Nope

mrsconn23

Dear Prudence,
My spouse and I recently went to see a new movie in the theater. We bought our tickets in advance and arrived early so we could pick our ideal seats. After the theater was almost full and the previews were almost over, a group came up to our row and asked if we would move down so they could fit. Despite the fact that there were still quite a few less desirable seats open to them elsewhere, we moved down so we wouldn’t seem rude. In my new seat, I ended up fighting for elbow space and being coughed on for the entirety of the movie. Needless to say, we both wish we had never moved to accommodate them. In the future would it be rude to say no and stay put in our chosen seats?
—A Potentially Petty Moviegoer

charlotte989875

Say no. You reserved those seats. They did not. Say no and enjoy your movie. 

TrixieJess

mrsconn23 said:

Dear Prudence,
My spouse and I recently went to see a new movie in the theater. We bought our tickets in advance and arrived early so we could pick our ideal seats. After the theater was almost full and the previews were almost over, a group came up to our row and asked if we would move down so they could fit. Despite the fact that there were still quite a few less desirable seats open to them elsewhere, we moved down so we wouldn’t seem rude. In my new seat, I ended up fighting for elbow space and being coughed on for the entirety of the movie. Needless to say, we both wish we had never moved to accommodate them. In the future would it be rude to say no and stay put in our chosen seats?
—A Potentially Petty Moviegoer

Annnnnd, this is why I only go to theatres where I can reserve my seats. 

kerbohl

If I'm only moving over one or two seats? Meh, that's no biggie. Moving anything more than that, if they are that big a group they should have come early if they wanted to sit together, so they can split up.

short+sassy

I don't think it was impolite for the group to ask.  But it also wouldn't have been impolite for the LW to have politely said no.  Like, "I'm so sorry, but we prefer where we are currently sitting, as opposed to being further down the row."

Not that hard.  But I suppose, in the moment, the "people pleasing" that society teaches us kicks in.  Maybe they started scooching down before it hits them, "Wait, why are we doing this?"  But it's too late.

MissKittyDanger

short+sassy said:

I don't think it was impolite for the group to ask.  But it also wouldn't have been impolite for the LW to have politely said no.  Like, "I'm so sorry, but we prefer where we are currently sitting, as opposed to being further down the row."

Not that hard.  But I suppose, in the moment, the "people pleasing" that society teaches us kicks in.  Maybe they started scooching down before it hits them, "Wait, why are we doing this?"  But it's too late.

"Sorry, we reserved these seats" would be sufficient also

6fsn

This happens at church every Sunday.  We get there early enough for my kids to pick where they want to sit.  If someone comes in after us we let them slide past us, but we don't move.  Maybe that makes us bad, but the kids like to see so they pick seats with a good viewpoint.

banana468

6fsn said:

This happens at church every Sunday.  We get there early enough for my kids to pick where they want to sit.  If someone comes in after us we let them slide past us, but we don't move.  Maybe that makes us bad, but the kids like to see so they pick seats with a good viewpoint.

I also get the opposite: we ask the lone person sitting at the pew edge to move over only to walk over them.  And having a toddler with an unpredictable temper may mean we're up and down.   

In the theater I think if two seats is that big a deal say no.

This is also why I like picking my own seat before I go when possible.

ei34

LW shouldn’t have signed her name as petty, it’s fine to arrive early, select her favorite seat and want to stay there.  
Whether it’s mass, storytime at the library, etc., when I’m with my kids (esp without H), I arrive early so I can get seats towards the back and on the aisle.  So prime latecomer seats.  Whenever I’m asked to scootch over I decline but shift so they can climb over me.  Sometimes it’s met with an eye roll and walk away, other times the seat seeker accepts.  I’ve never felt guilty.

Jen4948

"I'm afraid not. These seats are reserved."