[Chatbrat]

In an earlier topic a person mentioned that they had a bad experience when they tried to get a group of 18 seated in a Brownwood restaurant.

Would you want to be seated near a group that size. They usually are very loud and when the alcohol kicks in they become louder.

Honestly no restaurant should seat groups larger than 8, unless they have secluded areas.

[jnieman]

I know what you are saying but it is just a fact of life living here. There are so many groups and they all like to dine together. We complained once about a very large group and all of the noise. The waitress said they will be getting their food in about 5 minutes and then it will be quiet and she was right. We dine on Saturdays with our golf group of 32. We break up into parties of 8. People have complained about us before because everyone stops to say hi and we seem to congregate around the tables. We try to keep the noise down as best we can but it is hard to control that many people.

[village dreamer]

girls and guys just want to have fun. if its your party its not that noisey, if your seated at the table next to them.........sorry. and next week it will be your party....its never ending , did someone just say party???

[Villager Joyce]

Perhaps the restaurants could have a policy of not seating groups of eight or more. For example, if a group of 12 shows up, offer to sear them in two tables of six.

[mulligan]

Originally Posted by Villager Joyce

Perhaps the restaurants could have a policy of not seating groups of eight or more. For example, if a group of 12 shows up, offer to sear them in two tables of six.

Excellent suggestion, but this would prompt a minimum 30 minute conversation about who will sit with whom.

[Villager Joyce]

Originally Posted by mulligan

Excellent suggestion, but this would prompt a minimum 30 minute conversation about who will sit with whom.

You are right. Caught me not being a forward thinker.

[sunnyatlast]

Originally Posted by mulligan

Excellent suggestion, but this would prompt a minimum 30 minute conversation about who will sit with whom.

Exactly....because the whole thing is about having to sit together with only their little 5th grade friends--the same way they rope off seats hours in advance of the bands playing nightly at the squares.

Large groups of 8 or more in the middle of already noisy restaurants clog up everything, including the kitchen when trying to put out those 20 dinners at the same time and they only have 4-6 sauté burners, for example. And then there are the customers waiting at normal sized tables for their food done together, too.

[FlamingoFlo]

I never go out with a large group however I love to see a large group together having fun, being noisy and enjoying life. That's what we are here for.
Now if they were being rude, obnoxious, or nasty, I would speak up to the wait staff.
But loud and having fun...go fo it.

[sunnyatlast]

Originally Posted by FlamingoFlo

I never go out with a large group however I love to see a large group together having fun, being noisy and enjoying life. That's what we are here for.
Now if they were being rude, obnoxious, or nasty, I would speak up to the wait staff.
But loud and having fun...go fo it.

I agree about having fun noisily. But telling the wait staff won't help if the big table customers are being rude or obnoxious, because the wait staff is the target of much rudeness and they have to put up or shut up if they need their jobs.

That's why management should have a policy about splitting up large groups during peak lunch and dinner hours.

[Bonny]

So if there is a golf group of 16, they are not allowed to sit together and enjoy a nice lunch ! I don't understand what the difference would be if it was split into 2 tables of 8. Then everyone could talk louder when talking to the other table. Then people would complain about that.
We often go out with a good size group and yes, we laugh and have a good time.
I guess to each their own.

[NYGUY]

I solve the problem as it affects me by not going out with groups larger than 8 and not sitting next to groups larger than 8!!

[rubicon]

Originally Posted by Bonny

So if there is a golf group of 16, they are not allowed to sit together and enjoy a nice lunch ! I don't understand what the difference would be if it was split into 2 tables of 8. Then everyone could talk louder when talking to the other table. Then people would complain about that.
We often go out with a good size group and yes, we laugh and have a good time.
I guess to each their own.

Bonny you are spot on. Its one of the many things people enjoy so much about this place. A group of golfers going out for breakfast lunch or dinner after a round is as common as well the golf courses here

[Villager Joyce]

Originally Posted by Bonny

So if there is a golf group of 16, they are not allowed to sit together and enjoy a nice lunch ! I don't understand what the difference would be if it was split into 2 tables of 8. Then everyone could talk louder when talking to the other table. Then people would complain about that.
We often go out with a good size group and yes, we laugh and have a good time.
I guess to each their own.

If a restaurant cannot accommodate large groups, then it seems to me there is always going to be very unhappy people that want to go in groups. If you (not you but you in the general sense) want to have a group of 16 people, perhaps someone from the group needs to go in advance to make arrangements and then show up early to make sure.

[Jimjane]

My wife and I were at Gators during the final four weekend. I think we had one of the best time watching the games with true basketball fans. The Michigan state group is great.

Go badgers LOL

[TrudyM]

It seems to me that as they have expanded they might include large group rooms that could be booked in advance. Do none of the restaurants have party rooms. I didn't notice when I was there as not part of a group. When we have gone out in large groups from work over the years we always booked a room (I always got delegated to book it)