Ok, so a work buddy and I go out for lunch, 11am local time.
We head out to Clarke’s on El Camino, never been there before. We arrive and one other person is there and he is waiting for takeout.
The place is empty, and has 4 areas to sit in, one by the ordering counter, then two areas off of that, then an outdoor area. This being Cali, out doors works cause it is a nice sunny 73.
we order, get our food and sit down in an area with no one else around.
Next customer comes in, and sits down right next to us. The next DAMN booth. Customer 3 comes in and sits down at the other booth! Customer 2 has 2 very noise brats. She has a British accent and is annoying (kids beating plastic cups on the table top very loud, mommy only says shss, that makes them louder)
Not every customer from that point on comes to our area some spread out, but most come into the wing we are in.
When we leave I make a point to walk all through the place and see the seating. In the other areas, there are a total of 3 people. None of these places is harder to get to. Easy to see them right from the counter.
This is not an isolated incident. It happens every time we go to lunch, 11 is early so you miss the lunch rush, but it will start while your in a restaurant, more often then not people fill one area, no one ever tells them to go sit in this area they just do.
Is this some long past basic instinct that makes these sheep like people sit near others for safety?
What do you guys do when confronted with an empty restaurant, save for one or two other people? Park it right next to them or find a nice private area?
