I
thought it made conversation harder. I was second from the right
end, and was really only able to talk to the guy at the very end
because the next conversation in the lineup involved the 3
people to my left and it was hard to hear that 3rd person down
(and would have been even harder for the guy to my right to
participate).
I would have preferred to be at 3 tables of 4, or 2 tables of 6
where we're facing each other and can talk better. It seemed
pointless to me to be at a table of 12 when most of them can't
even interact.
What do you think? People seem to love the giant group table at
restaurants but I don't. Conversations tend to cluster around
little groups at the table and it seems to me that some people
get caught between convos and get left out. Is my preference for
smaller separate tables too restrictive?
#Post#: 71357--------------------------------------------------
Re: Restaurant seating
By: Hmmm Date: November 2, 2021, 4:13 pm
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I'd be ok with a table of 12 as long as it was a table with 5 or
6 on each side. 12 people lined up along a railing/bar is not
conducive to a conversation with more than 2 or 3 people.
In your situation, I don't think there would have been an easy
way to move the group back down to the lower area. But at least
you now know to not allow the that person to take the lead when
making dining arrangements.
#Post#: 71359--------------------------------------------------
Re: Restaurant seating
By: TootsNYC Date: November 2, 2021, 4:46 pm
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I think those sorts of setups are bad for big groups.
This is why I hate the really huge round tables at the wedding
receptions I go to--if the table gets too big, you can really
only talk to the person on your right and your left.
I don't see any value in having people literally touching the
same table.
#Post#: 71368--------------------------------------------------
Re: Restaurant seating
By: lowspark Date: November 3, 2021, 7:47 am
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[quote author=Hmmm link=topic=2196.msg71357#msg71357
date=1635887623]
I'd be ok with a table of 12 as long as it was a table with 5 or
6 on each side. 12 people lined up along a railing/bar is not
conducive to a conversation with more than 2 or 3 people.
[/quote]
I agree. I totally get the desire to have everyone at one table.
After all, it's a group meal so you want the group to be
together. For me, this set up (five on each side with two at the
ends) is preferable to multiple tables because it does promote
the cohesiveness of the group. I have been to restaurants with
big groups and although you can't easily talk from one end of
the table to the other, you do have the opportunity to talk with
more of the group than separate tables allow.
However, in this case, it's worse. The long counter makes it
harder to talk with multiple people, not easier. So the benefit
of everyone being at one table actually turns into a
disadvantage.
I agree, too, that there wasn't much you could do at that point.
But like you, I would have been uncomfortable with how the
seating ended up.
In my experience, if you have that large a group, it's best to
call ahead and make a reservation. If that's not possible, then
yeah, I'd say smaller tables of four to six is not unreasonable.
#Post#: 71369--------------------------------------------------
Re: Restaurant seating
By: BeagleMommy Date: November 3, 2021, 8:01 am
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I always think with a group this large that reservations are
best. That way you can specify if you want a particular kind of
set up.
#Post#: 71373--------------------------------------------------
Re: Restaurant seating
By: Rose Red Date: November 3, 2021, 8:42 am
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One long counter where everyone face the wall is not for groups.
One long table where people face each other, or smaller tables
are much better and less awkward. Even better is if they have
private rooms.
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