Does 'But they persevered, she said, firm and optimistic in their search, until they were finally allowed by a packed restaurant to eat their dinner off the floor.' serve to directly refute the premise presented in 'They were seated at a table that they could eat at.'
But they persevered, she said, firm and optimistic in their search, until they were finally allowed by a packed restaurant to eat their dinner off the floor.###They were seated at a table that they could eat at.