Hats at the Restaurant

[harbilly]

I haven't seen any complaints for a while about the lack of hat racks at cafes, diners, restaurants etc. Has the world filled with hooks lately? I'm still carrying a latigo lace with a binder clip (the less harmful bulldog-esq paperclip thing) to lash my lid to any handy wall mounted protuberance - there are actually two binder clips which lets me clip one end of the latigo to whatever the eatery might have on their walls if it isn't possible to tie it on to something handy) because things remain pitiful around here when it comes to stashing your hat when out - and a clumsy server can, and will, turn your hat in to a bowl for the 'soup du jour' if you leave it on enough tables enough times or in your lap or on a seat (or it will get sat on, knocked to the floor, splattered with caesar salad, filled with tonic water or SOMETHING -- maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but eventually. Or maybe it will be your buddy's hat). Hence, I persist in bringing my own gear to stow my lid up high and, with luck, safe.

 

[retro50]

Or, in the case of such an eatery where "hat etiquette" does not seem to be an issue, just wear the thing!!

 

[BobC]

Most commonly if we're eating at the average run to the mill type of eatery, I keep my hat on my head. If we go to someplace nice where I expect the bill to be high and where I expect better service, I'm most likely to ask for a chair for my hat if there isn't one already open at our table.

 

[harbilly]

Gentlemen, fine suggestions and insight all around.

 

[handlebar bart]

We usually try to get a booth, because most of the time there is a ledge to set my hat on.

 

[dnjan]

I always carry a strap made from the elastic band from an around-the-neck nametag, plus the clip portion of a clip-on nametag (one of the newer ones with plastic "teeth"). Often this goes over the back of the chair I am sitting on.

I also use this strap in airline seats - it goes around the stowed tray table and holds my hat above my lap.

 

[Shel]

Good advice, but I still can't bring myself to stow my hat anywhere out of sight at a restaurant. I'm fairly new to wearing fedoras and feel more comfortable if my hat is on a chair next to me, if possible. I've even found myself balancing it on my knee when there was no chair available. A difficult task, especially while trying to act cool and as though everything is just fine. When you're paying more attention to your lid hidden under the table than the expensive steak you're eating, then something is probably very wrong. Maybe I'll graduate to checking it when possible, but I don't see that happening anytime soon!

 

[indycop]

We usually try to get a booth, because most of the time there is a ledge to set my hat on.

Ditto!!

 

[MattJH]

If I know I'll be in a situation where I'll be worrying more about where my hat is than living in the moment, then I just don't wear the hat. Why would I? It's okay to leave your hat at home or in the car, you know!

Seriously, though... some of the posts here are hilarious. "Where to keep my hat when I'm running electrical conduit through an asbestos-riddled high-rise?" "What hat should I wear while I'm power-washing lion feces at the zoo?" "Rabbit felt or beaver felt while waiting in line to vote in a hailstorm downpour?"

Your answer is this, harbilly: If you want to wear your hat to a restaurant and you know that they don't have a hat rack or coat check and you don't feel comfortable leaving it out in the open and you're considering requesting that the establishment make special accommodations for you based on your fear of storing the hat anywhere in the open, then go hatless. It's really not that big of a deal.

 

[CaddyKid21]

I usually put mine on my knee, or if there happens to be a coat rack or a ledge, I'll put it on that.

 

[retro50]

If I know I'll be in a situation where I'll be worrying more about where my hat is than living in the moment, then I just don't wear the hat. Why would I? It's okay to leave your hat at home or in the car, you know!

Seriously, though... some of the posts here are hilarious. "Where to keep my hat when I'm running electrical conduit through an asbestos-riddled high-rise?" "What hat should I wear while I'm power-washing lion feces at the zoo?" "Rabbit felt or beaver felt while waiting in line to vote in a hailstorm downpour?"

Your answer is this, harbilly: If you want to wear your hat to a restaurant and you know that they don't have a hat rack or coat check and you don't feel comfortable leaving it out in the open and you're considering requesting that the establishment make special accommodations for you based on your fear of storing the hat anywhere in the open, then go hatless. It's really not that big of a deal.

:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[harbilly]

Dumbjaw, I don't disagree. I never said ANYTHING however about asking any place of business to do anything to accommodate me (though by implication I suppose I do just that if I ask for eggs 'sunnyside up' or something 'medium rare' but that is entirely different and what they expect of us 'clients'). Nor did I suggest that I was afflicted with any qualms about leaving an item of clothing on a rack that was not near where I was going to be. What I did say, you'll note, is that I take a leather lace with a clip and hang my hat where I please. I take care of things my way. Problem solved. No one involved but me. I merely noted there is a lack of hooks around here and so I am curious about what other folk do and, yes, leaving the hat home if worried is a darn fine way to address the matter as well.
Now, though I don't ask anything from these businesses in relation to my hat and coat I wouldn't complain if they put up hooks or something. I'd use them. If they do it or not, though, is for them to figure out. I don't complain.
Though I imagine the sight of my hat clipped to the ear of a stuffed moose head hanging over the bar might set them thinking........and it may be more about chucking me out than putting up a hook!

 

[MattJH]

Dumbjaw, I don't disagree. I never said ANYTHING however about asking any place of business to do anything to accommodate me (though by implication I suppose I do just that if I ask for eggs 'sunnyside up' or something 'medium rare' but that is entirely different and what they expect of us 'clients'). Nor did I suggest that I was afflicted with any qualms about leaving an item of clothing on a rack that was not near where I was going to be. What I did say, you'll note, is that I take a leather lace with a clip and hang my hat where I please. I take care of things my way. Problem solved. No one involved but me.

My apologies for not making it clear that only the last paragraph of my post was addressing your initial one. The rest was just me blowing my usual hot air.

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

The Tam O'Shanter near Glendale California has a few pegs for hats. According to the maitre d' when I went there this past Wednesday, I was the first person he'd seen use it.

Also Canter's Deli in Hollywood has hat racks, and they actually do see use.

 

[Delthayre]

It's a bare-headed world

A few restaurants offer hooks at either the tables or near the entrance; I will exploit this feature if it is present. If it is not, when sitting in a booth I will usually put my hat upon a convenient ledge or upon my coat in either the opposite bench of the booth or to my side if the other bench is occupied. If I am at a table with no other recourse, I will usually set my hat below my chair, which risks some dirt, but nothing that cannot be brushed out. My principal hat is a Vintage Silhouettes fedora that has proven quite resilient, so despite its expense, I am not very fretful about any but the most severe damage that might befall it.

 

[harbilly]

No worries Dumbjaw. Sometimes I leave my hat in the car even! Shame on me, I know. Once I managed to ring toss it on to a bottle behind the bar. Good laugh for all. They knew me there and suggested mildly I purchase the entire bottle so that the other customers could see health regulations being taken seriously. We were there for the long haul so that worked out just fine. Somehow I imagine having a bottle of spirits centred on the table with which I liberally rewarded my gathered friends from time to time was in violation of some statute and not much better than them simply serving from a bottle 'tainted' by its close relationship with my hat. But that's life.
ps Venting and blowing smoke is good fun. It's why I have co-workers, I think.
pps Booths. Good tips from the many who have mentioned that. I think booths offer other advantages too. I'm gonna become a booth man.

 

[ET]

For those of us in colder climes, I have seen restaurants add coathooks at the end of booths, which of course are prime hatcatchers.

 

[univibe88]

I'm still carrying a latigo lace with a binder clip (the less harmful bulldog-esq paperclip thing) to lash my lid to any handy wall mounted protuberance

Did you make this yourself? It sounds really cool.

 

[arthur]

Throw me another softball

If I know I'll be in a situation where I'll be worrying more about where my hat is than living in the moment, then I just don't wear the hat. Why would I? It's okay to leave your hat at home or in the car, you know!

Seriously, though... some of the posts here are hilarious. "Where to keep my hat when I'm running electrical conduit through an asbestos-riddled high-rise?" "What hat should I wear while I'm power-washing lion feces at the zoo?" "Rabbit felt or beaver felt while waiting in line to vote in a hailstorm downpour?"


Ok this is easy
1)An OSHA approved hazmat hat container
2)My vintage Marshall Field flat cap
3)Beaver...Duh!!

 

[retro50]

Seriously, though... some of the posts here are hilarious. "Where to keep my hat when I'm running electrical conduit through an asbestos-riddled high-rise?" "What hat should I wear while I'm power-washing lion feces at the zoo?" "Rabbit felt or beaver felt while waiting in line to vote in a hailstorm downpour?"


Ok this is easy
1)An OSHA approved hazmat hat container
2)My vintage Marshall Field flat cap
3)Beaver...Duh!!

I love lighthearted and fun discussions!!

Seriously, I would love to see some pictures of these portable hat storage devices, because there really is a serious lack of places to carefully place our hats for safekeeping when in public. We love to wear them, and an expensive hat must be well cared for.