Usage of ese vs aquél

I have the feeling that spanish speakers, at least in Spain where I am (edit: in Andalucìa), don't use aquél a lot even when they should.

For example, I'm sitting in a restaurant or cafe waiting for my order, a waiter asks the other whose order this is, both are standing together behind the bar and I am in the room far from them. The other waiter answers "Ese chico" where I thought he should say "Aquél chico". I've heard a lot of examples like this, like people speaking about a mountain far away referring to it with "Esa montaña".

Is the use of aquél declining?