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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

For being annoyed at restaurant for giving our table away?

272 replies

diamondsareforever5 · 18/06/2023 23:27

Had a Father's Day meal booked for 4:30 at a restaurant today. Miraculously managed to get the kids out the house with plenty of time to get there (restaurant is 20 mins away and left at 3:45). Satnav said we would arrive just after 5 past.

Around 10 minutes into the journey, we got stuck in grid lock traffic. By the time we started moving, the satnav was now saying we wouldn't get to the restaurant until 4:40. I called the restaurant to let them know we would be 10 minutes late.

We finally got to the car park at around 4:42. I rang the restaurant again, as they have a 15 minute grace period, so I was aware that we only had 3 minutes to get to the restaurant and the car park was around a 5 minute walk away. Whoever I spoke to on the phone assured me they would hold the table.

We got to the restaurant just after 4:45 only to be told that our table had just been given away! I explained that I had just spoken to someone literally minutes before who said they would hold the table for us. The lady just shrugged and said "sorry, it's our policy" and that another table wouldn't be available until another hour and a half!

I understand that we were late and had just missed the grace period, but I was told that they would hold the table for us! AIBU to be really pissed off about this?

We did end up in another restaurant which everyone enjoyed so Father's Day wasn't completely ruined I suppose, but just annoying as I really wanted to try this new restaurant!

OP posts:
CasperGutman · 19/06/2023 08:28

On top of that, they’ve sold that table again at 7pm, so even if you do show up you might not finish in time for them to set up for the next group.
That's one reason why it would make sense for the restaurant to give the table to OP. A walk-in group who are given the table may be annoyed to be rushed. The party who booked but arrived late are more likely to be understanding when told the table is needed and that they might need to hurry a bit or forego their postprandial coffees etc.

GeorgeMichaelsCat · 19/06/2023 08:34

EmmiJay · 19/06/2023 02:14

Leave a review on Google so future customers know about their strict 15min grace period. I would.🙂

To what end?

gogohmm · 19/06/2023 08:39

It wasn't you fault you were late exactly (bad traffic) but a quick check on Google would have shown the congestion and you could have left earlier. Second mistake if running late is the rest of the party gets dropped at the restaurant and the driving then parks, if needed the adult in the restaurant can check with the driver what they want and order before they even get there.

Yesterday our local pub/restaurant had 90 minutes or 2 hour slots (fir 2 or 3 course menus) no slack to run late.

CremeEggsForBreakfast · 19/06/2023 08:48

gogohmm · 19/06/2023 08:39

It wasn't you fault you were late exactly (bad traffic) but a quick check on Google would have shown the congestion and you could have left earlier. Second mistake if running late is the rest of the party gets dropped at the restaurant and the driving then parks, if needed the adult in the restaurant can check with the driver what they want and order before they even get there.

Yesterday our local pub/restaurant had 90 minutes or 2 hour slots (fir 2 or 3 course menus) no slack to run late.

"a quick check on Google" does not always show accurate information.

I use Google every day to get to work as roadworks and closures mean I take a different route in almost every day. I give myself an extra half hour (so arrive at 8am when I start at 8:30) and sometimes I'm still late.

I also followed Google maps to my holiday destination this week and it only recognised that half a road was closed when it was the full length.

OP allowed herself an extra 20mins. But it still wasn't enough.

The restaurant can do as they like and I agree that on a busy Sunday afternoon 15mins is generous but saying Google would have solved all the problems is untrue.

Eleganz · 19/06/2023 08:50

You phoned them, they said they would hold the table longer than normal, they did not honour that promise therefore YANBU.

Yes you could and should have planned the journey better. Of course the restaurant is allowed to give tables away to people who are late with reasonable policy for it. But none of that means that it is okay for a representative of the restaurant to lie to you on the phone (even if it was not personally intentional on their part) and it is as simple as that. If their policies are strictly enforced with no exceptions then they need to be honest with customers about that.

I would complain if I were you.

JKrowlings · 19/06/2023 08:53

The person on the phone shouldn’t have lied and told you they would keep the table for you. I’d have tore her a new one if she shrugged at me tbh.

Make sure you write a bad review and make it clear the restaurant agreed a special request for you prior to arrival and then failed to honour the request and turned you away.

Clymene · 19/06/2023 08:54

You knew they had a 15 minute grace period and you missed it.

Pissedoffandcovidy · 19/06/2023 08:55

I would complain for this too. You were assured it was ok on the phone - if they had another sitting afterwards then you would just have to cut your sitting short. This is bad customer service

Original poster
diamondsareforever5 · 19/06/2023 08:55

@00100001 have you actually read my OP? I didn't say it caused a 5 minute delay... as stated in my OP, we were due to arrive at the restaurant at 4:05 but due to the traffic it pushed our arrival time to 4:45, so it was a 40 minute delay.

To the pp's who said I should have checked Google maps, I think whatever the issue was happened shortly after we got onto the motorway, so the congestion wasn't showing on Google maps before we set off.

OP posts:
rookiemere · 19/06/2023 08:56

JKrowlings · 19/06/2023 08:53

The person on the phone shouldn’t have lied and told you they would keep the table for you. I’d have tore her a new one if she shrugged at me tbh.

Make sure you write a bad review and make it clear the restaurant agreed a special request for you prior to arrival and then failed to honour the request and turned you away.

Well firstly we don't know if shrugging waitress was the same one as OP spoke to, and secondly "tearing a strip" off an employee probably on minimum wage when you as a customer are the one who has contravened the booking rules ( turn up within 15 mins) is not a good look.
In fact for the avoidance of doubt "tearing a strip" off anyone should be avoided unless they are openly rude or discriminatory.

Original poster
diamondsareforever5 · 19/06/2023 08:57

Brendabigbaps · 19/06/2023 07:57

By your own admittance you set off late, 5 mins is still late. And if the carpark is 5 mins walk you were going to arrive even later!
you should be setting off 30 mins before your booking to allow for the full travel, parking, walking time with a few minutes extra incase of traffic delays.

And don’t give the bull about being hard to get out the door! I manage to get 2 adhd people out of the door on time.

Another one who hasn't read the OP... where have I said I set off late? If you read properly, you would see that I left with plenty of time to get there. My booking was at 4:30 and I left at 3:45, giving myself 45 minutes for a 20 minute journey. I also said I got the kids out the house on time...

OP posts:
LadyJ2023 · 19/06/2023 08:58

Unfortunately I think they were in there rights even tho you said you called twice. They could have thought it was a joke around aswell when you still weren't there after 2 calls. But glad you still got to eat somewhere

Womencanlift · 19/06/2023 08:59

You haven’t addressed the multiple posts asking why one person couldn’t have been dropped at the restaurant while the other went and parked the car. This seems like it would have been the most logical thing to do

The restaurant received two calls from you in a short space of time pushing out the time. How were they supposed to know you were not being a flake and push it out again?

AtomicBlondeRose · 19/06/2023 09:00

I would like some details about how - realistically - OP could have “planned the journey better”. And whatever those details are, I expect whoever described them to also follow those exact guidelines every time they go anywhere.

gamerchick · 19/06/2023 09:01

You definitely should have dropped everyone off and went an parked the car OP. Next time.

The restaurant hasn't done anything wrong.

JKrowlings · 19/06/2023 09:03

rookiemere · 19/06/2023 08:56

Well firstly we don't know if shrugging waitress was the same one as OP spoke to, and secondly "tearing a strip" off an employee probably on minimum wage when you as a customer are the one who has contravened the booking rules ( turn up within 15 mins) is not a good look.
In fact for the avoidance of doubt "tearing a strip" off anyone should be avoided unless they are openly rude or discriminatory.

Show quote history

I don’t care if it was the same person OP spoke to on the phone.

And you are using quotes wrong. I said “tore her a new one”. Thank you for joining in the discussion but don’t misquote me.

Maddy70 · 19/06/2023 09:04

I would be annoyed to. You kept in constant contact with them and they assured you it would be ok.

completely ignoring why anyone books a table at 4;30

00100001 · 19/06/2023 09:07

My mistake.

Original poster
diamondsareforever5 · 19/06/2023 09:07

Womencanlift · 19/06/2023 08:59

You haven’t addressed the multiple posts asking why one person couldn’t have been dropped at the restaurant while the other went and parked the car. This seems like it would have been the most logical thing to do

The restaurant received two calls from you in a short space of time pushing out the time. How were they supposed to know you were not being a flake and push it out again?

The restaurant is in the middle of a town centre. You can't get there by car. You have to park up and walk there. We just thought it would be quicker to park and then walk there (clearly it wasn't)

OP posts:
HarpyValley · 19/06/2023 09:08

The issue is saying one thing then doing the opposite. Regardless of what time OP rang or the party arrived, she had been told by a member of restaurant staff that they would hold her table, then they didn’t.

If they’ve been burnt before by people saying “we’re two minutes away” then rocking up 30 minutes later, then the second time OP rang they should have said politely but firmly that they couldn’t hold the table any longer than 15 minutes so could not guarantee it would be available if OP’s party arrived after that time.

Original poster
diamondsareforever5 · 19/06/2023 09:10

Just want to make clear that I'm not annoyed at the restaurant for sticking to their policy (as some PP's have suggested). I'm annoyed at being told the table would be held and it wasn't.

OP posts:
LondonPapa · 19/06/2023 09:11

TiaraBoo · 18/06/2023 23:43

If you’re late, drop 1 person and 1 child at the restaurant door to claim the table and get the drinks in.

This is the only answer and the only reasonable action that can be carried out to prevent table loss. Restaurants don't care if you call up saying you're 5 mins away, they care if there is an ass on the seat ordering.

Lemevoir · 19/06/2023 09:11

Aaargh, the responses to this thread aren't helping my blood pressure!

The OP left home in plenty of time. They should have arrived at 4.05pm for a 4.30pm booking.

To all those with 20/20 hindsight ("why didn't you drop some of the party at the restaurant first then the driver parks the car?")

There are perhaps many reasons - doing this may have taken longer than just heading directly to the car park (we don't know where the restaurant is located in relation to the carpark). You might not be able to stop outside easily to drop off if it's in a town centre for example.

gamerchick · 19/06/2023 09:12

The person on the phone told you they would hold it. They were obviously overruled by someone else who's responsible for smooth turnarounds on a mega busy day. They know their job, they deal with a lot of people and have probably heard it all.

Just put it down to experience.

Lifescary · 19/06/2023 09:18

It seems like the table was being given away when your phone call was actually happening. Not everyone working at the restaurant can be informed immediately.

You were unlucky with the traffic and unlucky that you just lost out on the table. I think many people would have been annoyed rather than just disappointed so I will give you a pass for being, mildly i hope, annoyed at the time.

But given you were lucky to be able to get another table on Father's Day and have a good meal I think you are unreasonable to still be annoyed.

It would be unkind and unreasonable to leave a negative review.