Time allowed in restaurants these days

[Toots22]

AIBU

Went to a fairly nice cafe / restaurant for lunch today - 4 of us. The booking was for 90 minutes so I knew that up front. Place is busy, it’s a Saturday, I get it. But after paying £45 for my 13 year old and I for lunch, for a main and a drink each and then get pretty much kicked out the door before we’ve even finished our drinks, when we get the bill without asking and the server appears with the card machine immediately (there were empty tables). I know the cost of living etc is through the roof but is it unreasonable to be hacked off these days at the cost of things and the little time you’re allowed in a place for that price to just to enjoy your food and have a little bit of chat over lunch?

Okay, I like vietnamese, but take longer than that.

Ugh time limits in places where there were none before seem to be really taking off in my area, and I hate it.

I would be tempted to say ' I've only just received my food after waiting over 45mins..so come back when iv finished '

It all depends how fast service is. I don’t mind if service is really efficient and you have plenty of time to eat - but it gives me the rage when there’s a time limit but it takes them 20 minutes to take your order, then 40 minutes for the food to come.

Well Weatherspoons is a pub rather than a restaurant so obviously it's different but I was just using that as an example of somewhere that is a heavy user of the microwave

They could have had another booking. 10 mins before the end is fine because it allows for a bit of faffing to pay and then for the table to be cleaned & re laid.

90 mins is ages for a one course lunch. If you want to linger over a longer meal go somewhere for 2 or 3 courses.

Its not reasonable to expect to take up a table for hours and hours when not buying anything more.

For the reasons mentioned I now prefer to go to a pub and have a light bar meal as you're not rushed especially if meeting a friend and we have a lot of catching up to do.

I think it should be 2 hours. Obviously I can eat lunch in 90 mins but it's not just about eating is it? It's about chatting and enjoying the the experience.

TWO HOURS. For one course and a drink???? They'll hemorrhage money.

Most people will be much quicker though. I probably take about 45 min if with family but still object to being given a time limit. You never know how long it will take to get food.

But you are assuming that people only want one course.

But if they have bookings coming they do need to present you with your bill, take the money and clear the tables. I also think that 90 minutes for a meal is fine, one of our local restaurants sometimes fits us in for a reservation when they're very busy but asks us to leave before a certain time when they have the next booking.

@angela1952 seriously? You can get in, be brought the menu, look at the menu and choose what you want, order, have drinks brought, maybe have a starter, have a main, ask to look at dessert menu, choose a dessert, eat dessert and talk to the people you are with in only 80 minutes? I know I can't.

Yes, seriously. We regularly do just this, sometimes with family and children in tow.

You must be a dull dinner companion!

Whats the point in eating out?

Isn't eating out meant to be enjoyable rather than something you rush through?

We do enjoy it. We eat out a couple of times a week and yesterday I made a point of noticing how long we were there. It was an hour and a half for three leisurely courses. We took our time as I wanted to go straight from there to pick up the GC from school.
On this occasion many people came and went whilst we were there, I think we took longer than any other diners, including an office Christmas group.

Leisurely! You must eat fast.

Presumably there was no waiting between courses and there is not much talking?

No, not much waiting, but quite a lot of talking!