We Will Refund the Reservation of a Table in the Restaurant
Reserving a table for dinner may seem outdated to you – your elders used to do it for special occasions. But there are some pretty good reasons to do this, besides the obvious fact that you won’t be hungrily standing in the lobby sniffing someone else’s delicious food. It’s not just about convenience for you (although that’s an important part of it) – there are other reasons why you should make reservations whenever possible, especially now that it’s easier than ever to do so.
Booking saves you waiting time
When you have a booking, you obviously have priority over people who don’t. Of course, you won’t always be able to do this if you’re just wandering around looking for a place to eat, but even if you just call half an hour or so in advance, you’ll have a better chance of getting inside. feed earlier.
“The main reason to order is to make sure you’re welcome when you want to go,” said Bill Gilroy, owner of New York eateries Employees Only , Macao , and Belle Reve . “Also, you don’t have to wait in line to get in. Dinner reservations have priority. When everything is full, everyone else – passers-by and patrons of the bar – must wait in line.
But there are other reasons as well.
Booking is more respectful towards the hotel staff.
Reservations help the restaurant staff understand how the evening will go, giving them the opportunity to delegate tables of certain sizes to suitable waiters and prepare in advance for large parties. This can be good for you, because if they know that you come at a certain time with a certain number of people, they will be ready for you. Again, you save time. But it’s not just about you: it makes their life and work much easier than trying to guess how many people will be in the establishment at a given time.
“Technically, a booking is a contract between both parties, and it brings significant benefits to both parties,” said Antonio Masiello, manager of Gnoccheria in Manhattan. “First, it allows the restaurant and floor management to develop an efficient layout based on the number of guests per booking, as well as provide insight into specific requests such as corner seating, booths, bars, etc.”
He added that it helps restaurants determine what needs to be bought and prepared to make sure there is enough stock for any order, which is especially important in fine dining establishments that serve homemade complex dishes.
It’s very easy to make a reservation these days.
Booking now is so easy. It has always been easy to call the place and let them know on the phone that you would like to come at a certain time, but a lot can get lost when transferring over the phone lines and some people have more social anxiety around. calls than others.
Like many other routine tasks in life, smartphone apps have streamlined the booking process and made it easy to adjust all the details. Use OpenTable or Resy , for example, to determine if a place you want to go accepts reservations at all, or find a place that has a free table when you want to go out to eat. Then you simply note how many people will be with you and choose your seat. You don’t have to call anyone, there’s no room for error or misunderstanding, you can edit your booking if your plans change and the event can even be automatically added to your phone’s calendar which will tell you what time you need to leave. to be on time.
Some restaurants require a non-refundable deposit to secure your reservation. Apps also make it easy – much easier than giving out your credit card information during a call, of course. But why do they do it? Good…
Booking etiquette
While booking tables is time-saving, respectful, and easy, and you should always try to do so when a restaurant hosts them, don’t become a threat because of it. Don’t make reservations you don’t plan to fulfill, or only do so in case you feel like going at that time. Only do this if you are going to be on time and with the number of people you promised to bring.
“Unfortunately, people on busy nights, like weekends, make a lot of bookings at different locations and then don’t call to cancel with a one-or-nothing choice,” Gilroy said. “Also, diners will book tables for dinner to get inside (drinks are not booked) and then once inside decide not to sit at a table or order a few apps while sitting. Thus, the waiter winds up on the size of the check.
If your goal is to save time and show respect, too many reservations are not an option.
When should you order?
Book anytime honestly. There are no downsides except that you might have to rush to get there on time if you have a busy schedule that day. Even so, use your app or call the restaurant to let them know (and never forget to cancel if you really can’t make it).
In addition, always order for special occasions such as birthdays or anniversaries, dates or large gatherings. Never leave the opportunity to get into a restaurant on an important occasion to chance; no one wants to start a birthday party by spending an hour on uncomfortable banquet chairs in the lobby.
In addition, the booking gives you the opportunity to inform the staff of any special occasions that may require, as Masiello puts it, “a little extra”, like birthday candles or personal space.
“Overall, it’s a win-win situation: you let us know your partner’s birthday in the booking note and we deliver an exquisite experience and a memorable holiday.”