Who Gets Seated First?

This issue was sort of touched upon in Andrew Hutto's thread, so rather than risk the dreaded thread drift, I'll start a new topic.

Scenario:

It is a Saturday evening just before 8PM and the place is totally slammed.
Your 7:30 reservation walks in the door at 7:58 just a few steps ahead of your 8:00 couple. At 8:05 a two top becomes available and you're pretty sure it will be at least 15 minutes until another table opens up.
Who gets seated first, your 7:30 reservation or the 8?

Bill

don't know if there is an s.o.p. for our biz.we tend to give 15 minutes leeway. then we roll the reservation "behind" the current ones. if the people have not bothered to call, they get lower on the pole and lower priority. on a night like oals or derby,knowing that so many people will be late, you just have to spin the wheel and take your chances. it usually works out for the best.
a couple of things that are sure to put you in the penalty box with good door staffs is name droppers ( my hostesses love it when someone says "is andy here tonight?". the second thing is trying to tip your way up the list. if you feel compelled to give the hostesses a bonus, do it on your way out of the restaurant!!!

Do that many restaurants actually turn tables on Oaks/Derby? It has always seemed like a one turn event to me.

don't know if there is an s.o.p. for our biz.we tend to give 15 minutes leeway. then we roll the reservation "behind" the current ones. if the people have not bothered to call, they get lower on the pole and lower priority. on a night like oals or derby,knowing that so many people will be late, you just have to spin the wheel and take your chances. it usually works out for the best.
a couple of things that are sure to put you in the penalty box with good door staffs is name droppers ( my hostesses love it when someone says "is andy here tonight?". the second thing is trying to tip your way up the list. if you feel compelled to give the hostesses a bonus, do it on your way out of the restaurant!!!

It was always absolutely hilarious at Dietrichs or Allo when someone would get huffy about something and demand to talk to their close friend "Ben " Dietrich.

I say, if the 730 has not called ahead and informed you that they will be late, you seat the 8pm, on time, reservation, and shuffle to accommodate the 730 as best you can. If the 730 has called ahead, then you seat them first and then the 8 (presuming these two reservations would be for different tables anyway, both should be open or coming open directly).

y'all makin' me smile=
glad I don't have to deal with that silliness.

6 and 8

That is it. That is what we do.