I swore by oil finishes until a guy at the hardware store changed my mind

I was picking up some linseed oil at my local Ace last month and mentioned a tricky oak table I was working on. This older guy in line behind me said, 'For something that gets wet, you'll fight that oil forever. Try a wipe-on poly.' He explained how he used it on his own kitchen table 5 years ago and it still looks perfect. I tried it on a test piece and the water just beads up. Has anyone else switched from oil to a film finish for high-use pieces?