Restaurant Funnies

Sometimes it feels like restaurants can't get out of their own way. I'm in New York and wanted to make a reservation at Tabla, apparently a hot new restaurant, for when I return in December. Not allowed! I can't make a reservation more than 30 days in advance, so I have to wait until midnight on Saturday night to make an online reservation or call at noon (New York time, of course) the next day. Tabla must be a very hot restaurant, if they need to make it more difficult for customers to make reservations in advance!

I just made another reservation for lunch today at Country, another trendy restaurant, and got this message: "ALL RESERVATIONS MADE ONLINE WILL BE SEATED IN THE CAFE." Like what, online reservations aren't as good as telephone reservations?

And the classic: When I called Tulips in Santa Fe to make a reservation, I got a message saying that because I had my caller ID blocked, the restaurant would not accept my phone call. I had to hang up, the message said, and call back from a phone with caller ID. Huh? First, I had actually called 411 and asked Sprint to dial the number for me, which is why my caller ID didn't show up (since I don't block caller ID). Second, the restaurant would prefer to have fewer reservations just because they can't see the caller's phone number? (When we did go to the restaurant, we were one of two parties having dinner, clearly not an overly popular restaurant.)

What is it about restaurants that leads to such an anti-customer kind of attitude?

Comments

[Andrea]

The reservations process just gets thicker in its requirements. French Laundry takes reservations 2 months to the day in advance - no sooner, no later.

However, many places (even the French Laundry) *might* be able to squeeze you in if you just show up, especially if you're willing to sit in a different area like the bar or the counter, etc. Just have a backup plan if they really can't accomodate you.... I've heard this works at FL about 1/3 of the time....

[Rachel Glickman]

I particularly enjoyed this posting. I live in New York and for a number of years now have taken restaurants off my personal "list" and will decline invitations if it takes an act of Congress to get a table. Just on principle. I may be missing out on a good (or maybe great) meal, but experience has taught me that sooner or later the bloom will be off of the rose and tables will be plentiful. Or not. Either way it's ok.