For being annoyed at restaurant for giving our table away?

[diamondsareforever5]

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!

"Also, unlike that posters husband, my DH actually likes spending time with his wife and kids and doesn't pay me to leave the house 😂"

🤣🤣

YABU.

you were nearly 20 minutes late. They had other people who wanted the table in the restaurant. They only had your word for when you would arrive and I bet they’ve heard “just two minutes!” Multiple times before and two minutes actually means 20 minutes.

They have. 15 minute grace period. You were over it. They have the table away. If they hadn’t, they would have had to relax the policy all the time for consistency. If you were late to your doctors appointment would you expect them to keep the appointment?

Restaurants run on very tight margins and yesterday was a big day for them.

You've completely missed the point. I KNOW how late I was and I know what the policy is. That's not the issue. The issue is being told they would keep the table and they didn't. That's it.

Mumsnet is hard work sometimes 😅

@diamondsareforever5 you clearly think yanbu, so why even ask?

There was a miscommunication. Perhaps the person who told you they could keep your table beyond the perfectly reasonable grace period shouldn't have told you that. Perhaps the person who gave your table away shouldn't have done it.

As you said, it's a new restaurant.

Ultimately though, you were at fault. Own it.

I feel really sorry for you on this one. Completely understand why they have the policy they do. The issue is they said on the phone they would hold it and then they didn’t. That’s not right.
If they are going to be that strict about it, even when someone calls twice, they need to make it absolutely clear when you call that they still won’t hold it past 15 mins. I would be put out by that as it is hard not to take these things personally but I would respect it as I know there are plenty of flakes out there who won’t show up, even if I am not one of them.
If it were me it would be enough to make me think twice about making a reservation with them again but I wouldn’t contemplate a negative review or anything like that. I am so glad you managed to find somewhere else at such short notice and it didn’t totally ruin your Father’s Day.

I am GM of a restaurant. Yesterday, Father's day, I had 2 instances of 3 people arriving at the table saying the rest of the party was only 5/10 mins away. For both parties the rest arrived over an hour late. Both tables had no respect for the fact the table was booked out again, took their time and didn't leave until well after an hour later than their time. This is so stressful for the staff in the restaurant as they are very aware of the booking commitment for the next customers. (Put yourself in the shoes of the next booking. How would you react to "Sorry, your table won't be ready for an hour as the current occupants were very late")
On this occasion I was able to juggle around, due to last minute cancellations, and leave them to enjoy their meal. However, this is not always possible.
It would be nice if more people respected the hospitality industry rather than be self entitled with no regard to the business or other customers (in this case, the following booking)

No but it was your choice not to have a look an hour or two before setting off what state the traffic was in.

Ultimately anyone would have been annoyed in your position but there were also a lot of things you might have done to change the outcome: set off earlier, check traffic conditions, send an advance party to seats while you parked car, arranged a drink ina nearby pub an hour or so before meal time to make sure everyone was nearby when table would be ready… The restaurant enforced its policy, next time don’t be late!

YANBU.

The restaurant had the opportunity, twice, to tell you that if you didn't arrive by 4:45 exactly they'd be giving your table to somebody else.

Instead they, as a whole, lied to you.

Oh God 🤦🏼‍♀️ do people on Mumsnet actually even bother reading any of the posts on threads before commenting?

@Katey83 the traffic was fine when I set out. Accident happened when we got on to the motorway. Literally nothing I could have done.

The restaurant is in the middle of a town centre. You can't get there by car (hence why the car park was a five minute walk away). If I could drop people off at the restaurant to claim the table, then that's what I would have done.

Of course you would have known all this if you would have read the thread properly, but don't worry, I love repeating myself several times 😊

I agree

It's a shame, but too many people don't show up when they say they will costing businesses money and people their jobs

@Mari9999 I didn't expect them to accommodate me, they literally told me that they would!

So many replies here are so uptight! You called and 15 mins isn’t that long anyway. I’m be pissed off too

Who the hell eats at 4.30? misses point of thread

I get that’s the point and I disagree with you. See how that works? You asked if you were being unreasonable and I said yes. If you think you’re being perfectly reasonable why are you here? To get a pat on the back?

We were 15 min late yesterday, similar reason. Dh dropped older dc and I outside while he found parking and brought the baby. I think maybe this is what you should have done

People who can't get a reservation at 5.30?

@CleverLilViper I'm here because incase you didn't know, this is a public forum where people are free to post threads to gain outside perspectives. Doesn't mean I have to agree with everyone who comments.

It’s long if it’s busy. It’s long if you have other waiting customers stood there for a table and someone else hasn’t bothered to show up within the grace period. Not to mention that her showing up late will likely impact on other bookings that will then have to wait for a table. Believe it or not, businesses have to work to a schedule and they can’t just keep tables indefinitely.

they’ve likely heard it all before. The two minutes quoted by the customer will often morph into half an hour. They have to follow policy. Does it suck for OP? Yes. Is that the businesses fault? No.

It seems that you’re here to get everyone agreeing with you that you’re in the right and the restaurant is wrong. Waste of time. You could have just picked up a mirror for that.

She also lied. She told them she'd be there at 4.40 and she wasn't. How much beyond their 15 minute grace period is ok if you ring and tell them you're not going to be there within it? 20 minutes? 30?

Really, what is the point of having a 15 minute grace period at all if you will just disregard it if someone calls.

You are doing exactly what the restaurant (sadly not named and shamed) in the post did - failing to understand / communicate. OP would fully understand if she lost the table because she was late - her frustration is more to do with the fact that she was told (twice) that the table would be saved. She wasn't "self entitled" at all - she was respectful of the restaurant and the other patrons. It would be nice if the hospitality industry was more honest with their guests.

It's boderline

I think though because its fathersday, you should have planned to arrive early.
And taken into account allowances for traffic.

If you've been 15minutes it's pretty fair they give the table away because there's very very likely another booking after you depending on you being finished.. And the restaurant will have allocated timing slots for when they can cook food ect.

If you were a late evening table though I'd say it's less fair of the restaurant because they wouldn't need to have people seated after you.
And you did ring

The person on the phone that said they'd promised to keep your table really is the one at fault here. They should have said no if they were going to give it away. Because that person promised to hold it, I would kick up a fuss with the restaurant. It's one thing not holding it but another saying you will and then not doing so.

No, but it was your choice not to drop a couple of people off to go in and get seated. Don't understand why you didn't do that.