Whenever someone is waiting for me to unload my groceries and move, I suddenly have the urge to check my messages and catch up on some blah blah blah. Doesn't really matter what.

The moment the person moves on, I remember what I was doing. Doesn't matter if they immediately do a u turn and snag it, that's not the point.

The point is I'm petty and you can do a lap.

At the Costco by me following a person to their car is the only way to get a spot... The parking lot legitimately fills completely, unless you're willing to park very far away where there aren't even cart returns...

That's when you sit in her lap and say oh I didn't see you, I was just chilly and put on my coat - I'll be here for a few more hours

Ah, you’ve met my ex. She’s horrible at this, hovering or whatnot. I on the other had walk up, hey folks I’d really like to grab your seats after you’re done and just didn’t want to hover. Almost always get it.

"you're in my domain"

I know, it's great!

It depends on how she asked

Everyone is saying this, but OP put the exact quote in quotation marks and it is clearly not friendly at all in any situation.

I don’t think there is a proper way to ask. Leave people that are eating alone so they can enjoy their meal. Even if you ask nicely, you are still putting pressure on the person eating. If you need to be seated a specific time go to a restaurant with reservations.

precisely. there was no need for her to stress out OP by telling him he had to hurry. she could have moved the meet to a less busy restaurant, or waited for a table to open like the rest of us, or possibly even politely asked instead of dictating rudely.

Or she could've learned some manners and not asked people who are eating to move

Would have been totally fine if she said "hey I have a friend coming in 15, do you think I could have your table then?", but she didn't. She decided to be arrogant about it so fuck her ¯⁠\⁠(⁠°⁠_°)⁠/⁠¯

She explicitly told him to "hurry up and finish so we can take your place" which is a ludicrous demand to a stranger.

You can ask politely if the stranger will be leaving soon, or even offer to pay for their meal with the condition that they leave, but making a demand of a stranger that has an exactly equal right to something that you want is very rude, no matter what appeal to emotion you couple it with.

Found the narcissist!

There's being nice, and then there's being a pushover. Don't be a pushover. This lady had zero manners or consideration of that person. 100% selfish. I see absolutely no reason to be accommodating to that.