Entitled mom tells a fellow customer that her kids are more important than their laptop after they refuse to give up a 4-person table to her family of 3, sparks debate: ‘The selfishness of some people!’

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Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Aug 26, 2025 5:00 PM EDT

In a battle between a digital nomad and a burnt-out mom, who wins? Most people would argue the "first-come, first-served" rule, but this particular tale of entitlement sparked a heated debate in the comment section. 

When a mom of two little ones came storming into a cafe during lunch hour, she was flummoxed that there weren't any available tables. However, she spotted an easy target in the corner, a young professional working on their laptop at a 4-person table in the back. Despite both groups being customers of the same shop, the single person sitting at the 4-top found themselves in a stalemate with the mother, bringing the eyes, ears, and opinions of everyone around them to the table. 

I'm under the impression that both parties are in the wrong here (somewhat), but you can be the judge of that. 

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  • AVA
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  • Entitled Mum demanded I give up my table because 'her kids are more important than my laptop'
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  • This just happened about an hour ago and I'm still fuming. I was in a local cafe in town trying to get some work done. It's the last week of the school holidays so it was absolutely heaving.
    via WeakCurrency6453
  • I'd managed to grab the only free table, which unfortunately was a four- seater. I felt a bit bad but there was literally nowhere else to sit. I bought my coffee and a slice of cake and got my laptop out. About ten minutes later, this woman (let's call her EM) comes over with two young kids in tow.
    via WeakCurrency6453
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  • She didn't say hello, just "Excuse me, you're going to have to move." I was a bit taken aback. "Oh, sorry, is there a problem?"
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  • She pointed at my table. "Yes, this is a four-person table and you're one person. We need it. There are three of us."
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  • I had a look around for her. "I'm sorry, but there aren't any other tables free. I did look. As soon as a smaller one opens up I'll happily move." I thought that was a fair offer.
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  • Apparently not. She actually scoffed. "That's not good enough. My kids are tired and hungry. They need to sit down now. You're just on your laptop, that's not important. We need to eat."
    via WeakCurrency6453
  • Her kids were starting to whine and she was giving me a proper death stare. I was getting really uncomfortable but I just said, "Look, I'm a paying customer just like you. I'm not moving until another table is free."
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  • This is when she properly kicked off. She huffed loudly and said, "This is unbelievable! The selfishness of some people!" Then she marched up to the counter to complain to the young lad working there.
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  • I couldn't hear everything but I saw her pointing at me and the lad just shaking his head. He then came over and I was expecting him to ask me to move, but he just leaned in and said quietly, "Sorry about that,
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  • you're fine where you are. Just ignore her". He then went back to the EM and told her he couldn't force a customer to move and that she'd have to wait.
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  • She grabbed her kids' hands, muttered something about "never coming here again" and stormed out, knocking a menu stand over on her way. The best part was a two- seater table had literally just opened up as she was leaving. Some people's nerve is just unreal.
    via WeakCurrency6453
  • AmyCanddies. Crazy how some ppl think buying a coffee and taking a seat = optional, but showing up late with kids = automatic rights to your table.
    via AmyCanddies
  • onionbreath97. ESH. If it's packed, it's rude to camp with a laptop. It's even more rude to take an entire 4-top to do it.
    via onionbreath97
  • Melodic-Dark6545. Whenever I arrive at a place and there are no seats, I leave and find another one that has them. That's pure common sense. But entitled people lack it
    via Melodic-Dark6545
  • Snoo_20305. Sure, she is entitled. But you seem to lack basic courtesy. She handled it like a menace, but you lacked civility.
    via Snoo_20305
  • Legal_Eye8152. Legally, or by rules of establishment, you are fine... But you even knew it wasn't the best choice to take a table that sits 4 people. The woman also was an idiot. I'd compare this to anyone giving their seat to a lady on the bus. Just common courtesy
    via Legal_Eye8152
  • Pie_Bovril ⚫ You thought that a mother wanting to feed her children at a 4 seat table was less important than your self importance? I've never understood people finding cafes/restaurants a suitable place to "get some work done".
    via Pie_Bovril
  • I'd much rather be at home or in the office creating a distinct separation between my social life and work life. The mother was not entitled, she was questioning someone who was entitled. Regardless of the seating situation, you may have asked to join someone else at another table or offered her to join you.
    via Pie_Bovril
  • The mom may have been rude too, but we have to take your word for it since we can't hear her side. Check yourself before calling other people entitled
    via Pie_Bovril

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remote remote work work interesting working selfish moms reddit story digital nomad karens in the wild entitled Reddit laptop payback mom cafe karen entitled people
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