why don't more restaurants do this?

[nageov3t]

I experienced a pretty good restaurant in NYC this weekend.

they don't take reservations and the wait times are insane (anywhere from half an hour to 2+ hours during prime time, depending on your party size), but when you show up, you give the hostess your name/number and they call your cellphone a few minutes before your table is ready so you can go walk around the neighborhood or grab some drinks at a bar or whatever.

seems like a great system... I'm surprised I've never seen it before, though.

 

[SkullWalker]

Well, I think that it is still a little inconvenient to not to take reservations.

It can easily scare of some of your clientèle.

 

[spaceman]

yeah well
how about restaurant in a can!
room temp chicken rice campbells
down it goes

 

[Rhezuss]

I think it's a great idea and like you I wonder why it's not used by other places...

 

[EvilYoda]

I've been to a couple of places that do this - in the right environment, it's definitely convenient.

BTW, I looove the Meatball Shop.

 

[CRXican]

good question

 

[FoBoT]

i don't wait. anymore than i have to when i am with others. if i am by myself, i will never wait for food at a restaurant when i can go elsewhere and not wait

 

[nageov3t]

i don't wait. anymore than i have to when i am with others. if i am by myself, i will never wait for food at a restaurant when i can go elsewhere and not wait

didn't really feel like waiting, though we went to a bar and got our drink on while waiting for a phone call (which we'd have done after dinner anyways)

as opposed to the usual system when you don't have a reservation of standing around a crowded lobby area hoping to hear your name when it's shouted.

 

[Feneant2]

Meh, my policy is simple, if I have to wait more than 15 minutes for a table, I go to a restaurant with no wait.

The Keg here is like that, they tell you that they've given all the reservations they can and when you show up they ask you to wait 60-90 minutes for a table. That's a clear sign they don't need my business so I'll go support the little guy next door.

 

[Insomniator]

They probably don't want people to put their name in, then go to a bar and realize they'll just get food there?

That would be a problem for most crappy restaurants in local areas but in NYC its not like there is a lack of customers/demand so that method makes sense!

 

[mnewsham]

Restaurant around here I like takes reservations but if you don't have one will call you/text you when a table is ready, AND they have a bar you can chill in until the table is ready, imagine that...

 

[PsiStar]

In many cities it is the perfect place for this as it is not inconvenient but part of the evening out. Out in the hinterlands it makes little sense when restaurants are isolated.

 

[Saint Nick]

yeah well
how about restaurant in a can!
room temp chicken rice campbells
down it goes

This.

 

[Oil]

yeah well
how about restaurant in a can!
room temp chicken rice campbells
down it goes

That ain't no restaurant. Where's the drinks, main course and dessert?

 

[Phokus]

I've seen this at restaurants inside a mall. They give you this weird disc thing that vibrates when you're ready to be seated.

 

[Platypus]

this happens all over Chicago, it's very common.

 

[nageov3t]

this happens all over Chicago, it's very common.

but Chicago is covered by such a heavy layer of "suck" that no one can see through it

 

[kranky]

TGI Friday's does that here. Got rid of the vibrating coasters and now want to text you when your table is ready. I declined that offer as I don't want to find out that by giving them my number I have somehow agreed to receive marketing via text message. The only alternative they offered was to write a number down on a piece of paper and point to a small display unit on the wall, and said when my number showed up there that's when my table was ready. The expectation was I would have to stand in front of the hostess station for 30-45 minutes as that was the only place the display unit could be seen. Couldn't see it from the bar. The system was designed to force you to give up your cell number if you had to wait for a table.

We decided to go somewhere else. Just didn't want to give my cell number to a business for no good reason.

 

[Fern]

didn't really feel like waiting, though we went to a bar and got our drink on while waiting for a phone call (which we'd have done after dinner anyways)

as opposed to the usual system when you don't have a reservation of standing around a crowded lobby area hoping to hear your name when it's shouted.

Few restaurants I've been to lately do that.

Most give a pager of sorts that 'goes off' when your table is ready. Not much different than your cellphone example.

Fern

 

[Platypus]

but Chicago is covered by such a heavy layer of "suck" that no one can see through it

lol.. like NYC is constantly covered in a rancid layer of garbage smell?

 

[Phoenix86]

I've seen this at restaurants inside a mall. They give you this weird disc thing that vibrates when you're ready to be seated.

Many restaurants around here use these.

Shaped like a coaster so you can put it under your drink while you wait at the bar. :thumbsup:

 

[nageov3t]

lol.. like NYC is constantly covered in a rancid layer of garbage smell?

it's not my fault you're only ever here in the middle of summer heat waves on garbage day

 

[purbeast0]

double post.

 

[purbeast0]

not sure bout you guys, but when i go to a restaurant it's because i'm hungry right then. i don't go 2 hours before i think i will get hungry, so that after a 2 hour wait I can get some food once i start to get hungry.

if i have to wait more than 10-15 minutes i'm out. not taking reservations in this day and age is stupid as shit, but only for the nicer/fancier restaurants that you would make reservations for. shit like the cheesecake factory not taking reservations doesn't bother me because that isn't a place i plan on going to anyways, it is more of a spurt of the moment mid-grade place.

 

[Farang]

I thought every restaurant did this