Or you could just wait for a seat to open up and take it, because if you’re “asking correctly”, in which you aren’t pressuring anyone to leave, the end result would be exactly the same.
The result of getting a table or not remains the same, but knowing whether or not to pay attention to that table leaving is different. It could mean waiting for that table or going to another area in to see if another table is leaving or open.
“excuse me, I see you’re almost done eating. Are you planning on leaving soon? No? Okay, thank you.”
It’s not about the ask, it’s about taking the “no” gracefully.
Or you could just wait for a seat to open up and take it, because if you’re “asking correctly”, in which you aren’t pressuring anyone to leave, the end result would be exactly the same.
The result of getting a table or not remains the same, but knowing whether or not to pay attention to that table leaving is different. It could mean waiting for that table or going to another area in to see if another table is leaving or open.