Is this rude? (Dining)

Eating alone in the buffet dining-room and I try to keep people from taking my seat or waiters from clearing the table if I pop away for a second course. Usually I spread some papers out and leave a portion of meal at my seat to indicate its mine.

But what if I brought this?

Sure, nothing wrong with that.

Or just, ALREADY IN USE.

Or, GONE BACK FOR MORE.

Sure, nothing wrong with that.

 

Or just, ALREADY IN USE.

 

Or, GONE BACK FOR MORE.

I like those ideas suncityjim! I was looking for 'Seat Taken' as well but Reserved was all I can fine. Will search for those.;)

Cruisevv:

No reason to search for them, make your own.

If you have WORD or WORKS, you could print them up and make table tents to take along on your cruise.

That way you could have a real selection of them to use a different one for every meal.

Get yourself known as "the solo lady with the good sense of humor" or such.

How about "GONE GRAZING AGAIN" or "AT THE FOOD BAR".

Make it a fun thing. <G>

Enjoy your trip.

Jim

Eating alone in the buffet dining-room and I try to keep people from taking my seat or waiters from clearing the table if I pop away for a second course. Usually I spread some papers out and leave a portion of meal at my seat to indicate its mine.

 

But what if I brought this?

 

I kind of like the idea! But yes, different words, maybe, like "please do not clear"? Kind of like those table cards they have at some buffet restaurants now. One side says something like "All finished" and the other is a "Going back for more" message.

I wonder if taking the "please don't disturb" sign from the cabin might work...

It's a great idea, but I'm wondering if the waiters will understand those table tents, or if they will think that they are trash. While they speak English, I'm not sure if they would understand "gone grazing again" if they read it.

Once, I went to the buffet when there was only one table that had people seated at it. I got some food and brought it to another table, only to realize that I had forgotten to get something. I told a nearby waiter that I would be right back and not to take my food. He said okay. But when I got back to my table, my food was gone. The waiter was still standing there. I asked him why my food was gone. He said that another waiter had taken it. Apparently, he knew that I didn't want HIM to take it, but he had no problem allowing another waiter to take it.

It's a great idea, but I'm wondering if the waiters will understand those table tents, or if they will think that they are trash. While they speak English, I'm not sure if they would understand "gone grazing again" if they read it.

 

Once, I went to the buffet when there was only one table that had people seated at it. I got some food and brought it to another table, only to realize that I had forgotten to get something. I told a nearby waiter that I would be right back and not to take my food. He said okay. But when I got back to my table, my food was gone. The waiter was still standing there. I asked him why my food was gone. He said that another waiter had taken it. Apparently, he knew that I didn't want HIM to take it, but he had no problem allowing another waiter to take it.

That's pretty funny. And you're right about the language barrier - :-/. The waiters I spoken to were Russian and Filipino. Reserved might do the trick. I didn't have any problems of the table being cleared last time I was on the cruise but better safe than sorry especially since I love to get the window seats.

Reserved might do the trick.

I don't know about that. You're suggesting that even if a waiter doesn't understand the printed words "gone grazing again," he might understand the printed word "Reserved." I'm not so sure. And again, I'm not sure that a waiter is going to give some item left by a passenger the proper scrutiny it deserves, or if he will think it's a piece of garbage and throw it away.

What I don't understand is that I've written to a number of cruiselines that I've sailed with suggesting that they make something like table tents (of course, I did not use the term "table tent" because I had never thought of it, although it is a great term) for people to use at the buffet. It would be like the red-green thing people use at the Brazilian all you can eat meat parade restaurants, where you display the green side if you want to be served, and you display the red side if you want to be left alone for a while. There could be one side indicating "I'll be right back" and the other side indicating "I've left. You may clear away these dishes." I don't know why the cruiselines all thought that was such a bad idea that they never tried them.

There could be one side indicating "I'll be right back" and the other side indicating "I've left. You may clear away these dishes." I don't know why the cruiselines all thought that was such a bad idea that they never tried them.

I like your idea with the color-coding to enforce language but I can honestly see cruise-goers taking advantage of the system. Families of 8 would send the teen to 'reserve' two prime tables just like the cabana and poolside lounge hoggers do now.

Also I think, more than anything, having carefully placed cutlery and plates when I left my table signaled that I'd be back with like a folded day planner. Having the metal 'reserved' sign, even if they don't speak english, should just enforce that 'someone' is sitting there or using the table.

Also I think, more than anything, having carefully placed cutlery and plates when I left my table signaled that I'd be back

I disagree. As I posted upthread, I left my food and cutlery and told the nearby waiter that I would be right back, and he agreed to leave my food alone. But he thought it was okay to let another waiter take it. I was gone for less than half a minute. That other waiter obviously did not get "the signal," and the waiter who agreed not to take my food away - well, I don't really know what kind of "signal" he got.

I disagree. As I posted upthread, I left my food and cutlery and told the nearby waiter that I would be right back, and he agreed to leave my food alone. But he thought it was okay to let another waiter take it. I was gone for less than half a minute. That other waiter obviously did not get "the signal," and the waiter who agreed not to take my food away - well, I don't really know what kind of "signal" he got.

Oh yes, I'm not discounting your experience. I was just saying that I'll use the sign to boost my intentions rather than replace the other actions I was doing.

To be honest, a cheap thin/light paperback or magazine would probably be handier. I don't go to the windjammer often, but when I do I bring something obvious with me to leave at the table if I go for a drink or something I've forgotten. I don't like to leave my kindle unattended, but a cheap paperback is OK. Pick one up in a charity shop for 50p. Go for the lightest/easiest to carry, and see what you end up with :D

I don't know whether the following is a common practice among all cruise lines or just Holland America (which is the only one I've been on lately), but when I'm eating in the Lido I always leave my chair tipped toward the table if I'm getting up for whatever reason and am planning to return. So far it's always worked.

As I said, I don't know whether or not this is a recognized sign not to clear the table on all lines.

To be honest, a cheap thin/light paperback or magazine would probably be handier.

Maybe a paperback or a magazine would work, but not a newspaper! This is what happened to me in a restaurant on land (not on a cruiseship). I was seated in a restaurant and got up to go to the salad bar. I left my newspaper on my table so that I would remember where I had been seated. I got my salad and returned to where I thought my table was, but there wasn't any newspaper. Then I noticed that a guy sitting at the next table was reading a newspaper. I asked him if he had taken my newspaper. "Oh, is this yours?" he asked as he returned it to me. "I thought it had been left behind by someone."

So I thought that I was doing something to remember where my table was, and the guy saw my newspaper and jumped to the conclusion that oh boy, a free newspaper, finders keepers. So you never know what's going on in someone else's head.

I don't know whether the following is a common practice among all cruise lines or just Holland America (which is the only one I've been on lately), but when I'm eating in the Lido I always leave my chair tipped toward the table if I'm getting up for whatever reason and am planning to return. So far it's always worked.

I haven't been on HA for more than 30 years, so I don't know what's customary there, but as for me, I have never heard of the tipped chair thing, and if I saw it at a buffet, I wouldn't have the faintest idea that the person who had sat there was coming back. And I have no idea if the Royal, NCL, Celebrity, etc. employees would know what it meant.

It would be nice if there could be some mention in the daily newsletters about what to do to save your seat (and food) at the buffet, or if there was something we could leave by our plates, but the fact that nothing is said and no trinket such as a table tent is provided, it seems to me that TPTB couldn't care less about the situation.

I don't know whether the following is a common practice among all cruise lines or just Holland America (which is the only one I've been on lately), but when I'm eating in the Lido I always leave my chair tipped toward the table if I'm getting up for whatever reason and am planning to return. So far it's always worked.

 

As I said, I don't know whether or not this is a recognized sign not to clear the table on all lines.

That's a common practice at ship and land casinos for slot players who want to save a machine while they go to a bathroom. Guessing that's why it was done in the buffet.

I think many can try different things,doubt there is any universal method that will work across all cruiselines.

To the person that mentioned saving seats,I would imagine that's the last thing they would want to advertise. People would abuse it

Eating alone in the buffet dining-room and I try to keep people from taking my seat or waiters from clearing the table if I pop away for a second course. Usually I spread some papers out and leave a portion of meal at my seat to indicate its mine.

 

But what if I brought this?

 

read on cruise critic that tilting the chair(leaning against table) is the universal sign for saying the table is being used. Tried it and it seemed to work like a charm!

read on cruise critic that tilting the chair(leaning against table) is the universal sign for saying the table is being used.

As I said before, I had never heard of this, and if in the past, I had sat down at a table in the buffet and disregarded the fact that a chair was leaning against the table, I would have been very surprised to find out how rude I was, daring to sit at a table that was already occupied.

But I don't know if this chair tipping thing is universally known. I mean, am I the only person in the world who never heard of this chair tipping thing? What if I should tip my chair at a table at the buffet, only to return to see people sitting there? What if I told them that cruisecritic says that chair tipping means that I will be right back, so how dare they sit at my table? What if they that they never heard of cruisecritic?

And if this is such a universal sign that the table is being used, why didn't the waiter who agreed not to take my food away (but allowed the other waiter to take my food away) tell me to be sure to tip my chair, so that no other waiter would take my food away?

I do believe that a tipped chair will be understood.

When I was in college 50+ years ago, we used to tip up the chairs at our dining table to reserve a place for friends who hadn't gotten there yet to hold the place for them.

Most people will get it.

I do believe that a tipped chair will be understood.

 

When I was in college 50+ years ago, we used to tip up the chairs at our dining table to reserve a place for friends who hadn't gotten there yet to hold the place for them.

 

Most people will get it.

I graduated college 43 years ago, and I never heard of this. And I'm not so sure that "most people will get it." If it weren't for this thread, I wouldn't know about it. I've been on more than 25 cruises, and I've never seen a tipped chair at the buffet. And, again, if this is so prevalent, and "most people will get it," then why didn't the waiter who agreed to leave my food alone (and who kept his mouth shut when another waiter took it away) tell me to tip my chair? Could it be that he never heard of this?

I don't know about the tipped chair but when I was solo on epic in the med I just asked the wait staff not to clear my table cause I was coming right back

Never had a problem

In fact I asked the bar staff to bring my glass of wine when I got back from the buffet and they kept it ice cold and delivered it with a smile!

A little courtesy and respect goes a long way

I am looking forward to a few buffet dinners on epic this July along with some great solo gathering dinners in the mdr

I don't know about the tipped chair but when I was solo on epic in the med I just asked the wait staff not to clear my table cause I was coming right back

Never had a problem

In fact I asked the bar staff to bring my glass of wine when I got back from the buffet and they kept it ice cold and delivered it with a smile!

A little courtesy and respect goes a long way

Are you saying that the waiter allowed the other waiter to take my food away because I didn't show him "a little courtesy and respect?" Because I thought that I did. I would appreciate it if you would tell me what I did wrong, so that I won't do it again.

Oh sorry I did not mean that at all

Just trying to be generally helpful

I can see now how my comment could be taken to mean you were not respectful

Never meant it that way

Again sorry

Friends??

Yes, we're friends!

And I'm glad that you said that you didn't know about the tipped chair thing either. I really doubt that most people know about it. It would be nice if the cruiselines put in their daily newsletters that if you want to save your seat at the buffet, just tip your chair. And it would be really nice if they told the buffet waiters about it.

Unfortunately, I've noticed too often that the buffet workers don't really seem to care much. A number of times, I've pointed out to them where people bring their own mugs and bottles to the beverage dispensers and fill them up, instead of filling a clean glass and then emptying its contents into their personal mugs and bottles. But the workers just grumble, "What do you want ME to do about it?" Because they just don't care. So I've tried telling those people that they should fill clean glasses instead, but the people just think that I'm a busybody poking my nose in their business, and they say that if what they are doing is so wrong, then why didn't a buffet worker say anything to them.

Hey friend

I often think about doing the same thing (say something to staff) and I am from nyc where if you see something you say something -- it is our mantra

However I get lots of eye rolling at work when I do so and I have given up on vacation

Happy cruising