Moving seats in a restaurant
Discussion
I would be interested in the views of restaurant owners on this one as well as general. Last night I went to a well known London restaurant owned by a fiery TV chef. When we arrived it was about half empty. We were shown to a table and seated. The table they have us seated four but there were only two of us. Anyway half way through our meal (between courses) with the restaurant now filling up we were told to move to another table over the other side of the restaurant so a booking for four could be seated. We did it grudgingly and were given free drinks after I voiced my annoyance but....
Surely this is not the done thing. If you are seated at a table it should be your table to the end of the meal no?
Surely this is not the done thing. If you are seated at a table it should be your table to the end of the meal no?
Burrito said:
Possibly, had I finished all my courses and was just enjoying a drink and chatting, I'd move for a free round of drinks. But part way through the meal, that's beyond rude.
Yeah I have no issue moving to the bar or wherever with the end of a drink to free up a table and relax a bit
Would not have moved - would have either continued at our table they origially seated us at AND accepted a drink as an apology for them even asking, OR we'd have informed them that their standards fell well short of the advertised mark cancelled our orders and left (a payment would be made for food and drinks already fully consumed but minus any service charge and nothing for any courses yet to be consumed). Oh and of course to be followed with a letter to the manager, copied to Michelin Guide & Good Food Guide.
Having eaten in many genuine quality restaurants in the UK and around the world (not simply those trading on a name) I would be truly staggered if anybody asked such a crass thing during a quality service & meal...
Having eaten in many genuine quality restaurants in the UK and around the world (not simply those trading on a name) I would be truly staggered if anybody asked such a crass thing during a quality service & meal...
Reminds me of something similar that i had in a restaurant once
Same situation - 2 of us were sat at a table for 4, half way through the main course the waiter came over and told us that they'd prepared another table for us and that we needed to move. Having been politely reminded that we were in the middle of eating, he persisted to the point of annoyance so i had little option but to tell him to go away.
Another mouthful later, over came the maître d and told us we had to move to the smaller table. No niceties or offer to compensate us for the inconvenience, just an insistence that we move.
So we did, left the remainder of the mains, picked up our belongings and walked to a different restaurant.
Totally unacceptable IMO
Same situation - 2 of us were sat at a table for 4, half way through the main course the waiter came over and told us that they'd prepared another table for us and that we needed to move. Having been politely reminded that we were in the middle of eating, he persisted to the point of annoyance so i had little option but to tell him to go away.
Another mouthful later, over came the maître d and told us we had to move to the smaller table. No niceties or offer to compensate us for the inconvenience, just an insistence that we move.
So we did, left the remainder of the mains, picked up our belongings and walked to a different restaurant.
Totally unacceptable IMO
littlebasher said:
Reminds me of something similar that i had in a restaurant once
Same situation - 2 of us were sat at a table for 4, half way through the main course the waiter came over and told us that they'd prepared another table for us and that we needed to move. Having been politely reminded that we were in the middle of eating, he persisted to the point of annoyance so i had little option but to tell him to go away.
Another mouthful later, over came the maître d and told us we had to move to the smaller table. No niceties or offer to compensate us for the inconvenience, just an insistence that we move.
So we did, left the remainder of the mains, picked up our belongings and walked to a different restaurant.
Totally unacceptable IMO
I would have taken the rest of my McNuggets with me. Same situation - 2 of us were sat at a table for 4, half way through the main course the waiter came over and told us that they'd prepared another table for us and that we needed to move. Having been politely reminded that we were in the middle of eating, he persisted to the point of annoyance so i had little option but to tell him to go away.
Another mouthful later, over came the maître d and told us we had to move to the smaller table. No niceties or offer to compensate us for the inconvenience, just an insistence that we move.
So we did, left the remainder of the mains, picked up our belongings and walked to a different restaurant.
Totally unacceptable IMO
I eat out a lot and have regular places that sit me where I prefer. If I go somewhere new I generally tend to refuse the first table offerred,politely but firmly as it is usually not the best and also helps I think with getting decent service afterwards.
The best restaurants serve very good but not incredible food. It's the service, theatre and detail that is more enjoyable so where you sit is important.
The best restaurants serve very good but not incredible food. It's the service, theatre and detail that is more enjoyable so where you sit is important.
If I was asked politely, I'd probably be willing to move (providing I wasn't in the middle of eating...) but would only vacate having negotiated a free round at the very least for the inconvenience to an agreeable table.
If I was asked in an impolite manner, mid chow or even 'told' to move, I'd request the manager, create a very public scene and leave immediately without settling the bill.
If I was asked in an impolite manner, mid chow or even 'told' to move, I'd request the manager, create a very public scene and leave immediately without settling the bill.
whoami said:
littlebasher said:
Reminds me of something similar that i had in a restaurant once
Same situation - 2 of us were sat at a table for 4, half way through the main course the waiter came over and told us that they'd prepared another table for us and that we needed to move. Having been politely reminded that we were in the middle of eating, he persisted to the point of annoyance so i had little option but to tell him to go away.
Another mouthful later, over came the maître d and told us we had to move to the smaller table. No niceties or offer to compensate us for the inconvenience, just an insistence that we move.
So we did, left the remainder of the mains, picked up our belongings and walked to a different restaurant.
Totally unacceptable IMO
I would have taken the rest of my McNuggets with me. Same situation - 2 of us were sat at a table for 4, half way through the main course the waiter came over and told us that they'd prepared another table for us and that we needed to move. Having been politely reminded that we were in the middle of eating, he persisted to the point of annoyance so i had little option but to tell him to go away.
Another mouthful later, over came the maître d and told us we had to move to the smaller table. No niceties or offer to compensate us for the inconvenience, just an insistence that we move.
So we did, left the remainder of the mains, picked up our belongings and walked to a different restaurant.
Totally unacceptable IMO
littlebasher said:
What about table sharing?
There's an Italian in Sheffield that would get you to share tables when it was busy. Not much fun if you're having an intimate meal for two, then half way through a weirdo singleton joins in.
Did this is Mcr once ended up joining a couple about 10 years older than us as we all arrived at once and only 1 four seater table was available had a great night with them chatting away.There's an Italian in Sheffield that would get you to share tables when it was busy. Not much fun if you're having an intimate meal for two, then half way through a weirdo singleton joins in.
Much more fun than just looking at the missus
Totally unacceptable in a good restaurant, OP.
Murph7355 said:
Assuming no upfront agreement to move after a certain time etc
I find this unacceptable too and never accept a reservation that is contingent on leaving the table by a certain time: I have no control over how quickly they'll deliver each course, and won't know at the time of making the reservation how many courses our table will choose, so damned if I'm going to find myself in any way rushed to finish by a certain time.New POD said:
I'm amazed at the responses.
I think for me it hinges on the "mid course" and how polite the request was, and how expensive the restaurant was.
If the request were polite, and manager/owner was very apologetic I would move, at the end of my course.
Even though:I think for me it hinges on the "mid course" and how polite the request was, and how expensive the restaurant was.
If the request were polite, and manager/owner was very apologetic I would move, at the end of my course.
craigjm said:
well known London restaurant owned by a fiery TV chef
?Given the OP was probably looking at £100+ each, I'm surprised that anyone would find it at all acceptable.
Murph7355 said:
Assuming no upfront agreement to move after a certain time etc
I find this unacceptable too and never accept a reservation that is contingent on leaving the table by a certain time: I have no control over how quickly they'll deliver each course, and won't know at the time of making the reservation how many courses our table will choose, so damned if I'm going to find myself in any way rushed to finish by a certain time.Gassing Station | Food, Drink & Restaurants | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff