one hour wait at Mallory with tons of empty tables
 

we have gone to the Mallory almost once a week since we moved here but tonight will be the end for me for a while. there was a group of 11 of us tonight went there after being on the square we got there around 7 ish and there were tons of empty tables. we were told there was a 1 hour wait as since the snow birds are gone they cut staff. I guess those of us who live here year round and support these businesses on their off season don't matter. we turned our golf cart around went back to the square to gators and got right in. I am done with Mallory for a long while.

Got the same thing from the Colony Public's deli. I was told that half the staff leaves at 1pm. It's a business decision and Public's is a business. Just goes to show how important the snowbirds are to the support of The Villages..

In all honesty, that's a tough one for the proprietor.

If you have too many on staff, especially given the ones who depend on tips, then no one makes any money and morale goes down the toilet.

Not enough staff and you take a chance on ticking off the customers, especially if a large group shows up.

Darned if you do, darned if you don't. :shrug:

I agree.

And Mallory is too good to write off anyone's list.

I am sorry but empty tables and a one hour wait equals me moving on. There are far too many options to put up with that crap. Had to wait just as long with the place being full.

You are correct. Try Cane Gardens. Service was good today. Nothing special about Malory that you should wait 1 hour.

Please consider this. By telling you that the wait would be an hour, they did your group a great favor. They were giving you the opportunity, and the choice, to wait or to move to another place. Perhaps an unusual circumstance caused the kitchen to be unable to handle your group at the time.

Seems to me that Mallory should be thought well of, rather than poorly of.

Service & Quality--if you can get both of them, go someplace else, I will not wait online or wait @ any table for slow service.

Don't be a sucker, there are plenty of alternatives, in the villages.

I agree. They could have easily seated the group and then have them wait an hour for service. No business want to turn away customers, but unexpected circumstance's due arise at times. Giving the group a choice of waiting or leaving was the right thing to do. To many places will seat you and not give you notice of a long wait time.

Do you really think owners/managers make the decision to segregate customers by type (snowbirds, year-round, etc.) and they decide who matters and who does not?? Really??

ColdNoMore said it well.

:shrug:
After visiting this restaurant nearly every week since moving to TV, a mix-up of an hour delay(as advised), now causes the OP to not go back for a long while.
Why is it that large groups get upset when not treated like a couple?

Because according to the OP there were "tons of empty tables".
Maybe the cook was out and the club felt that they couldn't get 11 meals out at the same time. Who's knows? But if the OP doesn't want to go back then so be it.

Perhaps a call ahead to see if they can handle a large group might be in order?

Always a sane reply. And thank you for it.

The reality of the situation is that with fewer patrons, businesses here have to cut back help during the "unseason". And as my sweet daughter reminds me, We can't always have everything we want.

Excellent advice. We've found that a number of restaurants are willing to take reservations for a small group now that season is over. They don't advertise it, just ask.