Restaurant Etiquette
 

Last Saturday we had a 6:30 reservation for 2 at Bonefish. We arrived about 6:15 and they told us they were running 15 to 20 minutes late. Not a problem. The time kept dragging on and on and now it was 7:30 which prompted me to go up and ask what was the reason for the lengthy delay. The manager told me something I've never heard...or even considered.

He said "roughly 1/3 of the restaurant is completely done eating their meals, they have their checks on the table but are just visiting."

When we finally got seated over an hour later at 7:30 I recognized a group of five people, and another group of four who were being seated as I initially walked in at 6:15. Yes...each one of these groups were done eating and you could see the black credit card holder on the table. We ate our meal and we're done 8:15. Those two groups were still there visiting when we walked out the door.
I know this is not McDonald's where you get fast food and race out the door. But I think people have to understand its a little bit more than them.

When its in-season, and there are groups of people waiting for an over an hour to eat, personally think it's a little rude for people to hog the restaurant. Not only are you inconveniencing people who have not had a chance to eat yet, you're a really screwing over the waite staff. The poor girl who was waiting on those two tables for over two hours essentially got tips from just two groups instead of the normal four that she would've.
The moral of the story…Please be a little considerate.

Some restaurants have implemented a time frame. Not a bad idea.

I would put most of the blame on the restaurant. They should have a time limit and enforce it, especially if they are accepting reservations.

Yeah... that gripes my butt too.

Manager should should explain situation to people who have finished, say about 10-15 mins? after check presented, and ask them to vacate table for waiting customers.
Any reasonable, and I stress reasonable person would move.
Never been to restaurant, but do they have a bar area people could adjourn too?

If I owned the restaurant, the manager would be fired. Incompetent.

Yep ask them to leave and then watch Yelp light up the next day with negative reviews. If we're dining with old friends and want to chat awhile we always ask if it's OK or if there's an area we can go to for conversation and possibly drinks.

To me, this thread is a negative review. The OP had a 6:30 reservation, and had to wait an hour to be seated.

This is a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. Personally, have never had this happen before and bet this is does not occur frequently. Guess best response is for restaurants to have a time limit for the table and politely remind customers of the time.

This is a no win situation for the manager. If they ask people to leave, you would consider them rude, it they do nothing you would say they are incompetent. Either way would trigger a negative post .

When I'm done eating and notice people are waiting to be seated I pay my bill and leave. i would only linger if I see open tables. This is common courtesy. Unfortunately we can't force people to be mindful of others. People can be exasperating.
"I Love Humanity- It's The People I Hate"

Had a similar situation like this back home. The difference was how the restaurant was handling reservations vs walk ins. It just happened to be Prom night, so they had a huge walk in crowd. We had a reservation, showed up 15 minutes before our reservation and was told that they were now handling things first come first serve... I asked him why he had a reservation system if he wasn't going to honor it. Have not been back to a Boca de Beppo since.....

Same here. That is exactly what hubby and I do. It is called consideration for others who are waiting to be seated.

But it was WHY I had to wait is the reason that I posted this........