"Do you expect to show up on time?"

[SobaAddict70]

I used to be like this.

I think my record stands at 45 minutes. By then, people had moved on to dessert.

I'm hoping I've improved over time...

Soba

[alacarte]

Interesting feedback.

The part I find so odd is not the (veiled) reminder to be on time for the reservation, which I can appreciate -- rather it's the part about "the chef wants to know...." that I find a bit unusual.

[PassionateChefsDie]

Interesting feedback.

The part I find so odd is not the (veiled) reminder to be on time for the reservation, which I can appreciate -- rather it's the part about "the chef wants to know...." that I find a bit unusual.

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Isn't that to lessen the bad responses its not the chef you're talking to, sounds like the chef has asked them to ask, yet the reception take the flak!

[WHT]

No completely on-topic but relevant is the sign I saw at a "casual but nice" Mexican place in Ithaca NY just last week:

"We will not seat any party until all guest in that group have arrived"

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I have seen that several places over the years.

[Pan]

No completely on-topic but relevant is the sign I saw at a "casual but nice" Mexican place in Ithaca NY just last week:

"We will not seat any party until all guest in that group have arrived"

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I have seen that several places over the years.

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I've been to a lot of places that had that policy, but I'm not sure I remember a sign up.

[KatieLoeb]

"We will not seat any party until all guest in that group have arrived"

I've dealt with this on a daily basis, and if you're a busy lunch spot, where folks only have an hour to get back to their office, then it's the only fair way to handle it. Why should I tie up a table for four while your singular ass waits for your dawdling 3 companions while I can get that group of four that's already waiting behind you in line halfway through their lunch while your rude friends dribble in at their leisure?

The restaurant has a limited number of seats. They are a resource similar to one of your doctor's examination rooms or one of the dressing rooms at your favorite upscale boutique. Folks that wouldn't dream of taking a nap in the exam room or throwing a tea party in the dressing room have no compunctions about tying up the table at a restaurant.

How is one business any different than the other?

[WHT]

How is one business any different than the other?

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While for the most part I agree with this sort of policy, what about the reverse? Party of eight and six are ready to seat and order starters and the unit does not have a bar area to utilize.

[alacarte]

OK, dinner was last night, and here's the post-mortem.

As I mentioned earlier, dinner was at The Grocery, in Brooklyn. It's a VERY small (maybe 10 tables in the dining room and another 10 in the outdoor garden) and very intimate. It's owned by two chefs who are VERY hands-on in every aspect of the restaurant.

Chef Charlie is cooking your meal, but he's also the one who brings it to your table. He's also sitting at your table chatting when it's not full-on dinner rush, and I'm not surprised that he's monitoring the reservations too, which would not be the case at a larger establishment.

Another note (I didn't know this before) -- our host accidentally canceled our 7PM reservation (had it confused with another event for another night) and had to call back and ask for a new reservation. Of course they were full for 7PM, but our host lives down the block and is a regular, so they fit us in at 6:30....meaning they expected to turn the table over for an 8PM or later reservation. The restaurant was about half-full when we left at 8:30, and I'm happy to say we were NOT given the bum's-rush out the door.

By the way, the meal was great, one of the best I've had in some time. Despite the schlep out to Brooklyn, I'd recommend The Grocery to anyone in NY or heading to NY. The menu is fun and really made the most of seasonal ingredients and I enjoyed every dish I tried. Perhaps my favorite was the very creative "french fry salad" -- it's a salad of seasonal greens and hen-of-the-woods mushrooms -- I LOVE those mushrooms! The salad is garnished with a half-dozen crisp fries and a dressing made with (I think?) malt vinegar. The service is exceptional and they also throw in all kinds of little fun extras, like a chilled asparagus-leek soup in tiny silver cups and a trio of little scoops of sorbets at the end of the meal.

[phaelon56]

"We will not seat any party until all guest in that group have arrived"

I've dealt with this on a daily basis, and if you're a busy lunch spot, where folks only have an hour to get back to their office, then it's the only fair way to handle it. Why should I tie up a table for four while your singular ass waits for your dawdling 3 companions while I can get that group of four that's already waiting behind you in line halfway through their lunch while your rude friends dribble in at their leisure?

The restaurant has a limited number of seats. They are a resource similar to one of your doctor's examination rooms or one of the dressing rooms at your favorite upscale boutique. Folks that wouldn't dream of taking a nap in the exam room or throwing a tea party in the dressing room have no compunctions about tying up the table at a restaurant.

How is one business any different than the other?

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When it comes to issues liek this one business is not different form another in my opinion. I wasn't crticizing the sign - I found it interesting that they post the policy but it's probably necessary in my places, most especially ina college town where many students tend to show up late for everything (except free food). I lived in Ithaca and worked on campus for four years and can state that from experience.

[Eden]

I don't really blame them for wanting to know in advance (though perhaps they could have phrased it a little better) with so many people who think it's OK to show up everywhere 15-30 minutes late.

I have one friend (ranted about on the perpetually late thread) who, when she had us running over 30 minutes late to a restaraunt once on a busy saturday night actually said menacingly "they better have held our reservation" I secretly hoped they'd kick our sorry asses to the curb to make a point, but when we finally arrived they found us a table & were very gracious.

It must suck to be the floor manager & have to be nice to people who are being so inconsiderate though...

[C_Ruark]

I'm curious has no one heard of Nico Ladenis, I've dragged the book out and now will quote...

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Passionate... what book is the quote from?

- CSR

[SethG]

By the way, the meal was great, one of the best I've had in some time. Despite the schlep out to Brooklyn, I'd recommend The Grocery to anyone in NY or heading to NY.

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Thus continues the trend, recently also exhibited in the New Yorker's piece about Applewood and the $25 & Under column about the Steinhof, of referring to brownstone Brooklyn as if it's some distant foreign country. Brooklyn is very well served by the subway, folks! If you live below 14th Street, we're easier to get to than many parts of Midtown.

Besides, haven't you heard? Brooklyn is hip!

Edited June 24, 2005 by SethG (log)

[alacarte]

I want to support you on this SethG, I really do....but I had to change trains twice to get out to Carroll Hill, and then to get back home to Manhattan we waited nearly 30 minutes (since trains are less frequent once rush hour subsides) to get a train back home. "Schlep" still applies, IMHO.

[SethG]

Carroll Hill

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Carroll Hill indeed, you hopeless Manhattanite.

Edited June 24, 2005 by SethG (log)

[Chef Shogun]

No, I don't plan on showing up on time, MOTHER!

Edited June 24, 2005 by Chef Shogun (log)

[alacarte]

Carroll Hill

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Carroll Hill indeed, you hopeless Manhattanite.

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correction: Carroll St.

[KatieLoeb]

It must suck to be the floor manager & have to be nice to people who are being so inconsiderate though...

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Yes. It does.

[simdelish]

We will not seat any party until all guest in that group have arrived"

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I just had a nervy experience... we had dinner rez for 7 pm...it was not at a fancy place, but it was in Georgetown (DC) so there is frequently lots of walkin traffic, that's why I made the rez. The hostess stand is right up front, smack in the middle of restaurant, only a few feet inside the doors. Both doors were propped open, as the weather was lovely. My husband pulled right up to the door (M Street --busy street), and as I got out, I could see the hostess looking right at me getting out of the car. I walked in and gave her the name, and she replied she could not seat our party of two until 'everyone is here.' When I told her my husband was parking the car (like a gentleman, so I didn't have far to walk), and didn't she see him drop me off? she replied yes, "but policy was policy."

I asked her if I could order a drink at the bar while I waited (hello! I was spending MONEY!!!), she said then my rez would be considered late, and be put to the "end of the list of people waiting for tables." I asked Did this include walk-ins -- people without rez,and she snootily said yes. I chose to stand there instead, and then watched 3 different couples walk in off the street, none with rez. When my husband finally got there (barely 5 min later) the hostess sat us at a table right next to the kitchen door, as all the better tables had been taken!

After really fuming, and complaining to the manager on duty, we then had to wait another 10 min or so for a better table to become available.

[ghostrider]

A friend invited mr. alacarte & me for dinner at The Grocery in Brooklyn. When the reservation was made, our friend was asked:

"...and chef Charlie asked if you expect to arrive on time."

Huh? Has this happened to anyone else? I've never heard of this before.

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WHat I find odd about this is that it seems to imply that the person taking the reservations asked your friend, "Hold the phone a minute, let me see if chef Charlie has any questions for you." Or chef Charlie was listening in on the conversation. Or something similar.

I mean, how else would the reservation-taker know even to ask the question? Unless of course it was a ruse to ensure timeliness. In which case it's transparent.

It's not an unreasonable question, given what's said above about the subway commute to the place. I would have to answer "I'll be on time, assuming that the subways run as I expect them to." Because you can never be sure.

[PassionateChefsDie]

I'm curious has no one heard of Nico Ladenis, I've dragged the book out and now will quote...

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Passionate... what book is the quote from?

- CSR

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Soz not been back for a while.

Nico

Seems to be only secondhand though!

Stef

[nckd]

No completely on-topic but relevant is the sign I saw at a "casual but nice" Mexican place in Ithaca NY just last week:

"We will not seat any party until all guest in that group have arrived"

←

I have seen that several places over the years.

←

I've been to a lot of places that had that policy, but I'm not sure I remember a sign up.

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There's a restaurant here in the university district that has it printed on all of their menus, as well as a number of other things they won't be doing for you. I understand the reasoning, but that doesn't make it any less off-putting. Of course, that restaurant is a nightmare in general -- the sort of upscale casual place that exists so college students have somewhere to take parents with middlebrow tastes.

[annanstee]

We will not seat any party until all guest in that group have arrived"

←

I just had a nervy experience... we had dinner rez for 7 pm...it was not at a fancy place, but it was in Georgetown (DC) so there is frequently lots of walkin traffic, that's why I made the rez. The hostess stand is right up front, smack in the middle of restaurant, only a few feet inside the doors. Both doors were propped open, as the weather was lovely. My husband pulled right up to the door (M Street --busy street), and as I got out, I could see the hostess looking right at me getting out of the car. I walked in and gave her the name, and she replied she could not seat our party of two until 'everyone is here.' When I told her my husband was parking the car (like a gentleman, so I didn't have far to walk), and didn't she see him drop me off? she replied yes, "but policy was policy."

I asked her if I could order a drink at the bar while I waited (hello! I was spending MONEY!!!), she said then my rez would be considered late, and be put to the "end of the list of people waiting for tables." I asked Did this include walk-ins -- people without rez,and she snootily said yes. I chose to stand there instead, and then watched 3 different couples walk in off the street, none with rez. When my husband finally got there (barely 5 min later) the hostess sat us at a table right next to the kitchen door, as all the better tables had been taken!

After really fuming, and complaining to the manager on duty, we then had to wait another 10 min or so for a better table to become available.

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To quote my colleague: "that's RIDIC"

Isn't that what they do at the Hard Rock?