The Rudest Thing You Can Do at a Restaurant Around the Holidays, According to a Restaurant Owner

It might be the most wonderful time of the year, but the holiday season is also the busiest time to dine out.

There’s something undeniably appealing about dining out in the winter months. Once the temperatures drop, the thought of cozying up in a warm restaurant with comforting food feels like pure bliss. Add in the festive decorations that make every space sparkle with charm, and it’s easy to see why tables fill up fast.

But along with dining, there’s another seasonal surge you can pretty much guarantee: shopping. And when shopping bags meet crowded dining rooms, things can get tricky. Diners often arrive straight from a spree with arms full of purchases—bulky, gift-wrapped, and numerous. The problem is, all those bags take up valuable restaurant space.

This is especially true in smaller, bistro-style restaurants, where every inch of floor plan is carefully designed to maximize seating. When extra baggage enters the mix, it not only clutters the space but can also slow down the flow of service.

Calder Millar, co-owner of Fisher’s in Leith, knows this issue all too well. His restaurant is located in a historic 17th-century watchtower, which makes space particularly limited.

He added that the clutter can make table service tricky, too.

“It also feels awkward for the server to function around the table, not being able to easily put down plates, or stretching to pour a glass of wine,” he said.

Not to mention, overflowing shopping bags can also cramp the space for other diners—something nobody appreciates.

Where To Store Shopping Bags at a Restaurant

We get it—after an unexpectedly successful shopping day, you might look a bit like Eloise returning from her day out of the Plaza. It’s a great feeling to check off your gift list, and rewarding yourself with a nice meal is part of the fun. But it’s also worth remembering that you’re not the only diner who might come in with their hands full, and being mindful of how you manage your shopping haul can go a long way.

Coming up with your own storage solutions—like draping bags over a coat rack, tucking them behind a plant, or piling them onto decorative fixtures—isn’t considerate either. A lot of thought goes into a restaurant’s design, and your shopping bags aren’t meant to be part of the decor.

So, what should you do instead?

“If someone offers to store it at the front desk when you arrive, take them up on the offer. It’s for the benefit of the restaurant as well as yourself,” Millar shared.

And if no one offers, it’s perfectly polite to ask.

“If you were going to someone’s house, you’d ask where to put your belongings,” Millar said—and the same is appreciated in a dining establishment.

If you’re really uncomfortable parting with your bags, Millar recommends keeping them neatly tucked under your table, out of sight from other diners and, most importantly, out of the staff’s path.

It might seem like a small detail, but during the holiday rush, a little consideration goes a long way. The restaurants you love to visit during the season will definitely appreciate the thoughtfulness.