Is there a standard for how long after your ADR time you get seated?

[peacefrogdog]

We were at Cape May Cafe this morning, with a 9:15 ADR. We didn't check in until 9:35 though (due to a delay at our own hotel's airline check in). Our pager buzzed 2 min after our check in, but when we went back to the podium were told it was a 'mistake' that we were paged and to wait.

By 10:00 we were still waiting, and was told at the podium that they were preparing our table as we spoke, but we didn't get seated. By 10:15, and after seeing other parties of 5 (who checked in after us) get their tables I checked again at the podium, and was told once again that they were in the process of getting our table set up. Again we were not seated.

By 10:25 I went to the podium again and spoke to another CM. She briefly mentioned how the 'ticket' that apparently gets printed off when a table becomes available for a waiting party, would not print for my party/ADR. When I asked if that was the reason for the long wait, she didn't answer and said that she'll find me a table right away. We were seated at a table for 4.

I realize that the ADR is not a guaranteed time, and I accept blame for arriving 20 min after my ADR time. But surely being seated 50 min after check-in time is excessive.

Is there some sort of standard for how long after check in or after your original ADR time that you should be seated? If not, what is the proper 'etiquette' for how long you wait before asking the host/hostesses about your table?

 

[TDC Nala]

No, there isn't a standard. And I'd start asking as soon as I perceived that it was taking too long. Especially if I had a flight to catch.

 

[kirbsam]

arriving 20 minutes late, and waiting 50 minutes seems about right to me.

 

[kaytieeldr]

The only 'standard' is, "... and you will be seated at the next available table for your party size at or after your reservation time".

While 'the ticket wouldn't print' is not necessarily a reasonable excuse for delaying seating you, in all fairness you did miss your reservation time - and so, really, could be considered a walk-in. Parties with reservations take precedence.

 

[Alesia]

You are given the next available table after you arrive.

If you arrive late, you are bumped in favor of those who arrived on time.

 

[LilyWDW]

You were 20 mins late...

As such, most likely, you were then placed near the end of the list and those parties that were on time for their seatings were seated ahead of you until there was a break for a table of your size.

Honestly, after being 20 mins late, I would have been happy they would give us a chance at a table.

 

[mdhkitten]

I was once running late and called to see how long they would hold the ADR and they told me that they can usually only hold it for 15 minutes. IMO, you were very lucky that they could seat you at all. I'm glad that it all worked out in the end!

 

[TDC Nala]

I remember being told at Boma that your reservation would only be held for 15 minutes, and then you go into the standby queue.

But if you were put into the standby queue as a result of your being late, that would be understandable and in my opinion should even be expected. However, the CMs working the podium should have told you that because you were late, you'd have to wait, instead of this "we can't print your ticket" stuff (if that was indeed the case).

 

[peacefrogdog]

Thanks for the replies. Always good to get different perspectives.

As it was a rainy morning, lots of people were trying to get walk up seating (which is what I assume people mean by stand-by) and were told that the wait would be over 90 minutes. So given that I wasn't told that would be the wait, I assume that I wasn't put in the stand-by waitlist.

Whether or not people who had ADR's after me were seated ahead of me (given I was late) I don't know. I guess it was just a really busy time to eat.

 

[scotas]

A lot has to do with the actual customers as well. In September we had a party of 6 at Narcoosee's. ADR was for 7:30, we arrived at 7:15, we were seated at 9:45. The staff was doing what they could, and checked in with us frequently. They had 2 tables that had their checks, but it took almost an hour from getting their checks for them to pay. Unfortunately it was out of the servers hands, once seated they can't really tell someone their time is up.

I do think your wait time could have been addressed better by the staff. We were lucky enough to be standing near the open kitchen and were able to converse with the chefs as the various dishes came out so time went by alright for us, and our dessert came right as wishes started so it all worked out in the end. (Well except that we nearly tackled the poor waitress when she brought the basket of bread since we were so hungry.)

 

[peacefrogdog]

When I checked in at other restaurants on my last trip, the host/hostess usually rights down the name, party size etc. on a slip, that eventually gets brought to the table once seated. When I checked in at Cape May, the hostess wrote down this information on this slip before giving us our pager. But when eventually seated, there was only a blank slip.

Is this relevant at all, in the sense that perhaps they could have lost our spot on the list? It won't change anything, but just trying to figure out what happened when all our other dining experiences have had minimal wait times.

 

[DebbieB]

I had a reservation at Boma last Tuesday. We arrived right on time at 8:45, it was at least 20 min before we were seated even though there were empty tables.

 

[ArielRae]

We had the same problem checking into cape may cafe. We were on time even early. We waited along time and after seeing people who checked in way after us we went and complained and they told us that our ticket didn't print out so they didn't know to seat us. They got us a table right away. Other then that problem the resturant was great.

 

[B-Ride]

Based on some of the replies, I'll make sure I never show up late at your houses for dinner. You may make me eat in the garage.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Was that really necessary? The responses to which you [apparently] refer were merely explanations; not one person in this thread has indicated in any way that Disney is correct in operating their restaurants this way, or that any of the responders would treat invited dinner guests in any given manner.

Regarding empty tables: if there is no staffiing for those tables, it is pointless to seat people at them.

 

[peacefrogdog]

Regarding empty tables: if there is no staffiing for those tables, it is pointless to seat people at them.

I think during busy times they should make an exception to that, especially for buffets when the servers pour juice/coffee and take away plates.