You can't 'chope' tables in Australian food courts
Here is your reminder not to 'chope' a table in Australia.
Despite the strong 'chope-ing' culture here, it can be met with confusion in other countries.
Australian Chloe Baradinski posted a TikTok about an interaction she had during peak hour at a food court in Sydney.
When she came across an unoccupied table with a notepad on it, she decided to sit there and eat her lunch.
She assumed someone had just left the notepad there and would eventually come back to retrieve it.
However, as she was eating her laksa, a man in his 50s approached her with a plate of food and said he had 'reserved' the table.
@chloebaradinsky Keep in mind, he was away from “his table” for 15 minutes getting food
♬ original sound - Chloe
Baradinski was shocked and told him he couldn't reserve tables at a food court.
The man argued he had left the notepad on the table before ordering his food, indicating that he had reserved it.
Despite Ms Baradinski describing the man as "rude", she offered to share the table with him but he declined and said: "I don't want to sit with you."
The video has garnered over half a million views and more than 1,000 comments.
Several netizens shared their personal experiences visiting Asian countries, including Singapore, and acknowledged this was a common practice.
However, the majority agreed with Ms Baradinsky and said the man was in the wrong and that reserving a seat at a food court is unacceptable.
Now you know what not to do.
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