I've got a question...

[Mitera Nikkou]

What are those sets of tables called, the ones with the umbrellas coming out from the center of them, that you can find outside of restaurants? The best word I can find for them is "bistro", but is there another kind of name for the set-up in general? I'm wondering since I'm writing a scene with them, and it seems odd to write "they took a seat at one of the unoccupied bistro tables." So I'm hoping for anything better to refer to them and/or the arrangement as a whole, if it exists.

[Rodney]

Table for sunshade : http://www.madeindesign.co.uk/prod-BlaB ... blanc.html

[Nosnits]

I don't know if this is much help or anything, as I've never written a story before (I'm trying though...), but insted of using a weird name for it, you could always describe it. "They sat down at the table, the red and white umbrella coming through the middle shading them from the sun*" Or something like that.

*Or Rain, or hail, or Meteores ect...

[Mitera Nikkou]

Maybe. I just figure there's a proper term for it. Because I'd rather use one word in the stead of a sentence or two. The only thing I was able to gather from the link was "blabla." O.o Strange...~

It's just bothersome trying to figure it out since they're also for lawns, gardens and patios. But I can't say that it's a patio table outside of a place that isn't a bistro, even though plenty of places that aren't bistros have these arrangements outside of their restaurants. =_=;

[Jello Shot Mischa]

Actually, as near as I can tell they're called "patio tables", because they're often used on the patio in the back yard. (My parents have one...) What's more, from what I recall that area of a restaurant is called the "patio", so... they'd be "patio tables".

Best I can think of...