I totally agree with that. Would be great if they were fresh herbs that you could use to dress/season your dish with. However this was the only such table in the location, with all the others being regular chair and table locations, and would make it a little awkward for actual operations. Also, people are frustrating and would likely take too much and end up killing off the herbs instead of sensible use.
Would work best in a Vietnamese place where adding fresh herbs to dishes is very common too.
Ah, true. There are people who tend to get more than they need. Still, it'll be good as a centerpiece to the whole restaurant. Probably a no-touch-eyes-only zone though now that you've pointed out the downside of people having full access.