The first step to dining … The Reservation. At a restaurant where reservations are appreciated and often necessary, seating people is an art form. The host must juggle each request: desired dining time, party size, special needs, volume levels, individual preferences. I’m amazed how often some diners will turn down an “unacceptable” table that other customers have coveted and reserved by table number.
“We don’t want to be there, its too loud!” and “Don’t you have a table that’s more lively?” are two sides of the same coin.
Often the customer believes herself to be much more competent than the host. Upon entering without a reservation, the customer simply looks around. She can’t believe that the host cannot see that empty table. It’s right there. Maybe she needs to point it out to him. “That table is empty. Perfect. We’ll take it.” Um, right. “Sorry ma’am, we have a reservation for that.”
This is especially awkward at the beginning of the night. Customers become infuriated to be turned away, even when they are informed every table will be full within the next half-hour. She decides to be agreeable. “OK, then. Let’s do Friday, at 7:00, for 10 of us.” The host smiles politely.
Oh, the much-desired 7:00 reservation. Why does it always have to be 7:00? Let’s break it down to simple math: The average group takes between 1 1/2 to 2 hours to dine. So unless the host can put patrons’ butts in those chairs by the time the doors open, the table sits empty. Bigger parties require more tables, causing more empty tables during prime dining hours. No one in this business likes empty tables.
A little consideration by the guest goes a long way. Please have some idea of how many people are in your party. If you can’t keep track of your group, how do you expect the host to? I know this sounds crazy, but make the reservation for the number of people who will come with you to the restaurant. Accommodating the friends you just met at happy hour is not always possible. Believe it or not, most restaurants cannot actually make tables and chairs materialize out of thin air. Just because you are willing to squeeze your party of 15 into a table designed for 10 does not make this acceptable. Invariably, your cozy party will overflow into the space allotted for the romantic dinner of the people next to you. No one makes a doctor’s appointment and brings some extra people with the same symptoms.
Arriving with too few people is just as bad. When a party is booked for 20, notifying the restaurant five minutes ahead of time that it will only be six people causes chaos. Hungry people have been turned away to save those spots. The tables cannot always be filled right away without messing up the later reservations. Did I mention no one likes empty tables? When tables sit empty, our pockets stay empty as well. Plus, when reservations change suddenly, and tables are vacant, it makes the host look like he can’t do his job. I would hate to see that pushy woman at the host stand have ANY ammunition.
So really, the lesson to be learned is: Don’t mess with your ressie too much. Certainly there’s a bit of give and take to be had, but the better notice you give the restaurant and your server, the better service you’ll get.
