Kate Connally wrote:
> jmcquown wrote:
>>
>> My point is, there is a reason for some tables sitting empty for 10
>> minutes before they are seated, especially on a busy night. And I
>> think it was Lisa-Ann who pointed out, sometimes the manager didn't
>> schedule enough servers, or, thinking it was going to be a slow
>> night, cut a couple of servers and closed some stations early only
>> to find a sudden influx of unexpected customers. This is why we
>> estimated and informed customers of "wait times". They could leave
>> or they could wait. There wasn't much to be done about that.
>>
>> Jill
>> --
>> I used to have a handle on life...but it broke off.
>
> 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

Point taken. However, still from the other side of the fence, once a
customer is seated they get more antsy than if they were told there is a
wait and are still in the lobby (btw, there were always seats in the lobby
where I worked except perhaps on a busy weekend night). They want drinks,
they expect service within minutes of their butts hitting the chair. They
do not appreciate being seated at a table and then told, "you'll have to
wait, sorry". (And yes, as a hostess I ran drinks when the servers were in
the weeds.)

Maybe it's psychological but the affect of seating someone is to say "you
will now get service", not 10 or 20 minutes later.

Jill