AITA for taking the last seat at a bar?

r/

I decided to go to a bar tonight where they do serve dinner and have tables for dinning.

As I walked up I didn’t see any seats at the bar since I was as a solo dinner. But I asked the hostess if there were any seats at the bar.

She said there are 9 seats but she only sees 8 people seated so if I find a seat it’s mine.

I walk up, and I find that additional seat, but as I sit I’m cheek to cheek with the people next to me.

There are two guys to might right (they don’t complain), I have a gal and a man to my right the girl complains that my hips are touching her hips. I respond by saying it’s the only open seat. I’d rather take this solo bar seat than take a table that could possibly seat 4.

She wasn’t happy with it. Her date explains they’re on a date, I just ignored since I was in my seat and they were in theirs.

As a gentleman he swapped seats but made sure to sit wide with his shoulder and elbow in my space. I didn’t react. I ordered my food. Soon two seats next to the guys to the right open up so they skooted and so did I. But I was I the AH for sitting down in the first place?

Comments

  1. AutoModerator Avatar

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    I decided to go to a bar tonight where they do serve dinner and have tables for dinning.

    As I walked up I didn’t see any seats at the bar since I was as a solo dinner. But I asked the hostess if there were any seats at the bar.

    She said there are 9 seats but she only sees 8 people seated so if I find a seat it’s mine.

    I walk up, and I find that additional seat, but as I sit I’m cheek to cheek with the people next to me.

    There are two guys to might right (they don’t complain), I have a gal and a man to my right the girl complains that my hips are touching her hips. I respond by saying it’s the only open seat. I’d rather take this solo bar seat than take a table that could possibly seat 4.

    She wasn’t happy with it. Her date explains they’re on a date, I just ignored since I was in my seat and they were in theirs.

    As a gentleman he swapped seats but made sure to sit wide with his shoulder and elbow in my space. I didn’t react. I ordered my food. Soon two seats next to the guys to the right open up so they skooted and so did I. But I was I the AH for sitting down in the first place?

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    Welcome to /r/AmITheAsshole. Please view our voting guide here, and remember to use only one judgement in your comment.

    OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:

    > I feel like I was the AH since the people on the date to my right didn’t want me in the open seat because when I sat down I brushed up against them even tho me and them were both overhanging our seats

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  3. Confident_Ice_9070 Avatar

    NTA they don’t understand how bars work.

  4. Flashy_Bridge8458 Avatar

    Nta why was he taking his date to a bar top instead of a table or booth? That’s on them

  5. Illustrious-Unit-636 Avatar

    NTA dude was inexperienced with bars

  6. DiscussionOk2219 Avatar

    NTA. You handled it properly. Bars are first come first served seating. You only have claim to your barstool. If you want extra space get a table.

  7. SigSauerPower320 Avatar

    NTA

    An open seat is an open seat. Both of them are an ah for making a big deal out of it. Especially the guy for trying to intimidate you.

  8. Jewbacca_429 Avatar

    NTA. Sometimes bars are crowded. An open seat is always fair game

  9. castle_waffles Avatar

    Info: are you a normal sized person? Would this happen to most people in the seat or is something unique about you specifically that caused this issue?

  10. Bunker_Rodz Avatar

    “We’re on a date.”

    “Kind of shitty not to get a table for a date, bruh.”

  11. TararaBoomDA Avatar

    NTA, since the hostess told you to go for it. The other couple were the assholes for making a big deal out of it.

  12. Prestigious-Name-323 Avatar

    NTA

    That’s how bars work. People sit next to you. They should have gotten a table if they wanted space.

  13. SAG2025 Avatar

    You were within your right to sit there. Forget about this, life is too short to waste time on this. Enjoy your day.

  14. ricosabre Avatar

    YTA. Yes, there was technically an open seat, but if you wedged yourself in to a space that resulted in your hip touching your neighbor’s hip, the space was too small.

  15. hunstinx Avatar

    NTA. It’s a barstool, not a urinal. If there are 9 stools, there are 9 spaces to sit. They don’t get to claim an extra seat just because they are on a date. If they want their date to be more private, they should have gotten a table.

  16. ProfessorDistinct835 Avatar

    Assuming you’re not 2+ people wide, NTA.

  17. TALKTOME0701 Avatar

    NTA, but you sure were seated by two. It’s the bar. The stools are close together. If they want an intimate dining experience, make a reservation and get a table. They were a couple of well-matched jerks

  18. HootinHollerHill Avatar

    NTA.

    Sit at the bar and gain a neighbor.

  19. Admirable_Bit8337 Avatar

    NTA. They don’t get an extra seat as a buffer just because they’re on a date. You handled it perfectly.

  20. echodreams19 Avatar

    NTA if you want space you GET A TABLE.

  21. Only_Music_2640 Avatar

    If you can’t sit or stand without your body being in physical contact with a stranger, yes you are most definitely the asshole and creepy AF.

  22. Anon_819 Avatar

    The only AH here is the bar for cramming more seats in than there is space to sit people.

  23. PinkPaintedSky Avatar

    NTA.

    “Omg! I have a boyfriend!”

    “Calm down, I am just here for the peanuts.”

  24. phunkjnky Avatar

    NTA

    The AH move was made by whoever was the party having the date that decided to sit at the bar. No one benefits from that decision.