"Kate Connally" > wrote in message
...

<snipped>

> Jill, I appreciate all the points you make about why the
> customers might not be seated right away in the empty
> table, however, I don't agree that any of those are valid
> reasons to keep someone waiting. Especially if they have
> to stand around. I would rather be seated asap and have
> them explain that they're extremely busy and that there
> will be a slight delay or something to that effect. I'd
> sure as hell rather wait sitting than standing. And I don't
> particularly like sitting at the bar while I wait (if that
> is an option). And it just looks bad to have someone standing
> (or whatever) waiting for their table when there is a
> table "available". The customer doesn't care about all
> the back of the house "reasons" for making them wait.
> And I certainly don't mind waiting to be served once I'm
> comfortably seated and the delay is explained and apologized
> for. It's the manager's job (and the other employees, too)
> to make everything work out without inconveniencing the
> customers unnecessarily.
>
> Kate

I agree with you, Kate. For a restaurant to say "We do things this way and
if it incoveniences the customer, tough" is perhaps the definition of bad
customer service. What they should do is say "We need to do things in a way
that does not incovenience the customer."

Peter Aitken