DEAR AMY: A couple of days ago, I met a friend for a late breakfast at a nearby cafe. We were there for 50 minutes total, from the time we sat down. We ordered, were served, ate and were getting a last cup of coffee.
A manager approached us and asked us to leave, saying that there was a large party needing two tables.
I was shocked — insulted even. This has never happened to me before. In all fairness, I had my back to the door and could not see the waiting crowd, and I try to be considerate.
My friend says she was asked to leave another restaurant in our area. I went to school in Mexico City and people there have a table for as long as they wish, doing homework or whatever.
I am wondering what you think of this, and maybe what your readers think, or even restaurateurs think. Was I wrong to be upset?
Kathy in Colorado
DEAR KATHY: I agree that this is unusual, and rude. Wait staff have many ways of trying to urge a party along (presenting the check, etc.) before actually asking diners to leave. I assume you won’t be returning to this establishment.
I’ll run responses in future columns.
-- Edited by Lawyerlady on Friday 1st of September 2017 07:06:04 PM
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LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
I could see if they'd been there a couple of hours, but they hadn't even been there an hour, and were drinking coffee. I think the manager was rude and I don't know that I would go back.
I waitressed a lot, and an hour per meal at a sit down is pretty standard - that's really not lingering at all.
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LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
I would have asked the manager how much of my meal he would comp for me to leave immediately, give him the MM look and wait for his response. That was soooo rude. It may have been a small place so a large party would need most of the space but that is not the burden of the LW.
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Sometimes you're the windshield, and sometimes you're the bug.
Absolutely unforgivable for a restaurant employee (or manager, owner) to request this, especially if less than an hour has passed. At a restaurant we often use, during certain periods of the year that are busy, the owner posts a notice OUTSIDE the restaurant on the door, requesting that people eat and leave in 60 minutes. I do not think this is a good idea, either, but at least all are forewarned. And, yes, he does enforce the request...
I don't think you have the right to sit there for hours after you have finished your meal. Yes, you should have ample time to enjoy your meal and have conversation, etc. But, if you want to sit and talk for hours you should take that elsewhere in my opinion.
While I agree that lingering for hours, particularly during the dinner hour when restaurants want to turn tables to up their profit, this LW was there less than an hour before approached.
