On Fri, 08 Jul 2005 21:08:23 +0200, Nathalie Chiva wrote:

> So do I. Actually, in Europe, I never had to wait more than 1 minute
> if I had a reservation, so this 20-minute standing thing just amazes
> me. Actually, without a reservation, nobody will have you wait here
> usually - you'll be told there is no table, period. I guess that
> derives from the fact that restaurants don't *expect* more than 1
> seating per evening - even though it may happen.
>
In Europe, dining is a civilized social experience where customers
linger over a meal... talking. We tend to eat and run here, so
restaurants can count on turning their tables twice or maybe three
times during the dinner hours - if they're lucky.