Served: Reservations or Lack Thereof
I blog by day and wait tables in a New York City restaurant by night. I'm excited to bring you Served, dispatches from the front of the house. Enjoy!
The story is all too familiar. I had made us reservations for 8 p.m.; we arrived prompt and hungry. The door was glutted with people waiting for a table. A team of hostesses looked impressively unruffled by the clamor. “We’ll show you to your table in a moment,” a chipper blonde promised us. So we finagled a little plot of space by the host stand and waited.
The moments turned to minutes. Ten or 15 of them passed before I asked, “Is our table ready? Should we get a drink or something?” The bar, of course, was equally packed.
“If you want,” she said, “But your table will be ready in a moment." She turned away to talk to someone else. What did "in a moment" mean? Not much, it seemed.
My friend went to the bathroom and returned optimistic. “Looks like lots of people are finishing up! There’s a bunch of empty plates.” Twenty-five minutes later, my stomach growling, we were shown to a table.
Door Etiquette
I’ve been a hostess before, at busy spots, on many a busy night. I get it: Shit happens. A group might rush to order, scarf their meal, pay their check, and then surprise everyone by lingering at the table for an hour. An unexpected visit from a celebrity, an investor, or a friend might mess up the plan for the evening (although the wise maître d' will be prepared for such an incident to go down, as they often do).
Glitches can seep into even the most meticulously planned reservation book. Sometimes, a blameless party will have to wait for the table they reserved. Nobody wants this—not the diner, and certainly not the restaurant. But it happens.
In my hostess days, if a party came in and it was clear it would be a while before we could honor their reservation, I would let them know. I would apologize. If it was going to be a while, I would buy them a drink. Transparency is nice. Nobody likes being lied to. I would have appreciated an apology, or at least an acknowledgment that we would be waiting for awhile.
No Reservations
My little wine bar of a restaurant doesn’t take reservations. We’re too small and casual for such a system to work, and it sort of goes against the wine bar spirit. But that doesn’t stop people from trying. They call all the time, ready to reserve a table for four on such and such a time on Tuesday.
When I let them know, ever so sweetly, that we don’t take reservations, they try (with the best intentions, I’m sure!) to comb me for info. What is the wait, usually, for four at nine PM on Tuesday? My answer always disappoints them. There is no usually! I am no psychic! I really, really do not know. Sometimes on a nine PM on a Tuesday they might be able to slide right in; other times, they might have to wait for an hour or more.
Everyone who has worked at a restaurant understands the deeply mysterious ways of crowdedness. Sure, there are patterns. Some places can count on a pre- or post-theater rush, or an after-work hit, or a hopping brunch. But even these rules are wracked with exceptions.
My place seems to follow even more bizarre and ever-changing patterns. We are usually packed all night on Fridays. Last Friday, the place was weirdly quiet until about 10, and then unrelentingly crazy until we closed at 2 AM. A week before that, we were rocking until about midnight, and then the place cleared out suddenly and totally.
Be Nice, Please
After being open for two years, we’ve managed to figure out systems to manage the chaos that is our busy door. We only seat complete parties. Tables are reserved for diners; those who are only drinking are asked to sit at the bar. These things seem fair and help us fill the restaurant democratically and efficiently.
There are exceptions, of course. Last night, a few minutes after we opened, a couple came in. They were waiting for a third to join them for dinner. I explained that they were welcome to wait at the bar where they could start drinking or even eating. When their number three showed, they could move to a table.
This did not sit well with the woman, who launched into a furious surge of accusations. This was unfair, cruel, inhospitable, etc. I tried to meet her anger with niceness, but it was impossible to get a word in edgewise.
“Listen,” I said, when she finally finished her rant. “We’re empty right now, so you guys can get started at a table. Just realize that this is an exception to our policy, and during a busier time we might ask you to wait. Please, right this way.”
“Oh, great,” she said, unenthusiastically. She was certainly expecting me to put up more of a fight. She seemed almost disappointed.
In a Perfect World
It is the responsibility of restaurant employees and guests to be cordial to each other. Perhaps even friendly. And honest. I did what I could to appease the nasty woman. If she had been a tad nicer, she would have still gotten what she wanted and I would have felt less abused.
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21 Comments:
there will always be those people who walk through the door that will never be happy .... no matter what you say or do .... it has nothing to do with anything but their own inability to enjoy their own life. it's never about what's best for everyone .... but what's best for them.
they, especially, need that extra smile and kindness.
pooch at 9:47AM on 03/24/09
I used to work in a hotel and my manager actually told me to do whatever we needed to appease yelling customers. But I hated that policy because I feel it reinforced their bad behavior. I know I am not their mother and they are grown people, but I don't want them to learn that yelling gets their unreasonable demands met.
inothernews at 10:27AM on 03/24/09
A lesson from the french would be that when you make a reservation, you're allowed to stay at that table for the entire evening.. no other reservations are made.
Then if you drop by, and a table is empty, lucky you.
seikel at 10:35AM on 03/24/09
If that angry lady was yelling at me I would have asked her to leave. Working people shouldn't have to deal with people's abuse when following policies that are designed to make things fair for all customers. Especially when they aren't responsible for those policies.
Of course this is why the restaurant I will open after I get laid off from my current IT job will probably fail.
joeqboo at 10:56AM on 03/24/09
@joeqboo: when you open, can i work for you? i feel the same way.
magmcadam at 11:51AM on 03/24/09
My bf (whom I've mentioned here before) works at a casual pizza restaurant with takeout/delivery/eat in options. The best thing about his job is his boss and her family. They're tough Albanians who take crap from no one. They're generally polite, but if a customer is rude, they'll be rude right back. My bf never has to suck up to an asshole just because he's a customer.
emgroff at 12:34PM on 03/24/09
inothernews: I agree, my issue with giving the customers who were really bullies what they wanted was that it was teaching them that that kind of behavior gets results. It definitely is up to the management to set the rules for this type of situation but I will say my favorite bosses were those who didn't take crap from customers and realized that a really good employee was more important then an abusive customer.
swampyankee at 1:10PM on 03/24/09
That woman in your story sounds like my aunt.
FrostyGhost at 1:11PM on 03/24/09
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that a restaurant that's popular enough to have hour-long waits at times should consider a limited reservations policy. Maybe even just two or three tables. That way, if someone is coming from across town, or has other plans for the evening that mean dinner needs to happen on a set schedule, they can plan far enough in advance to snag one of the tables that's reserve-able.
This keeps the majority of the tables open for walk-ins and neighbors, but gives people who are more comfortable planning ahead an alternative.
I know many people who flat-out won't eat at restaurants where they can't reserve, and I don't really blame them.
anitaepler at 2:51PM on 03/24/09
@anitaepler - honestly, i don't think that would make many people happy. It'd probably end up being near impossible to secure a table, and be a logistical headache for the restaurant.
Also, it's not in the restaurant's best interest from an economic perspective. Leaving the table open to walk-ins who are happy with the place may allow for additional seatings over the course of the night.
Not every restaurant is built for reservations, and if people don't want to eat at those places...that's honestly their choice. there are tons of places that'll take your call and book you a table.
radiatedchimp at 4:41PM on 03/24/09
Wow--that lady was rude...maybe she'd had a rough day? But I can also say that I'd be a little peeved if I walked into a completely empty place and was told I couldn't be seated until my party arrived. For me, a reasonable explanation of the policy would suffice and I sure wouldn't be rude like that, but I'd still think it silly to enforce it with an empty dining area.
I used to work in a place that took reservations... Geez,it could be a bear to deal with delays in seating, for sure--and I tried to give estimated wait times the best I could. I offered a similar response for people calling ahead to ask how long the wait generally was on a given day of the week--I'd offer an estimate based on the average, and make sure there was no mistaking that it was just a guess--not a guarantee.
Chewla at 4:47PM on 03/24/09
Yeah, it's all about transparency. If there's going to be a long wait, please tell me, so I can decide whether it's worth staying. I'm a pretty understanding person, I just want to know what I'm getting into.
On a side note, I wish restaurants took reservations for brunch, at least for the peak brunch hours. As a second best, please give me coffee while I wait, like one of my regular places does (they even give samples of baked goods).
piccola at 10:12PM on 03/24/09
As rude as that woman seemed, I agree with Chewla. I think it seemed totally reasonable that given an empty restaurant, the policy should have been ignored in that situation.
I think that it was you, Hannah, who was wrong in explicitly letting the customer know that you were making this exception just once. Perhaps she had an attitude problem, but a server/manager/bartender should never ever seem like its them who is doing the customer a favor, because as anyone who's worked in restaurants or hospitality knows, no matter how much you kiss a customer's a*s, at the end of the day, it's them who's doing you a favor by giving you their business.
I think you should have completely left out the "Just realize..." line and just sucked it up. If any hostess or waiter ever talked to me like that, I'd turn right around and walk out.
GoodEaterKenji at 10:46AM on 03/25/09
Hannah, this is a good opportunity to tie in a post of yours from a few weeks back, where you described two diners sharing only one entree and one drink but occupying the table for hours. When there are people with reservations waiting to sit, is there any attempt to (gently or otherwise) persuiade the table hogs to leave? It would obviously be in the best interest of the restaurant, the server and the waiting party.
Pigtrip1 at 12:05PM on 03/25/09
@GoodEaterKenji, I respectfully disagree. I think its important for customers to know (in situations like this) that an exception has been made. If not, when this woman comes in two weeks later and the restaurant is hopping she wondoesn't expect the same reception if half her party is missing.
While I agree that a guest is favoring you with their business, I feel many guests forget, that a restaurant or bar is indeed a business. Businesses have policies for a reason. Yes, sometimes they can be changed, but it is at the discretion of the business, not the guest.
Also, I think that the way that exception is phrased can make a difference. For example, if a guest has been incredibly sweet and I make an exception it could be seen as a reinforcement of that sweet behavior and my way of thanking them. "Since you've been so understanding, I can show you to your table early, but just this once."
erysheep at 12:50PM on 03/25/09
Hannah, you handled that extremely well. The woman was a bully no different than a sixth grader on a playground. I'm sorry you had to go through that. A person should not be treated as a second-class citizen upon putting on an apron.
Reading these boards always gives me an interesting look into the perspective of those whose experience in restaurants is limited to being a guest. Servers don't make policy. If she didn't like a policy she should have talked (like a grown-up) to the manager.
Honestly, I could probably go on forever about this. But, I think the important part was about how people treat each other. The hostess was apathetic to you and you didn't feel valued as a guest. You were kind to the bully and she couldn't muster appreciation. People responding say the guest is always right but they don't want to be the person waiting to sit while someone is holding a table. A little more focus on the Golden Rule would have been nice.
twosavoie at 1:31PM on 03/25/09
...of them (not you).
twosavoie at 2:50PM on 03/25/09
I'm not one who's willing to wait very long. Never have been, and never will be. I've never understood those who are willing to wait an hour/waist an hour of their life away, just to eat at a crowded establishment. I'm always willing to come back at a better time, and go elsewhere for the time being.
I awlays ask how long the wait will be, if the place is crowded, and if it's more than 15 minutes, I'm out of there. If Do wait, and it starts to go longer than I was told, I politely tell the hostess to remove from the list and that I will try back another time. I won't just up and leave without letting someone know, so they're not standing there yelling out for my party for no reason. That's wasting their time.
It's not that I'm always in a hurry. I just don't like to eat at places when their extremely busy. Too much can go wrong during a busy rush. There are so many options in my area, that it is just plain stupid to waist time in waiting so long just to eat somewhere.
Raiders757 at 5:50PM on 03/25/09
The rude people is my reason Im not a server anymore, I did it for 5 years and got sick of putting up with it, especially in a Casino where no matter what the customer wants you pertty much have to suck up to it. I went to Culinary school and would much rather be cooking, Im in my happy zone behind the line now and catering for myself. I feel sorry for the Hostesses who take the bull.
WSLunch at 7:42PM on 03/25/09
At the airport the other day the barmaid carded every soul, including all the old graybeards and women over a certain age. Instructed by the boss to disregard common sense, the barmaid was following the rules. I expect that being instructed to chill at the bar in a restaurant full of empty tables is par for the course at Logan (rules are rules), but not at anyplace in the hospitality business.
Roy10 at 5:46AM on 03/26/09
I'm a hostess at a popular restaurant that does not accept reservations and I am constantly being asked what the wait is typically at a particular time. I usually give a range but explain that it is always changing and that wait times depend on the speed of the night, party size, time, etc. Sometimes people get frustrated with that answer but I would rather give a vague answer than be too specific and have someone show up disappointed that they have to wait longer than expected.
Also, policies about not seating incomplete parties are there for a reason! I am still amazed at how people could get so upset about that. If a place is busy and small, we don't want you sitting an extra 1/2 hour while you wait for the rest of your party. It makes COMPLETE SENSE. Otherwise, it makes the wait times higher for everyone else who is complete.
cpallas at 3:00PM on 03/30/09