Anybody else have an issue when only 2 are dining?

[Jadyreen1282]

Wife and I have never had this issue. To be fair she does have a vicious glare.

 

[sam_rogers]

I've also had problems with let in the past. We were a party of 2 and waited about 45 minutes past our adr time, we were almost about to walk out when they seated us

 

[addiln]

I have had that problem once years ago. We were at the yachtsman and they did not seat the 2 of us for well over 80 mins past our reservation. When I asked why it was taking so long they told me because we were a table for 2 and all the 2 tops were taking longer to finish their meal. They would not give us a 4 top since they had parties of 4 reserved for those. It was not a pleasant experience and ruined that entire meal by waiting for so long.

 

[Dean Marino]

On my last trip I had an issue that I have never had before and was wondering if anyone else has ever had this happen to them.

We had a lunch reservation at Liberty Tree. It was just my adult son and myself. We checked in 10 minutes early and sat down to wait. And wait and wait and wait. 30 minutes later so 20 minutes after our reservation I went to the desk to see why people that had just walked in were being seated and we were not. The response was we are very busy. Ok---so we wait and we wait some more. Forty minutes later---so an hour past our reservation with the lobby nearly empty I went to the desk and asked why I am required to have reservations if the time is not honored. The CM said and this is a quote "today if you didn't have a reservation you would not be eating here." As she turned her back on me I said I have a reservation and I am still not eating. Shortly there after we and another group of 2 that had been waiting as long us were escorted to a nearly empty room. I have no proof but I believe that our reservation was set aside in favor of larger groups.

Now the food was great and the service top notch but I really think we were pushed back because we were only 2 people. By the time we were actually seated the place was nearly empty. An hour and 10 minutes past our reservation. Just curious if anybody else has had this happen. We usually travel with a larger group this was unusual for us.

Just OUR reaction - all personal opinion, others may disagree...

Had this occurred to us - we would wait as requested. Then never go back to that particular restaurant. Exactly what we would do for ANY Restaurant, in any city in the US.

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

That was probably just an unlucky day (maybe they have a limited number of 2-tops and didn't want to seat you at a 4 top??). However, I have had a few times (not at Disney) when my service was sub-par and from watching the waiter give better service to other tables, I concluded that they were probably hustling more for the tables where they could expect a larger tip. Which is really to their detriment, because we normally eat fast (allowing a faster turnover) and tip well. Apparently, sacrificing service for some in an effort to get better tips from others is a strategy that some (bad) waitstaff use.

 

[brinkley07]

When DH and I have gone as a party of 2 we haven't had any trouble. We were seated late when we ate at LTT last time. I want to say it was 20-30 minutes after our reservation time and we had checked in early. They told us they were very busy and they were turning away anyone without a reservation.

 

[aVASTGrl]

I only had this happen once, while on a solo trip. I checked in at Kona Cafe, and waited and waited and waited. Finally went up to the podium and the woman had no clue what had happened to my reservation! She remembered checking me in, but I had disappeared from the system! Everyone was very nice and apologetic about it, and I was seated shortly thereafter.

 

[epcotcenter1982]

Never had that issue. We were a party of 5 or 4 or 2 on this past trip and never waited terribly long anywhere. We dined at all sorts of places.

There's no penalty if you show up with less people as long as you show up. In some cases our booking for 5 was only 4 because one member wasn't feeling well. Also a booking for 4 was only 2 as the other couple was feeling quite unwell. Never any issue. We were still checking in on that booking and still showing up...

 

[jenjersnap]

In my past two trips - both as parties of 2 and 2 weeks long on dxddp, i.e., lots and lots of adrs - we have waited a few times but I have a theory why - Disney seats in sections or rooms in ltt's case and there are fewer 2 tops so we sometimes wait until the next section opens for seating. The worst was a pre-opening breakfast at H&V where we were one of the first 4 groups to check in and yet we waited 40 minutes to be seated. When we entered the restaurant, it was clear there was only one table for 2 in the entire section they used first. Anyway, just a thought.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Maybe your spot on the checked in list got lost or overlooked. But an hour wait with a reservation and then basically getting mouthed off to about not eating here without a reservation before finally getting seated? That's ridiculous! I would have been livid, like get me a manager and I am going to remember that CM's name for a bad comment card livid. Kudos to you OP for being a lot more chill about it!

 

[DVCjj]

Never had an issue just because we are 2. (usually) But I've seen it happen for parties of 2,4,6, etc.

I have had an issue several times....especially at Be Our Guest....where we almost have a heart attack running for our reservation and then wait 45 minutes to get in (not just parties of 2, but it seems everyone is waiting) and you walk into the restaurant and there are TONS and TONS of empty tables.

It's like they don't have enough wait staff. Seems very strange.

We go often to Via Napoli, our favorite, and always get in within 5 minutes of the reservation. But yes, even at Via Napoli, the waiting room is jammed and yet the restaurant seems quite empty to me on so many occasions.

 

[5kidsmommy]

Never have had that issue before and often we've just been a party of two. My daughter and I went in November and ate at 6 different restaurants, we were always seating very quickly after check in.

 

[nco91590]

45 minutes?!?!?!? Oh man....no way would I have waited for that. And I would've asked to speak to a manager if I got attitude after inquiring about my reservation. I mean...that's nonsense.

 

[MommaBerd]

I was expecting to have to wait for a small table but when we were seated it was in an almost empty room at a table for 4.

I have had an issue several times....especially at Be Our Guest....where we almost have a heart attack running for our reservation and then wait 45 minutes to get in (not just parties of 2, but it seems everyone is waiting) and you walk into the restaurant and there are TONS and TONS of empty tables.

It's like they don't have enough wait staff. Seems very strange.

We go often to Via Napoli, our favorite, and always get in within 5 minutes of the reservation. But yes, even at Via Napoli, the waiting room is jammed and yet the restaurant seems quite empty to me on so many occasions.

In this same line, I tried to get ONE person (my MIL) added to our Tusker house reservation a few years ago. Absolutely, they wouldn't do it. So, my son who hates characters (even Santa!) and she had breakfast at Rainforest Cafe instead. When we walked into Tusker House I was SO angry to see all the empty tables!!! I guess they must have a certain number of tables per party size and are just NOT flexible about it.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

Maybe your spot on the checked in list got lost or overlooked. But an hour wait with a reservation and then basically getting mouthed off to about not eating here without a reservation before finally getting seated? That's ridiculous! I would have been livid, like get me a manager and I am going to remember that CM's name for a bad comment card livid. Kudos to you OP for being a lot more chill about it!

Same here, I would have been ticked. Partly because of the wait itself and partly due to the hostess's bad attitude.

 

[GillianP1301]

We are a party of two and never had this happen to us, I think it may have just been a bad night at that restaurant. I also don't wait around that long either before I start to ask at the podium if there is an issue with the delay. I'm polite about it always, but if I check in 10 minutes early for my ADR, I'm start asking at 10 minutes after my time and then every 10 minutes after that... more often if I notice another party of 2 who checked in after me being seated before me. Very rarely have I had a problem though. I think the longest I've ever waited was at Sci-Fi for 25 minutes past my ADR time and in the grand scheme of things, even that isn't that horrible. We are almost always seated within 5 - 10 minutes of our time.

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

I don't fault you , but for anyone else I'd advise:
Be early
Check in immediately
Be at the podium AGAIN at your exact time if you checked in early and ask for a timeline
15 minutes would be my limit of "waiting"

EASIER SAID THAN DONE I KNOW, because when you are hungry and want a sit down experience you're at their mercy.

70 minutes after your ADR should have gotten you a few FP's/ free dessert / "something"

 

[1nfrequent]

I've had something similar happen to me at Chefs de France - I got there 5 minutes early for my reservation but had a 35 minute wait. That coupled with a rude maitre d' meant that I ended up asking for my desert to be comped (which to their credit, they did). I understand that they have space restrictions and I don't mind a short wait, but given you have to give a credit card to confirm a reservation for a set time, they should honour the same.

OP - you are remarkably chill about it. I agree with some of the other posters who point out that this isn't usual (and out of my last 4 trips, it's only happened to me once) but if it happens, there should be service recovery to recognise that you're being put out.

1F

 

[manning]

On my last trip I had an issue that I have never had before and was wondering if anyone else has ever had this happen to them.

We had a lunch reservation at Liberty Tree. It was just my adult son and myself. We checked in 10 minutes early and sat down to wait. And wait and wait and wait. 30 minutes later so 20 minutes after our reservation I went to the desk to see why people that had just walked in were being seated and we were not. The response was we are very busy. Ok---so we wait and we wait some more. Forty minutes later---so an hour past our reservation with the lobby nearly empty I went to the desk and asked why I am required to have reservations if the time is not honored. The CM said and this is a quote "today if you didn't have a reservation you would not be eating here." As she turned her back on me I said I have a reservation and I am still not eating. Shortly there after we and another group of 2 that had been waiting as long us were escorted to a nearly empty room. I have no proof but I believe that our reservation was set aside in favor of larger groups.

Now the food was great and the service top notch but I really think we were pushed back because we were only 2 people. By the time we were actually seated the place was nearly empty. An hour and 10 minutes past our reservation. Just curious if anybody else has had this happen. We usually travel with a larger group this was unusual for us.

Years ago this happened to us at Liberty Tree. After putting up a big stink they opened up a closed section.

 

[Shanti]

On my last trip I had an issue that I have never had before and was wondering if anyone else has ever had this happen to them.

We had a lunch reservation at Liberty Tree. It was just my adult son and myself. We checked in 10 minutes early and sat down to wait. And wait and wait and wait. 30 minutes later so 20 minutes after our reservation I went to the desk to see why people that had just walked in were being seated and we were not. The response was we are very busy. Ok---so we wait and we wait some more. Forty minutes later---so an hour past our reservation with the lobby nearly empty I went to the desk and asked why I am required to have reservations if the time is not honored. The CM said and this is a quote "today if you didn't have a reservation you would not be eating here." As she turned her back on me I said I have a reservation and I am still not eating. Shortly there after we and another group of 2 that had been waiting as long us were escorted to a nearly empty room. I have no proof but I believe that our reservation was set aside in favor of larger groups.

Now the food was great and the service top notch but I really think we were pushed back because we were only 2 people. By the time we were actually seated the place was nearly empty. An hour and 10 minutes past our reservation. Just curious if anybody else has had this happen. We usually travel with a larger group this was unusual for us.

We usually go to WDW as a party of 2, and have never (not even on July 4th) had an hour+ wait. I would decline to wait that long for Liberty Tree Tavern, and request that they release (without a fee), our reservation because it's an unreasonably long wait.