Posted by Bob Perry on September 02, 1997 at 10:36:42:
In Reply to: Customer has a reservation; table isn't ready posted by Janice Matsumoto on August 20, 1997 at 18:28:34:
: Hi! I'm working on an article for a restaurant magazine and need to talk
: with a number of restaurant managers about their reservation
: policy.
: Specifically, what do you do when your customers with reservations
: arrive on time---but the table isn't ready yet. Do you give them
: complimentary drinks? Suggest they wait at the bar? Tell them it won't be
: much longer? Shoo away the party occupying the table?
: What do you do?
Answer: All of the above. For me, I try to read the customer. If they are regulars then usually they will understand, and knowing them, I usually know what will make them happy, a bottle of wine, some cocktails, or something to nibble on while they wait. Sometimes, however, customers have no idea how a restaurant works, and can be very impatient. You have no control over reservations, as your question below, if the previous res. comes in late or incomplete it screws with the later reservations, and on and on. It amazes me that the same people who complain that their table isn't ready will wait to be seated at Denny's or some other such mid/low range establishments without any qualms. Sometimes you wish you could tell them to either bear with the wait or get the !?*&% out, but diplomacy must rule. It's a tough call anyway you look at it.
: A second question: What's the best way to deal with incomplete parties
: who have reservations? Is it better to make them wait until the
: entire party has assembled, or is it better to go ahead and
: seat the ones who are present?
It depends, on how much space you have, how busy you are, etc. If I have their table ready, let them go ahead and be seated, hopefully they will order coctails and/or apps while they wait and increase their check. This problem then influences the above problem, and its a Catch 22 anyway you handle it. If the previous party is spending big bucks, and you know the next party won't, I definetly won't hurry the first, and vice versa. Running a restaurant is much more challenging then most people realize, hence the number of places that come and go very fast.
: Thanks so much for your help!
: Janice Matsumoto
: writer