DEAR ABBY: I own a popular small cafe in the city. With only 12 tables (and no use of our patio during inclement weather), the restaurant fills up quickly and there is a long line at the door, especially on weekends.
I'm delighted to have so many wonderful guests and be in this predicament. But what can I do without being rude when, long after their meals, customers don't pick up on hints that we need the table? I think some people genuinely don't realize the imposition, while others simply don't care. How do I politely convey that "time's up"? -- HINT, HINT
DEAR H.H.: I discussed your letter with an experienced restaurateur. He said the answer to your question depends upon whether the "table hogs" (my words) are regular patrons. If they are, let them nurse their coffee and continue their conversations. If they aren't, then simply tell them there is a line of people waiting and you need the table. Business is business.
I wouldn't say anything as a business owner. But a small place with a line out the door cannot be a comfortable place to linger in. Can you imagine the angry stares from people waiting to get a table?
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Sometimes you're the windshield, and sometimes you're the bug.
I think there is a difference between lingering and camping out. I mean, depending on who i am out with, there are times we want to chat a bit over coffee and dessert. On the other hand, there are indeed people who will sit there all day on their laptops so that is a bit tricky to navigate. As for people in line angrily staring at me, i couldn't care less. I waited my turn, so now wait yours.
What about people who want to enjoy a nice evening out and the wait staff is bringing the entree before one even gets a bite of their salad or appetizers? And then the check comes halfway through the meal with the "no rush" comment. Um, i wanted dessert too, guess I'll get a $5 piece of cake elsewhere.
What about people who want to enjoy a nice evening out and the wait staff is bringing the entree before one even gets a bite of their salad or appetizers? And then the check comes halfway through the meal with the "no rush" comment. Um, i wanted dessert too, guess I'll get a $5 piece of cake elsewhere.
Yes, you want to sit and enjoy yourself. That is the point. If i wanted my food shoved under my face and out the door, i will go to McD's. There is a balance here of course. You have to be reasonable on both sides. Diners need time to enjoy and savor their meal. But, diners also should not be sitting there for hours beyond what is reasonable.
What about people who want to enjoy a nice evening out and the wait staff is bringing the entree before one even gets a bite of their salad or appetizers? And then the check comes halfway through the meal with the "no rush" comment. Um, i wanted dessert too, guess I'll get a $5 piece of cake elsewhere.
Yes, you want to sit and enjoy yourself. That is the point. If i wanted my food shoved under my face and out the door, i will go to McD's. There is a balance here of course. You have to be reasonable on both sides. Diners need time to enjoy and savor their meal. But, diners also should not be sitting there for hours beyond what is reasonable.
I can't stand restaurants that turn up the air conditioning. I have walked into restaurants and just walked out when i saw how cold it is. One time, DD and i stopped at Pizza Hut. It was August and hot outside so yeah, run the AC, they brought us water and we sat there and it was uncomfortably cold so we got up and left. I usually carry a sweater to wear because i hate that. But, i didnt' have one.
I was at a restaurant with a sign stating "we love having you, when you are finished, let us love having someone else".
And the turn over was quick and clean.
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
Tell you what I use to do when I needed to free tables up, I'd change the music.
And when I really wanted people to go, it was Rawhide.
Head'em up and move'em out!
-- Edited by lilyofcourse on Saturday 16th of July 2016 01:36:24 PM
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A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
I can't stand restaurants that turn up the air conditioning. I have walked into restaurants and just walked out when i saw how cold it is. One time, DD and i stopped at Pizza Hut. It was August and hot outside so yeah, run the AC, they brought us water and we sat there and it was uncomfortably cold so we got up and left. I usually carry a sweater to wear because i hate that. But, i didnt' have one.
This bothers me too. With heat and A/C. I hate having to wear layers and then carry them around with me while I'm shopping, or find somewhere to stash them when I'm eating because the establishment is like a sauna when it's 0 outside.
I'm not sure there's a restaurant...any restaurant, that I would be willing to wait in line for. But I don't live in NYC where apparently it's the norm.
I'm big on choosing times when there are less crowds, or making reservations.
Here if there is an hour wait at one place, there is an hour wait everywhere. We just don't have enough nice places and most don't take a reservation unless it's for a large group.
A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
I'm not sure there's a restaurant...any restaurant, that I would be willing to wait in line for. But I don't live in NYC where apparently it's the norm.
I'm big on choosing times when there are less crowds, or making reservations.
Yeah, i will wait in line depending on where i am and how hungry and how good i believe the restaurant to be. But, you can be darn sure that if i also have waited in line to get my seat, i will then be in no hurry to eat and run either. So, that isn't my problem. The restaurant can decide how to handle that. Expand and add more seating. Raise their prices. Turn the AC down to 50 degrees , in which case i surely won't come back, or have pushy wait staff try to hurry people along in which case that might also hurt their business. It is a balancing act of course.
Perhaps managers should allow the wait staff to indicate there is a 'please no loitering' policy where all tables have to have a minimum $10 tab per half hour after initial meal is completed. Or something like that. If the waiter has the ability to offer up an excuse, or blame the manager, and say "I noticed it has been a while since you paid your tab. I hate to say this but the manager has a rule that if you sit here longer than 15 minutes after paying, we have to ask you to either order something or allow us to seat more guests. If there wasn't people waiting it wouldnt be a big deal, but we have customers waiting and I dont want to get in trouble for not letting you know of the policy."
We went to an early dinner with DSS, DIL, DIL's mother, ExWife and ExMIL on Saturday to a hibachi restaurant. Reservation was for 3:30. There was no one else at the restaurant when we arrived. There were only a few others there when we left at 5:30. Yes, we lingered for about 45 minutes after we were finished. I kept asking the waitstaff if it was okay that we were still there. The restaurant was not even 25% full so they were okay with us lingering. I did leave an extra tip when we paid the bill since I knew we may be there a little longer.
