Multiple Reservations

[lizziee]

This was on the Ask Tom chat done by Tom Sietsema of the Washington Post.

Washington, D.C.: Tom, I have five reservations in L.A. for Valentine's Day, four of which I need to cancel this week. Melisse, Patina, Campanile, Lucques and Spago. Do you know enough about the scene out there to help me out?

Tom Sietsema: Having eaten at them all in the past year and a half, my vote goes to the wonderful Spago in Beverley Hills (better than the original, in my opinion) followed by Campanile on S. La Brea Ave.

P.S. PLEASE, please do diners everywhere a favor and cancel the remaining reservations TODAY. You have no idea what a problem it creates for guests and hosts alike when you fail to do so. Merci.

Washington, D.C.: Tom: The issue of people reserving at several restaurants is HUGE. They rarely cancel and this is why restaurants must overbook. We are dependent on the turning of the tables because the profit margin is so narrow. It is a tricky balance for us and sometimes all of the overbookings show up and ironically we are accused of being greedy. Making multiple reservations is selfish and generally the same people who do this are the ones who scream the loudest when their table is not ready when they show up at an overbooked restaurant.

David Hagedorn

Tom Sietsema: Thanks for sharing the restaurateur's position.

To add my two cents, I think it is a despicable practice to make multiple reservations. In fact, I don't think Tom Sietsema was strong enough in his condemnation of this practice. To even give that person his recommendation seemed to endorse the multiple reservation practice. Multiple reservations are not only selfish, but completely unfair to everyone concerned.

[Matt Seeber]

lizziee, thanks for posting that.

what a pain in the butt it is to leave a credit card number when making a reservation but it is for this type of situation that it happens so frequently. it's a difficult but sometimes necessary policy for a restaurant to implement.

and we have all those inconsiderate people in LA to blame! that would never in a million years happen here in NYC ~ ~ ~

[Rail Paul]

There have been a number of threads on eGullet about "guaranteed reservations" over the past year or so. The arguments usually fall into a few groups:

1) Make a forefeitable deposit. You'll be there, your table will be waiting. I understand the credit card cos won't contest a no-show's assertion that they cancelled or were delayed. The customer may also find the prior guests have decided to linger, or the place is overbooked, or both.

2) Small groups are often dependent on "where do you want to go" decisions. Having several reservations gives the group that choice. Unfortunately, tables lay empty in good places, and the houses suffer a financial setback

3) Premium seating deserves a premium fee. If you want a center orchestra ticket to The Producers or Hairspray tonight, VIP tix has them for $250. If you want a $105 ticket, they have some for dates in July, in row L. Why not offer an absolutely guaranteed VIP res at Daniel for $100 reservation fee (to the house, not to Bruno's successor).

(Airlines and rental car companies have the same problem. So, discounted tix have change of itinerary charges.)

[jordyn]

People that no-show demonstrate a complete lack of regard for the restaurant and for those of us who diligently honor our reservations. As a result of their selfishness, we pay higher prices and have a tougher time getting reservations.

I've stated this before on another thread, but I'm perfectly happy to secure a reservation with a credit card *if* the restaurant is willing to commit that when I show up they will have my table ready for me. That's how it works in comparable situations in other industries, so if we want to use the plane, hotel rental car analogy, let's make sure we have the consumer protection side built in as well.

[Stone]

Here's a link to a prior discussion of similar topic. Another.

[Pan]

I totally agree with you, Lizzie. If I decide to make a second reservation, I cancel the first right after reserving the second. To me, reserving tables in places where you do not intend to eat is on the same order as promising to come to a limited-invitation party with the wine, not showing up, and not calling. You do that, and if I was the one who invited you, you're no longer my friend, unless you have a really good excuse. (I actually broke off a friendship in the upshot to a situation like that.)

Of course, there are always exceptional circumstances, such as when I made a reservation to eat somewhere in France, we got lost on the road and showed up in that area an hour and a half late, exhausted, and ate in the hotel restaurant, and we hadn't passed by a telephone, so I couldn't call in time. It seemed pointless to call and apologize, though perhaps we were wrong in thinking so. Anyway, though, the one time I remember that happening, I felt really bad. And we had intended to eat there that night.

[201]

No. Yes. No. No.

Carry on...

[glenn]

To add my two cents, I think it is a despicable practice to make multiple reservations. In fact, I don't think Tom Sietsema was strong enough in his condemnation of this practice. To even give that person his recommendation seemed to endorse the multiple reservation practice. Multiple reservations are not only selfish, but completely unfair to everyone concerned.

I've been called worse. I occasionally make reservations at 2 places for various reasons, mostly cuz I can't make up my mind. The last time I did this was thanksgiving cuz I couldn't decide if we were gonna go to nyc or nj. Why does this get people's panites in a bunch? I cancelled one of the reservations a few days beforehand, and I always cancel the one I'm not going to as soon as I make up my mind, though with enough time for the restaurant to give my reservation to someone else. For those restaurants that require a credit card guarantee, I have no problem doing so and always abide by the cancelation policy. I agree about the lowlifes who don't show or cancel, and perhaps that's all you were referring to, but that's not how it's stated. People trying to bullshit and intimidate the hostess saying they made reservations are the ones that should have their toenails removed.

[macrosan]

I always cancel the one I'm not going to as soon as I make up my mind, though with enough time for the restaurant to give my reservation to someone else.

I think this is a tricky judgement call, Glenn. You often won't know if the restaurant can replace your reservation. But also, the period you held the (eventually cancelled) reservation may have prevented me, for example, from getting mine.

I agree with Lizzie. People should make a reservation after they make their mind up. What's the big deal ? If it's a group, the same applies. You can't all meet on the night and discuss where you want to go. The group needs to make the decision before reserving, then stick with the decision.

I have made a reservation for a restaurant for February 15, and I am also trying to get into another (hard to get) restaurant for that night. If I don't get the second place by tomorrow, I'll tell the guy who's trying to get it not to bother. If he does get that reservation for me, I'll call the place where I have the reservation and ask them if cancelling is a problem. It's unlikely to be a problem for them, because it's a highly popular restaurant, with a big walk-in following, but if on the phone they say they're even slightly unhappy, then I'll keep the reservation and cancel the new one. That's the first time ever that I've tried a double reservation, and it's for a very special reason. I'm comfortable with the procedure I'm following.

[britcook]

I occasionally make reservations at 2 places ......I always cancel the one I'm not going to as soon as I make up my mind, though with enough time for the restaurant to give my reservation to someone else.

This naturally assumes you are the only person (or one of very few) to adopt this multiple booking approach. But if the practice becomes widespread and acceptable then taken to extremes you could get a restaurant that is fully booked until a few days before when all of a sudden everybody cancels "within the cancelation policy" and the place has no business at all one night. Ok, so maybe that won't happen, but it doesn't take that many canceled bookings to make a big hole in the restaurant's turnover. And the bigger the party the worse it is, just before Christmas I went to a restaurant that had been "fully booked" for weeks but a table of 12 had canceled the previous day and with practically no walk-in business , kinda wiped that any thought of profit that night.

[Fat Guy]

Tom Sietsema: Thanks for sharing the restaurateur's position.

Typically, when I come across Tom Sietsema's writing, I think it's great. But this type of statement indicates a flaw in his thinking, and I'm sorry to say this implied us-versus-them attitude is endemic to the food media. Tom, my man, this is not "the restaurateur's position." This is the customer's position too.

Restaurateur and customer interests are actually in exact alignment -- the interests of all restaurants and all customers are better served by no-multiple-booking than by multiple booking. In other words, if one customer books at five restaurants, the move benefits the one customer at the expense not only of four restaurants but also four other customers. Tom seems cognizant of this -- he says as much in his previous answer -- so how did this become "the restaurateur's position."

That being said, I do not consider this to be a question of ethics. No-showing is unethical, in my opinion, because it is a direct breach of a promise -- the promise to appear. Making multiple reservations does not breach any promise, provided all unused reservations are cancelled in accordance with each affected restaurant's cancellation policy. From an economic behavior standpoint, restaurants invite multiple booking by having generous cancellation policies and no deposits. That doesn't make multiple booking the right thing to do, but it does make it a de facto approved option. If restaurants want to void that option, there are several available courses of action, non-refundable deposits being the leading candidate. The optimal, most desirable behavior -- the right thing to do -- is for everybody to behave as Martin does. But people are free actors, and I wouldn't severely fault them for exercising the legal, permitted options with which they are presented.

(edit: for clarity)

[glenn]

I can't deny the logic of BC and MR's rationale, but I have my own. I would never cancel a 12 person xmas reservation the day before. I don't make multiple reservations often -- for that matter, I'm hard pressed to make reservations at all because I'm not one for planning in advance -- but the ocassional times that I do, I try to be fair about canceling by canceling in what I feel is a timely manner.

from an economic behavior standpoint, restaurants invite multiple booking by having generous cancellation policies and no deposits. That doesn't make multiple booking the right thing to do, but it does make it a de facto approved option. If restaurants want to void that option, there are several available courses of action, non-refundable deposits being the leading candidate.

Not to get off topic and I believe we've covered this ground before, but in the event of a dispute, the credit card companies, except for American Express in certain circumstances, will not side with a restaurant who charges a customer who does not show, whether it's a guaranteed reservation or a deposit is given. American Express has no restaurant policy for deposits and the customer will likely win in case of a dispute -- as per our amex rep. As for guaranteed reservations, the restaurant must sign an agreement with AMEX and follow certain rules. I know you (FG) once stated that the customer might prevail in court (if they want to go through such trouble), but master card and visa disagree, at least per our credit card processor.

[Rail Paul]

Not to get off topic and I believe we've covered this ground before, but in the event of a dispute, the credit card companies, except for American Express in certain circumstances, will not side with a restaurant who charges a customer who does not show, whether it's a guaranteed reservation or a deposit is given.  American Express has no restaurant policy for deposits and the customer will likely win in case of a dispute -- as per our amex rep.  As for guaranteed reservations, the restaurant must sign an agreement with AMEX and follow certain rules.  I know you (FG) once stated that the customer might prevail in court (if they want to go through such trouble), but master card and visa disagree, at least per our credit card processor.

There is at least one way around this problem, and I saw it used last night.

I was picking up a pizza at my local, and the order phone rang. The clerk looked at the caller ID screen and said "I'm sorry, we do not accept orders from this phone number due to previous experience. Thank you for calling. Goodbye." She elaborated to say there are 50 or 60 numbers so identified.

There's a reason some restaurants have a special reservations phone number for known customers. They show up, they pay. It's a crap shoot for a 20 table place if they have 3-4 no show tables every night, and have already turned down other guests.

I wonder if opentable or iDine offers their restaurant clients a more dependable reservations flow?

[Basildog]

There's a reason some restaurants have a special reservations phone number for known customers. They show up, they pay. It's a crap shoot for a 20 table place if they have 3-4 no show tables every night, and have already turned down other guests.

Try a 20 COVER Bistro?!

One table of 2 not showing at my place is 10%

[Fat Guy]

Glenn & Rail, implementation is of course always going to be an issue. But most restaurants simply do not take any steps to prevent the undesirable behavior at issue here.

[Liza]

Cathy and I were talking about this the other night and I found myself saying, "I really enjoy reconfirming my reservation at a restaurant. There's something satisfying about calling them and letting them know that I will be keeping my date with them".

Strange.

[tommy]

Cathy and I were talking about this the other night and I found myself saying, "I really enjoy reconfirming my reservation at a restaurant. There's something satisfying about calling them and letting them know that I will be keeping my date with them".

Strange.

along the same lines, i like calling to cancel. it's rare that you get such a positive and genuine "thank you" out of people as you do when you call to cancel.

[Basildog]

Tommy...i am normally very genuine when i thank people for cancelling...i can always sell the table...but if they don't call i can''t

As we are so small, and Padstow very popular , people book along time in advance.But the diary is always in a state of flux.Cancelling (within a reasonable time) is all part of that process for us

[tommy]

Tommy...i am normally very genuine when i thank people for cancelling...

dats what i'm sayin yo.

[Basildog]

Sorry Tommy..i thought you were being sarcastic

[tommy]

Sorry Tommy..i thought you were being sarcastic

who me?

[Deacon]

Not to get off topic and I believe we've covered this ground before, but . . . as for guaranteed reservations . . .

Consideration for the other side has to be a two-way street. I always call to cancel when I can't make it.

But what about those places that insist upon a credit card so they can bill you if you don't show? Shouldn't they give your party free meals (or the same amount in cash) if THEY don't honor the reservation? If they claim the right to bill your card if you don't show, they should also GIVE YOU YOUR MEALS if THEY renege on their promises to YOU. Fair is fair.

[Fat Guy]

Deac: What is the restaurant's promise? What is the customer's promise? I doubt the situation would arise where the restaurant would say, "No, you can't have your table!" It would more likely be a 15 minute delay in seating. Is that a broken promise, or just the expected leeway? After all, most decent restaurants will accommodate customers who are 15 minutes late. Circle of life, baby.

[vengroff]

Seems to me opentable.com is an ideal solution for both parties. For guests, they seem to have good availability, even at places where tables are known to be tough. Restaurants can offer better service and build customer loyalty. They don't have to overbook as much, since an opentable.com reservation is more reliable than one made by a random phone call. Guests who no-show more than a couple of times get booted from the system.

P.S. I am not a trojan shill for opentable.com. I'm just a satisfied customer.

[jordyn]

Fattus Prime:

I agree that a certain amount of leeway is to be expected. 15 minutes seems reasonable. Longer delays and lost reservations are not, and in a situation in which a customer has guaranteed their reservation with a credit card, I think the restaurant owes something to the customer, just as the customer would owe something to the restaurant if they didn't show up.