Conference turris::womannotes-v2

I'd have to side with your son here.

Seems to me if there is a 15 minute wait for a seat and a 15 minute wait
for food, and you can't wait for both at the same time, you are going to
be waiting 30 minutes anyway....you might as well get in the "seat line" 
first, so that your food doesn't get cold while you are waiting.

I wouldn't want to go up to the food line, and just *hope* there was a table
available when I got my food...possibly wandering around for quite some time,
balancing a tray full of hot food, as well as the coat, gloves, scarf, etc.
that I can't put down (since that would take up table and/or seat space.)

Either way, since it was clear at the place you were that it was accepted
behavior to save seats (after all, you say about 30 were saved when you got
there) and the people who were saving them therefore had no reason to believe
that there was a problem, or that their seats wouldn't be there when they got
back, I think it was in bad taste to take their seats.

Just my not-so humble opinion.

D!

    Common sense suggests that if the cafeteria line is 15 minutes, and
    the average eating time is 15 minutes, then a seat will be
    "occupied" for 30 minutes per person if the occupant reserves it
    while waiting in line, and for 15 minutes per person if the occupant
    waits until exiting the line before claiming it.  In the steady
    state, half the seats would be reserved but empty, and the practice
    of reserving seats would effectively halve the capacity of the
    cafeteria.
    
    The fact that you observed only 20%, rather than 50% of the seats to
    be vacant indicates either that the 50/50 line time/eating time
    estimate is off, or that many people did not choose to reserve
    seats.
    
    In any case, those who do reserve seats must be regarded as part of
    the problem, not part of the solution.
    
    	-Neil

	 Whenever it's happened to me, I've just carefully picked a
	 seat that a person at just set their stuff down on, and sat
	 there.  Then as soon as another seat nearby became available,
	 I move other there.  It's not a big deal, really.  Chances
	 are you can just about eat and be finished before the person
	 gets back to their seat.

	 I know what it's like trying to get a seat at a crowded ski
	 resort.  First come first served.  Next time I would suggest,
	 if you don't like it, try eating at a time that is not "rush
	 hour dining."

	 True, it's not really "fair" to those that don't save their
	 own seats while in line, but it's life.  FWIW...I don't find
	 it curteous, and I don't do it.
	 
	 kath

    G'Day,
    
    >	 resort.  First come first served.  Next time I would suggest,
    >	 if you don't like it, try eating at a time that is not "rush
    >	 hour dining."
    
    This is by far the easiest way to avoid problems.  Eat early or late
    and not only will you eat in peace but you can ski while everybody else
    is eating.  There's nothing quite like only half a dozen people in
    front of you at the lifts when there's normally 4254 (in Australia at
    least :-( ).
    
    David.
    
    

    Not that it really addresses the basenoter, but I agree with David-
    I always ski through the lunch hour and go in to eat after 1 or 1:30.
    The lift lines and the cafeteria lines are shorter that way.  But in
    the case as described, I ask people if I can join them at a partially
    filled table, rather than encroaching without permission.  I've met
    some very nice folks that way ;-).
    
    Neil, yes, reserving seats contributes to the problem.  But one 
    must really address the problem of lack of capacity as belonging 
    to the providers of the facility, not the patrons.  If a facility 
    is consistently inadequate to demand, I quit using it, because the 
    owners clearly aren't interested in accomodating me.
    
    (Come to think of it, I do that during the workday, too!  I hate
    waiting in line at restaurants or, (*shudder*), in the huge line of
    cars trying to get back onto Moffett Field after 'normal' lunch hours. 
    I'll adjust my schedule to avoid rush hours and crowds, given the
    slightest opportunity.  Perhaps I'm antisocial; I prefer to consider
    myself 'efficient' ;-).
                                      
    DougO

    well, from somebody who has been skiing for maybe 20 years, i
    try to ski during the lunch rush.  recently dragged some friends
    in for lunch before 11:30, seeing as all we were doing was 
    complaining while standing in line.  we were in and out very
    quickly, and skied while others fought over our table.
    
    but if i do happen to be skiing with a group that likes to eat
    lunch during the rush, we will leave some people behind to guard
    our 'space'.  anything left unprotected is open game.  (not only
    could somebody steal your table, but also your brand new goggles,
    hat, jacket, anything you leave behind)
    
    yeah, i'm paranoid, but i also haven't lost very much to thieves.
    
    jonathan
    

    I am also a life-long skier.  I have yet to try and eat at a base
    lodge cafe that didn't suffer from the problem described.  I just
    wish more of these places still had *benches* instead of *seats* -
    sometimes we've managed to cram 3 people into the table space of
    1 seat.
    
    Best answer - don't eat between 11:30 and 1:30.  Go earlier or later.
    Keep a box of raisins and a candy bar and a hard-boiled egg in your
    pocket to keep your energy level up while you wait for the line
    to go down.
    
    Second best - go to lunch with a large enuf group that 1 or 2 go
    for the food while the rest hold spaces.  This works particularly
    well when in an all-day ski school class.
    
    Third best - do what you did, and try to finish promptly after picking
    a spot that folks have *just* left for the food line.
    
    Alison