To think this is terrible service at a restaurant?

[videoclub]

Ordered food and drinks, it arrived and we were enjoying our meal. Then just a few minutes into it we were approached by a member of staff and told - this table is reserved and we have 10 minutes and then we need to go find another table.

Firstly there was no reserve sign, they’d forgot to put one on. When we asked if they were going to find us another table they said we needed to do that. She then came back 5 minutes later and dropped the reserved sign on our table.

When I complained I was told “she was following the managers orders”.

So what happened?
Did they find you another table?
Dud you eat quickly?
Did you take it home in a box?

This happened to me and DH once, but they found us another table and gave us a free bottle of wine for the trouble.

What happened in the end?

She came back and said actually we don’t need this table now and walked off.

What was there plan? Physically move you all?

So no harm done then.

I don’t think the waitress is a good fit for a customer service role!

And the thing is if they made a mistake then that’s fine they are human. But it’s how you rectify that mistake. Like you really expect us to walk around the restaurant carrying our plates and glasses hoping there might be another free table? When really it should be on them 100% to find another table.

Really? You enjoy going out for a meal and having it interrupted saying you’ve only got ten minutes to leave a table and they won’t be assisting you at any point.

No harm done? You honestly don’t think having their dinner interrupted, being given a ridiculous piece of info, and being treated like this due to poor staff training is going to impact the OP’s desire to go back?

Plenty of harm done.

But nothing happened

I'd not be wanting to return there. I like good service.

If they apologised for their mistake then no harm done. But it doesn't sound like they did so YANBU. I would have complained about the awful attitude

Except the atmosphere was ruined, they were probably trying to scoff their food to avoid taking too long, would be feeling uncomfortable and a bit embarrassed...

As they forgot to reserve the table and inform you as you sat down they should have:

• Found a table for you first and reserve it
• be apologetic as they approached, explained the mistake
• offered comped drinks/starters/puds depending on what you would prefer
• be extra attentive and understanding that they fucked up

Yes it did they had shit service that is what happened.

No apology was given at any point. It was also their mistake so they should have 100% found is a new table.

I mean fair enough if we’d sat at a reserved table then that’s on us. But they had forgot to reserve it and still served us our food and drinks at that table.

The answer to "following manager's orders" is to speak to the manager and suggest that rather than you wandering around aimlessly looking for a table for 5, they find one.
And then put the reserved sign on that.

And continue eating. What are they going to do? whip the plates away mid forkful?

What did you do about it though?

Have you complained to management?

Have you complained to head office if they have one?

Have you left an honest online review?

Your thread seems to be lacking in so much information.

I always ring up and ask restaurants now if they operate a double service in one evening; especially if it’s for a special occasion, as I absolutely loathe being rushed through a meal. If I go to the trouble of going out, I want to know that I can relax and the table is ours for the evening.

That’s pretty dreadful service op. I would have complained. They should have apologised at the very least!

It's called the hospitality industry for a reason: they're supposed to make you feel relaxed, as if welcomed into a friend's home. Do you think your friends would feel welcomed if you invited them round for a dinner party, handed them plates of food, then told they had ten minutes to eat up and leave?

Yes it’s poor form from the restaurant and I probably wouldn’t return knowing that there’s a risk the table they sit you at is suddenly going to need to be used halfway through your meal without warning, but I’d probably just leave a review saying as much as not think about it again tbh.

I don’t see a problem here…

Last year we were the "other people" in this... we turned up, were shown to our table... to find the previous people half way through their drinks still. However the bar/restaurant had a clear policy of the table being booked for a certain amount of time, they just thought they would chance it.

In your scenario... no. They messed up. Their responsibility to find a solution which doesn't involve booting people out of seats halfway through a meal.

If I could be bothered, I'd write a polite but truthful email to management. Depending on the response, I'd then write my experience on trip advisor.

Yes, it’s the restaurant’s loss - the OP will hardly be likely to return and repeat business is crucial for the hospitality industry.
Also, what was the point of creating all this bad feeling if there was another solution for the reservation all along and the OP’s party eventually ended up staying at the same table?