[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by shut the front door

It is exactly about current etiquette. If a restaurant doesn't have a posted policy of time limits at a table, it is the customer who should be polite and notice that there are people standing and waiting while they linger at a table for no reason.
But I've got a feeling that this won't sink in. Just gonna guess you are one who lingers for no reason while people are waiting to be seated.

You are wrong. I definitely don't linger. But, some people may not know that others are waiting unless the restaurant tells them. The restaurant needs to control the traffic flow, especially when they have reservations. It's common sense and good business practice.

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by shut the front door

It is exactly about current etiquette. If a restaurant doesn't have a posted policy of time limits at a table, it is the customer who should be polite and notice that there are people standing and waiting while they linger at a table for no reason.
But I've got a feeling that this won't sink in. Just gonna guess you are one who lingers for no reason while people are waiting to be seated.

I've heard of studies that showed people who are ready to pull out of a parking space will actually slow down their preparations to leave and go through lots of unnecessary stuff when they notice that someone is waiting for "their" spot. Same selfish mentality at a restaurant when you 'own" the table.

[Michael G.]

We had reservations at Bonefish for 6 people to celebrate a birthday.
We all arrived on time and was told they were running 2 hours behind schedule.
It was the weekend and a busy diner hour, so we ended up eating at Steak and Shake when they still had waitresses.

Haven't been back to Bonefish since.

[DAVES]

Originally Posted by Vermilion Villager

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.

Inconsiderate people are everywhere. They do not disappear at a certain age, when they retire or ....................

[Ecuadog]

Originally Posted by bsloan1960

It is management's responsibility to recognize and correct any hindrances to a diner's total satisfaction. They might consider carefully worded sign.
Such as: ...

"We do not mind if you want chew the fat, but please do it someplace else."

[justjim]

Originally Posted by bsloan1960

It is management's responsibility to recognize and correct any hindrances to a diner's total satisfaction. They might consider carefully worded sign.
Such as:

"During Busy Times We Ask That You Make Your Table Available To Those Waiting Within 15 Minutes Of Finishing Your Meal"

Perhaps have it printed on the bill as well.

Maybe not that wording- I'm sure someone clever can come up with less confrontational wording.

I like your suggestion:
During very busy times, thank you for being considerate of our staff and other patrons. We greatly appreciate your patronage. Jim Nicely, Mgr.

[Boomer]

I don't buy that the table-hogs don't know there are others waiting on a busy night. They just don't care.

Not only are they being rude to their fellow Villagers, they are callously costing their server money because the table cannot turn. Besides, I would be very surprised if these types are decent about tipping. My guess is their tips heap insult upon injury.

I think everybody should have to be a server sometime.

(When going out with a group, we have often invited our friends back to our house for dessert, drinks, and continued conversation. That plan is a good way to entertain without having to cook dinner for everybody and you can vacate a restaurant table within a polite time.)

Boomer

[fdpaq0580]

Originally Posted by justjim

I like your suggestion:
During very busy times, thank you for being considerate of our staff and other patrons. We greatly appreciate your patronage. Jim Nicely, Mgr.

Too wimpy!

"Hey! You! If you are done stuffin' your gut, pay your check and move it. Other people are hungry and tired of waitin'"

[midiwiz]

Originally Posted by Chi-Town

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

Must be the new way of thinking. The time frame approach is one of the largest "no no's" in the business. You're basically saying, come in, sit eat and get the **** out. Great way to kill a restaurant.

I say this having grown up in the business, I have yet to run into one that has a time limit. Should that happen I will not be sitting down I will leave and not come back.

[ithos]

The person who is most negatively impacted is the server. By hogging a table in a crowded restaurant you are directly responsible for reducing their income.

Also, I don't understand how anyone can linger at a table well past the time they have finished their meal and be oblivious to or how have no regard for the loss of business to the restaurant and the imposition to fellow patrons.

What if everyone was so selfish? Then we would be paying much more for dining out at our favorite restaurants.

[Retiredsteve]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

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.

Then you would see a post about that where people complain about their right to sit so long.

[banjobob]

It is in the restaurants best interest for servers to attend to checks , presenting them and completing them in a timely manner. Lingering diners tables should be cleared and subtle hints to move on, just one of those unfortunate occurrences that happen . The “entitled” could care less as long as they are happy.

[Ele201]

Originally Posted by bsloan1960

It is management's responsibility to recognize and correct any hindrances to a diner's total satisfaction. They might consider carefully worded sign.
Such as:

"During Busy Times We Ask That You Make Your Table Available To Those Waiting Within 15 Minutes Of Finishing Your Meal"

Perhaps have it printed on the bill as well.

Maybe not that wording- I'm sure someone clever can come up with less confrontational wording.

I see your point but posting signage like that can be off-putting to guests at a restaurant. And putting it on the bill itself seems like a good idea at first — but that could also negatively affect the tip.

[ThirdOfFive]

The OP doesn't say this, but one has to wonder whether the offenders are Villagers. I mention this because of other behaviors by Villager age-group folks in other environments that could also be viewed as inconsiderate. One of the most common is to see two or even three shoppers, all pushing shopping carts, stopping to visit at the end of an aisle, thus effectively blocking that aisle as well as the one intersecting it. It is a pet peeve of my wife's also; the church we attend in TV often has people visiting and blocking rows of seats just before the service is scheduled to start.

I don't see this as intentionally selfish or "entitled", but it does seem more common among we older folks.

[daca55]

Originally Posted by ithos

The person who is most negatively impacted is the server. By hogging a table in a crowded restaurant you are directly responsible for reducing their income.

Also, I don't understand how anyone can linger at a table well past the time they have finished their meal and be oblivious to or how have no regard for the loss of business to the restaurant and the imposition to fellow patrons.

What if everyone was so selfish? Then we would be paying much more for dining out at our favorite restaurants.

I agree but in many restaurants the server will go back to the table and ask is there anything else I can get you. If the server does that a couple of times after the bill has been paid people generally get the hint and leave. If they don’t then the server needs to tell them they need the table and unless you order something you need to leave. The server is the best one to do this because they have established a connection with the party by waiting on them.