Reservation Policy

I've been reading this board for quite a while, but this is the first time I've posted. I’m writing to pose a question about the appropriateness of a reservation policy of a local restaurant (that will go unnamed).

The situation: My wife is having her birthday on Friday. We enjoy eating out, and there is a relatively new restaurant in town that we’ve been waiting to try. Needless to say, we decide to celebrate by going out to said restaurant with a couple of close friends. On Wednesday I call to make reservations. The following conversation ensues:

Me: “I’d like to make a reservation for four for Friday.”

Host: “I’m sorry, but we only take reservations for six or more. Everybody else is taken on a first come basis.”

Me: “Well, if the four of us show up at about 7:00, how long would we have to wait?”

Host: “About an hour. But we have a bar that you can wait at, and we do have a bar menu.”

Now, this doesn’t sit quite right with me. I understand that taking reservations is a hassle, and I’m thrilled that the restaurant is doing enough business that people are willing to wait for an hour on a Friday to get seated. But (1) we don’t want to wait for an hour, (2) my wife doesn’t do well with late dinners (digestive issue), (3) I don’t want to subject my two friends to an hour’s wait. I suppose we could arrive at 6:00, but my friends can’t make it that early, and it would be difficult logistically for us as well. We could celebrate on a weekday, but then it wouldn’t be my wife’s birthday (and generally we don’t go out much during the week). Yes, we can wait at the bar, but I want the full restaurant experience, and that’s not going to happen at the bar.

Seems to me that this restaurant is making it awfully difficult for less than six people to eat there on a Friday night. I’m kind of miffed. Given the constraints, I don’t know if I’m ever going to be able to eat there on a weekend. Does anyone in the business have a perspective that might make this easier for me to understand? I’m not a fussy patron, really. I just want to be able to make a reservation for a special occasion and have a good time without having to stand around for an hour. Is this unreasonable?

I thank you in advance for your comments.

From a consumer's perspective I feel your pain - the other hand you are lucky to be in a town with a plethora of dining options that do take reservations. Go somewhere else or invite 2 more friends and make a reservation for 6.

I never dine at a new or hot place on a weekend night. For fine dining I prefer Tuesday - less crowds, the kitchen isn't pressed, the servers seem more relaxed.

The policy doesn't really bother me - most places that have staying power often change these policies after the rush moves on to the next new place.

Personally I think its a bogus reservation policy. I believe you should either take reservations, learn how to work them to your and your patron's advantage or don't take them at all.

If their walk in business is strong enough to warrant an hour wait, then I don't understand they wouldn't take reservations for 4 tops or deuces. Why are they even bothering to answer the phone to take reservations at all? It doesn't make since to me why they couldn't take reservations for everyone until every table is booked. Give them 15 minutes to show up, otherwise you lose your table. Tell everyone that is your policy when they make their reservation. Even if you don't book them all you could still have your walk-ins wait around at the bar until something opens up with a no-show, fast eaters, etc.

I think the problem might be is that they don't want to tell some one that no we can't take you because we are booked at a certain time. Like 7:00 on a Friday when the entire world wants to eat. So instead of having to say no, they just have everyone waiting around for an hour when they could have just taken 8:00 reservations

Here's what you could do, Make the reservation for six at your requested time, Show up with your other couple and have them seat you immediately, telling the hostess that the rest of your party will be arriving shortly. Once you get seated, tell your server that the other party had to cancel at the last minute.

Not a very friendly policy, but Dan's points are well made - trying a trendy new spot at 7 on a Friday isn't the best idea anyway.

However, I cannot condone lying about the number in your party, (although in a way they are sort of asking for it) because that just penalizes a server (who would be expecting a 6-top and the tips that go along with it), who probably didn't have anything to do with making the reservation policy. Just go somewhere else this time, and try the new place on a weeknight some other week.

There are so many great places in Louisville that would Love! to have your 4 top, i'd go somewhere else that wants to take care of you & your wife. Hope your wife has a great birthday.

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However, I cannot condone lying about the number in your party, (although in a way they are sort of asking for it) because that just penalizes a server (who would be expecting a 6-top and the tips that go along with it), who probably didn't have anything to do with making the reservation policy. Just go somewhere else this time, and try the new place on a weeknight some other week.

Thanks Marsha!!! I totally forgot to mention this important part of my ploy to beat the minimum person reservation policy.
Don't forget to throw your server a couple of extra bucks because they were expecting to be waiting on a six top and now their gratuity has just been reduced by a third by my illicit plan to get you seated at your requested time.
User beware disclamer. Some establishments may have caugtt on to this practice and may not seat you untill your entire party has arrived.

Such good responses! This is a great group of people.

I concede that going to a popular restaurant at 7:00 on Friday is probably not the best choice if you want to get seated quickly, even if you have reservations. What drove my original post was the fact that my wife's birthday landed on a Friday this year, which necessitated a Friday reservation (at least if we were going to celebrate ON her birthday), and then finding out that none were to be had. Having said that, I agree that we're blessed to live in a city that has a multitude of fantastic places to eat. We'll probably head off to another great place that we haven't been to in a while and have a fantastic time.

Re the suggestion that I lie about the size of my party: interesting idea, but I don't have the guts to do it. I also have moral qualms about doing it. We'll probably end up there in the next few months, but on a weeknight when the wait is shorter. Que sera and all that. But I'd still like to make a reservation.