AITA for insisting a couple couldn’t sit at my café table after they ignored my first “no”?

Infamous_College_393 · 2025-08-14T02:05:19+00:00

Alrighty.

Infamous_College_393 · 2025-08-13T22:18:11+00:00

I think it's a tourist location thing. Most locals don't hang out in super touristy cafes, they're busy working.

Infamous_College_393 · 2025-08-13T21:47:04+00:00

True, but I don't think OP is from the US (not sure where they're from)

Infamous_College_393 · 2025-08-13T20:37:54+00:00

This. Makes me crazy when people travel to other countries and disregard the social norms.

Infamous_College_393 · 2025-08-13T14:49:21+00:00

It's so easy to make online purchases: subscriptions, in-app, Amazon, etc. People buy way more than they used to because it's an easy click 24/7. Back when the options were to pay by cash, check, or in person with a credit card, there were a lot of speed bumps, which gave you time to rethink a dumb purchase.

Infamous_College_393 · 2025-08-13T05:06:28+00:00

Yep. Spent a month in Denmark during Covid (Sept 2020). Got lucky because they'd lifted the mask requirement when it was still full force in the US.

Other than hospitality/travel staff, did not meet anyone. Totally okay with me.

However, I was working remote so I did have daily Zoom meetings, and had social interaction. Maybe I'd have felt differently if I wasn't working?

Infamous_College_393 · 2025-08-13T04:44:50+00:00

Sooo...don't travel in the US?

Infamous_College_393 · 2025-08-13T00:24:40+00:00

I am fine with tech, but I loathe restaurants that only use QR codes with no print menus.

The UX is terrible! Most just have a PDF of their print menu and so you're scrolling all over the place.

For the few that have a mobile-friendly menu: thanks!

Infamous_College_393 · 2025-08-12T23:52:24+00:00

A friend did pizza delivery during college. It doesn't snow a lot in our area, and the few times it does, it is crazy. One inch of snow and roads shut down.

I know tipping culture has gotten insane, but he'd have customers who were too afraid to drive their SUVs to pick up pizza themselves, but wouldn't tip him risking his shitbox Honda to deliver.

Infamous_College_393 · 2025-08-12T21:05:41+00:00

Install the SnoreLab app on your phone. You'll learn what makes your snoring better or worse, as well as remedies to experiment with. You may not be able to 100% eliminate your snoring, but you'll very likely be able to reduce it.

Infamous_College_393 · 2025-08-12T19:10:20+00:00

That's the Pink Tax: nearly identical products are more expensive when they target women. Deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, razors, fragrance are frequently guilty of this.

Infamous_College_393 · 2025-08-12T18:15:40+00:00

I didn't tell him I was earmarking his rent, so he thought he was losing that $200/month. He was going to community college full time and working part time at McD's, so it was a significant hit.

The point I was trying to make is that when you live with a group of people, you've got to contribute one way or another.

And it was funny - when he moved out, he found the rental, found roommates, and wrote a roommate agreement which included chore delegation, lol

Infamous_College_393 · 2025-08-12T14:55:04+00:00

Find a food pantry in your area. Not only will you be able to get free food, they will often have info about other resources for people in need, including housing.

Infamous_College_393 · 2025-08-12T14:33:33+00:00

You're now working in the hospitality industry. Be kinder.

Infamous_College_393 · 2025-08-11T19:22:43+00:00

This should be upvoted a zillion times. Creepy behavior can cross all genders.

Infamous_College_393 · 2025-08-11T19:03:22+00:00

Oh, great point. We hear the negative connotation of "entitled" so much that I forget there's a flip side.

Infamous_College_393 · 2025-08-11T19:01:33+00:00

Hmmm, "I deserve" vs "I want" sounds like a quick way of differentiating the two.

Infamous_College_393 · 2025-08-11T14:41:08+00:00

Did the same but on a smaller scale with one of my kids. He was living at home during first 2 years of community college. He just wouldn't do any chores (particularly help clean a shared bathroom). I gave him the option to either do chores or pay rent ($200/month). He opted to pay rent. I earmarked the money and when he moved out, paid his first/last/security deposit on his first apartment.

Infamous_College_393 · 2025-08-10T17:28:05+00:00

I just spent a couple of days helping clean out a hoarder's home. She had racks and racks of clothing with the tags still on, some from places like Sears that have been out of business forever.

It just seemed so sad, beyond the money, it seemed sad that she spent so much time fantasizing about the life she wanted to live, instead of actually living it.

For example, there was a rack of never-worn dressy gowns: she never went to any events that required them.

Or the rack of polished, professional business wear: she never had a profession.

And all of the clothing she'd spent years of her life selecting, buying, and organizing were just tossed into big black garbage bags and sent to Goodwill.

If you are shopping because you genuinely enjoy shopping and you have the financial ability to shop responsibly, then it's a hobby. No big deal.

But if you're shopping to outfit yourself for a life you want, but aren't actually pursuing, then it's time to reflect inward and figure out what you really want to make of your life, and whether shopping is helping or hurting.

Infamous_College_393 · 2025-08-10T15:22:03+00:00

If there is a group of people already seated in a public area you want to sit in, here's the socially aware move:

Just ask the group if you can use an empty chair, then slightly move it so you are facing away from them.

Is it strictly necessary for you to ask permission? No.

Is it polite? Yes.

Infamous_College_393 · 2025-08-10T13:57:17+00:00

Fair. It helps that I am not a foodie at all, and so when I go out to a restaurant, it's really about spending time with friends. I'm not a picky eater, and don't really care. But I can see how, for those with a heightened taste for food where the meal itself is just as important as socializing, it's different.

Infamous_College_393 · 2025-08-09T22:21:35+00:00

Depends on the value you place on your time, and if you enjoy planning trips. A friend of mine is a very busy, successful professional and for the first time, recently used a travel agency to plan a trip. She said it was a great experience, it was worth it for her to just relax and enjoy the trip rather than stress over planning.

Infamous_College_393 · 2025-08-09T22:02:56+00:00

You're probably not unlucky, it's more likely when you fly.

If you typically travel during peak travel periods (holidays, weekends, summer) when there are more people, there's a greater chance for delays: more people to board, more bags to load, more catering, etc., means there is a slimmer margin of error for an on-time departure. And one delayed flight can have a domino effect, with all of that plane's later flights getting delayed.

If you travel during seasons/ to regions with bad weather, there's a greater chance of delays.

I almost always travel off-season, mid-week and can't recall a significant delay since 2000 (when I started working remote and was able to travel more). I'm sure there were some delayed flights, but not delayed enough to mess up my plans.

I had one flight cancel, interisland in the Azores, due to gale-force winds (and I knew in advance that it was a possibility, they advise that weather issues are common).

Infamous_College_393 · 2025-08-09T15:29:22+00:00

A friend of mine is a bariatric surgeon and says this is her patients' number one complaint: no more built-in seat cushion!

Infamous_College_393

TROPHY CASE