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#Post#: 34056--------------------------------------------------
Re: Restaurant seating
By: jpcher Date: July 7, 2019, 4:44 pm
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[quote author=hovlane link=topic=1217.msg34021#msg34021
date=1562457843]
jpcher, while your then toddler and 6 y.o. may have been well
behaved at restaurants since they were babies, but did the
restaurant know that? I would surmise that as soon as they saw
little kids the staff's first thought was move them as far away
as possible.
I would have known immediately why I was sat so far from the
other diners. You were in a high end restaurant--I don't know
what you expected the staff to think. If you were in the middle
of your meal when it dawned on you, I could see why you didn't
want to move, but why not mention something to the manager on
duty that you weren't pleased. They can't read minds. I really
don't know why you took offense at this. If I were at an
expensive restaurant and I saw a couple with 2 little kids walk
in you bet I wouldn't want them near me, because a lot of the
time the kids are not well behaved.
[/quote]
hovlane -- there's so much in your post that I could bold
because I completely agree with you. ;D The restaurant staff had
no way of knowing that our daughters were not hellions even
though they were turned out in their finest "go to meeting"
outfits, polished and cleaned.
I didn't realize we were at the 'kitchen' table until after our
waitperson took our drink orders and went through the doors. At
that point, we were already settled and I didn't think the
experience would be that bad enough for a complaint. Requesting
a different table at that point would have put me (in my
thoughts) into the 'Special Snowflake' arena.
[quote author=Aleko link=topic=1217.msg34038#msg34038
date=1562492053]
It's a pity jpcher and family never went back again; the staff
might well have recognised them with pleasure as 'Oh look, it's
the couple with the lovely civilised children!' and given them a
big hello and a nice table.
[/quote]
Aleko -- I see your point, and I get it. It was the fact that we
were put at the very worst table in the room when there were
many other available options far away from other guests. Even in
the back on the other side, far away from the kitchen doors
would have been acceptable. Why they chose to seat us at the
most distracting table? I have no clue. That's why I took
offense and never went back.
Case in point -- at another fine dining establishment, this
restaurant had several rooms instead of one great room that
served everybody. The first time we went to that restaurant we
were escorted into a room full of empty tables. (With daughters
in tow we always ate out early, before the dinner rush.) However
we were seated at the best (in my opinion) table ever! It was
sort of an alcove with a window view. I get it. Hide the kids.
But it was sooo much better than the kitchen-side table! This
was fine, private, dining with the best possible service ever.
We went back to that restaurant quite often with our daughters
and were always very well treated.
Do you understand the difference?
#Post#: 34059--------------------------------------------------
Re: Restaurant seating
By: hovlane Date: July 7, 2019, 6:41 pm
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I know this question wasn't asked of me, but you're talking two
different restaurants with different layouts and maybe a
different policy, not to mention the person who sat you. There
are variables between the two experiences and I think it's
unfair to compare them, without giving the first restaurant
another chance, assuming you talked to the manager.
My point is instead of taking offense (I wouldn't have liked the
table either and I can understand why you didn't ask to move,
(only because of the hassle of moving the kids) but as far as
being thought of as a SS, YOU are the customer and the request
is not out of line. It's not like you were asking the staff to
warm up your 4 y/o's (brought in) chicken nuggets or something
equally outrageous.
Personally, I think the worst table in a restaurant is by the
bathrooms.
#Post#: 34081--------------------------------------------------
Re: Restaurant seating
By: Gellchom Date: July 8, 2019, 9:53 am
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It’s not always a question of poor behavior with children in
restaurants. The presence of even the best behaved children can
change the ambiance of a formal event or venue. A restaurant
hoping to sell high end scotches and wines or to get a
reputation as the perfect place for the romantic evening of a
lifetime is not likely to want the subliminal ”family time!”
message coming through. Other diners might feel the same way,
no matter how well-behaved the children are.
That doesn’t mean it’s okay to choose the very worst table when
others would have been okay. My point is that, in addition to
what others have said about the restaurant not knowing how your
children behave, there are other reasons they may not love
having kids n their main dining room, if it’s a fancy, high-end
place, without it being an insult to your children.
#Post#: 34082--------------------------------------------------
Re: Restaurant seating
By: katiekat2009 Date: July 8, 2019, 10:23 am
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They definitely should try to accommodate you. I had a
not-so-pleasant experience last week when meeting my grown
daughter for lunch. An older gentleman was seating us. This
restaurant had three sections. He doddered his way to the very
back of the restaurant to a table in full sun. (It was 100
degrees here last week.) I asked if we could be moved out of the
sun. He then doddered all the way around to the other side of
the restaurant, passing a lovely, dark, quiet section in the
middle. I asked to be seated in there but he kept on walking. He
next placed us at another table in the sun (it was noon!) and
was dirty. (We had passed plenty of clean tables.) I said, "It's
dirty (still had dishes on it)." He said, "I'll clean it and
then proceeded to remove the dishes, went and got a cloth to
wipe it down." He also wiped down the seat. So, now, the seat
was wet! My daughter said I was being too picky so I got some
dry napkins and wiped off the seat. I had to position myself
just so because the sun was bouncing off a windshield into my
eyes. Was I out of line? I'm still debating whether to contact
the manager or not.
#Post#: 34091--------------------------------------------------
Re: Restaurant seating
By: Aleko Date: July 8, 2019, 11:21 am
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[quote]Was I out of line? I'm still debating whether to contact
the manager or not.[/quote]
No, you weren't out of line, and yes, you should. Whatever was
going through the waiter's mind, his behaviour was simply not
rational, let alone satisfactory to you, and his managers need
to know that patrons are being given hopelessly bad service.
#Post#: 34119--------------------------------------------------
Re: Restaurant seating
By: caroled Date: July 8, 2019, 6:11 pm
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A friend had a bad experience last week, and was very verbal
about it on her FB page and then on the establishment's FB page.
She and her family , 3 in the party, had gone to a place they
have enjoyed very much in the past, pizza, and from her
description, treated pretty shabbily.
Friend is a very large young woman, and goes so far in her posts
as to say fat...They, her parents and herself went to a pizza
place, the seating is a variety of large tables for large
parties, booths with moveable or stationary benches, 2 tops
and bar height tables. Being 3 in their party, after asking for
a booth with a moveable bench, they were told they weren't
enough for a large table, and too many for a 2 top, so the
waitress sat them at a bar table. Friend tried to sit in the
rather small seated too tall chair and found it undoable. After
asking for other seating, perhaps the 2 2tops adjacent to each
other, as friend repeatedly stated her case, and explained
that she was going to have to stand for the duration of the meal
( food had not yet arrived, but had been ordered). Waitress
shrugged and did the sorry you feel that way dance.
Waitress doubled down and once again explained what each table
was intended for and stated that they had "strict seating
policies " and there was nothing she could do.
They ended up asking for their order to be packed for take away
and left.
Friend ended up calling them out on her FB, basically stating
that fat people were not welcome there and their response was
that they were sorry to hear her experience was not good, and
they do not discriminate, but strict policies that prevented
them blah blah blah…
Except they do discriminate, they did that day, to a customer
who asked for adequate seating, that was readily available, by
citing policies, that they wrote and put into place, as the
reason for their inaction...and still have the nerve to say they
don't discriminate. Yes, yes you do.
( personally, I'd have gone over and sat at a table... and I too
am a large person...What are they going to do, move me? can't
lay hands on me, worst they could do is call the police and say
what...? We seated her in inadequate seating and she refused to
stay there? )
#Post#: 34124--------------------------------------------------
Re: Restaurant seating
By: Hanna Date: July 8, 2019, 8:27 pm
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That’s horrendous caroled. I usually don’t like to see the ire
of the Internet com down upon people, but this business deserves
massive blowback for treating anyone this way.
#Post#: 34133--------------------------------------------------
Re: Restaurant seating
By: caroled Date: July 8, 2019, 10:34 pm
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[quote author=Hanna link=topic=1217.msg34124#msg34124
date=1562635625]
That’s horrendous caroled. I usually don’t like to see the ire
of the Internet com down upon people, but this business deserves
massive blowback for treating anyone this way.
[/quote]
You could read the pain and humiliation in her posts...and she
uses the word humiliated to describe the situation. She said
this is a restaurant they have enjoyed for the last 30 years and
have never had this issue.
I've always had the opposite circumstances... 25+ years ago, I
recall going into an Olive Garden, my first time ever, in a
group of 6, and the host discreetly leaned in and asked would I
prefer a chair with no arms. I know some people looking to be
offended would have automatically thought the hostess was
pointing out my size, but quite the opposite. He was being
solicitous of my comfort. It was unnecessary but greatly
appreciated
#Post#: 34305--------------------------------------------------
Re: Restaurant seating
By: DaDancingPsych Date: July 11, 2019, 8:23 am
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caroled, presents a fine example of why it is smart for a
restaurant to honor seating requests. It is mentioned that this
friend has been enjoying this establishment for 30 years, so I
imagine that they have been seated differently previously. This
policy change could really cause them some lost business. I
would not have faulted friend to say, "Since you are unable to
accommodate us in a table that we can sit at, then we will be
canceling our order."
#Post#: 34352--------------------------------------------------
Re: Restaurant seating
By: Contrarian Date: July 11, 2019, 4:07 pm
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In this circumstance, I would consider this to f under the, I
don’t want to say medical requirement but it falls into the same
category. I hope that’s not offensive but I believe it’s not a
preference but a need.
I also think requests should be accommodated as much as possible
but when there is a need there’s not question.
My initial question stemmed from the fact that I often eat alone
and, therefore, am often first offered a seat at the bar or a
high top.
I’m very short. I can function at a high top, but it’s
uncomfortable. The bar is twice as bad because it’s high, and it
invites conversation. I’m glad the bar invites conversation! I
think it’s great for people looking for some human interaction,
I just would prefer to read.
So I usually will say, “it’s just me, can I sit anywhere but a
high table?” But I’m often told no, despite a restaurant with
plenty of available 2 seaters.
I hope the restaurant is ashamed to lose a customer of 30 years.
Is it a new owner, I wonder.
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