Couple Was Asked To ‘Move Tables’ At A Restaraunt Because Another Customer Had A Flower Allergy
The couple argued they shouldn't have to accommodate someone else's allergies.
baranq / Shutterstock A couple has caused a stir after revealing why they were forced to switch tables at a restaurant.
Posting to the subreddit r/AITA, a 25-year-old woman claimed that she and her fiancé were enjoying a restaurant date when the mood was suddenly ruined by another patron's health.
They were asked to 'move tables' because another customer had a flower allergy.
In her Reddit post, the woman explained that she and her fiancé were having a date night and after taking a stroll, they decided to have dinner at a local restaurant. They didn't book a table in advance since it was a weekday, and the restaurant wasn't usually crowded.
While on their way to the restaurant, her fiancé bought a small bouquet of tulips from a street vendor. When they finally arrived, they noticed a few empty tables, including a vacant one just by the entrance, an empty table beside the window, and some seats at the bar. She and her fiancé chose the table by the window, and their waiter instantly came over once they were seated with a small vase for the tulips they'd brought in.
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"One lady in her mid-40s gave me a strange look when I put my tulips into the vase. She was dining with a man who was supposedly her husband at the closest to us at another window table," she recalled. "She was staring for several minutes before she came to us and asked us to change the table because she is allergic to flowers."
They told the woman they didn't want to move because their table was nicer than the other options. Once the waiter returned to take their order, the woman started complaining, and he suggested to the couple that they should sit at the bar. However, her fiancé offered a different suggestion — that the woman should move since she has the allergy.
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"The waiter got kinda anxious and said something like, 'But it's about health.' The mood was spoiled at the moment so we just left to find another restaurant. But now I'm [wondering] if she was entitled to this because of her medical condition."
While the couple's decision was rooted in their desire to have a good time while on a date, and understandably, it would be an inconvenience if you were being forced to switch tables, accommodating the needs of an allergic patron is something that restaurant employees must abide by.
At the end of the day, dining out at a restaurant means that it's sometimes not just about the food but about the comfort of other customers. Everyone should be allowed to enjoy a meal in comfort, and their reluctance to move to another table when there were other options disturbed that harmony.
While some Redditors agreed that the couple was wrong to refuse to move, others pointed out that the woman who had allergies should've been the one to change tables.
People were adamant that having an allergy shouldn't mean that others suddenly need to compromise and disrupt what they're doing to accommodate them. The flowers were just sitting in a vase on the table. An easier solution would've been to put them away, move the vase to an entirely different table, or even give the flowers to the waiter to hold until they were done with their meal.
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"People who have allergies and sensitivities and come out to a public place like a restaurant are the ones who have to adjust/move — it’s incredible to me that people think strangers in a public space have to accommodate others — you have a problem — you move — period!" one Reddit user exclaimed.
Another user added, "You are not responsible for other people’s issues it’s up to them to monitor and adjust themselves based on their allergy. I’m allergic to [dang] near everything. Should I demand everyone in every room I walk into to move because I’m allergic to a food they have on their table? No, it’s up to me to see what’s around me and do what I feel is best for myself."
Many other people in the comments section agreed with this argument. While there is some validity to the idea that individuals should not have to take responsibility for managing someone else's allergies, it's also important to recognize the balance between personal comfort and consideration for others in shared spaces.
You don't get anywhere by being selfish and actively ignoring the well-being and health of others around you. Something like moving to a different table at a restaurant would've taken two seconds and wouldn't have disrupted the vibe of the date they were on.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.