Restaurant reservations

TarfHead

Registered User
Messages
1,672
Phoned a restaurant to make a booking for 1pm. The person taking the booking said that they'd need the table back by 3pm.

My inclination is to say "Well that's up to you and your staff. If you're on the ball and don't leave long gaps between courses, we'll be gone long before you need the table again".

But I didn't :eek:
 
You'd think 1pm would be a common enough booking time that the restaurant wouldn't be pressuring their customers to finish up by 3pm (or whatever time)
 
Well, at least they told you - I'll always remember going to a restaurant at about 6pm in the evening, and having the meal thrown at us (not literally!!) because they wanted the table for 7pm but didn't tell us beforehand. The staff tried to take our plates away before we'd finished eating, and kept pouring the wine to finish the bottle.

Must have been a very large group booking, because the restaurant was empty when we were there!

Needless to say, I never went back again.
 
.. going to a restaurant at about 6pm in the evening, and having the meal thrown at us (not literally!!) because they wanted the table for 7pm

OK, but 2 hours for 2 people should be loads of time if the staff are on their game. As it turned out, we were gone by 2:15, without having had to wolf down the food, and that includes having to flag down the person who offered to bring us the dessert menus and then didn't.

I believe what was said by the person taking the booking was unnecessary. If someone looks like they're settling in for the afternoon, make your comment then, but 'til then, focus on giving your customer the best service possible and your table turnover takes care of itself.
 
What did you want exactly?
Would you have preferred them to have said that they were booked out?

It's your choice if you want the table, and you were given all the information at the outset.

What should they have done?
 
I've noticed that its mainly Chinese restaurants that do this.

Luigi Malones often mention it also especially at times like Christmas.
 
If someone looks like they're settling in for the afternoon, make your comment then, but 'til then, focus on giving your customer the best service possible and your table turnover takes care of itself.

So you think they should have said nothing then? Instead interrupt you in the middle of your meal and tell you they need your table?
Do you not think this would cause more complaints?
 
OK, I may have touched a nerve here, but anyway ..

If I'm in the 'middle of my meal' 2 hours after being seated, then the fault is with the restaurant. People dawdling over their food is an exception and not the rule. Unless, of course, the service is poor but apparently it's not fair game to be critical of restaurants :rolleyes:.
 
Is this over the Christmas period? To be fair to the restaurant, people tend to take long lunches at Christmas that last until early evening. I know when we book our Christmas lunch, we ask them if they need us to vacate the table by a certain time. If they do, we don't go.

I don't think it is an unreasonable for them to make you aware that they do more than one lunch service.
 
Well, at least they told you - I'll always remember going to a restaurant at about 6pm in the evening, and having the meal thrown at us (not literally!!) because they wanted the table for 7pm but didn't tell us beforehand. The staff tried to take our plates away before we'd finished eating, and kept pouring the wine to finish the bottle.

I had the same experience once. Then the staff got sniffy because we looked for change. We had absolutely no intention of leaving a tip after their lousy and very rude service.
 
We use an excellent restaurant which is always busy. The restaurant has a rule that tables must be vacated by a certain time depending on when booked etc. I challenged the manager once on the issue. He informed me that some people arrive at a table say 1.00pm, order a glass of wine and stay talking for hours before leaving and buying nothing else. Therefore, the table is unproductive for hours while other paying patrons are waiting.

He also informed me that if three courses are ordered there is no limit on how long you remain at the table. Understandably, it is all about profit.
 
I used to work in a restaurant and if someone asked for a table I needed by a particular time I always ensured they knew this before taking the booking or seating them..."yes, I have a table but it's reserved at 8pm..perhaps you would enjoy your coffee in the lounge after your meal?" was more than enough. People were generally happy to do that, we got the table back in time to reset for another booking and sometimes I'd throw in the coffee for free..if they were nice.
 
Back
Top