Tonight we had dinner at Le Cellier. My food was fantastic and the service pretty good. What wasn't was getting seated.
I had to book a party of 4 to get a table. We are a party of 2. When I got to the podium I explained that there would only be 2, as 2 members of our party made alternate plans. The girl at the desk said " Ohhhhh....."with a heavy sigh. I said "Is this a problem? It never has been before" She stated that they were having a larger than normal number of people make reservations and show up with smaller parties and that this was frustrating them. She said she would have to check with the 'seating assigner' to see if we could be seated! She came back several minutes later and said it was fine, but that they are now beginning to crack down on this practice!!!!
Then I was approached by the seating person who I THOUGHT said my first name "Linda? Are you ready?" We made small talk as we went down to our table, a lovely 4 top. When we got there he asked where the third member of our party was. I explained that we were only 2. He then asked if I was Barbara Lindrom....which of course I am not. He then said that I fit the description that was listed on the ticket. The seating assigner came over and told us we had to go back to the podium and wait! I was dining with my traveling companion, who has never been to the restaurant before and needless to say was not impressed with all of this. After waiting for 15 more minutes and other parties of two being seated we were finally shown to a 2 top, which was fine.
All in all the meal did not start off well and no apology was made for the seating snafu. It was incredibly embarrassing to be told by the assigner, with other guests watching that I had to go back to the podium and wait when there were other tables both 4 and two tops ready.
I mentioned it to the manager who brushed it off by stating that errors happen when it is busy. Oh well....live and learn.
I hope that other people who may be in the situation of needing to book a larger table to get a table do not get the same reaction at the podium that I did.
Linda
I had to book a party of 4 to get a table. We are a party of 2. When I got to the podium I explained that there would only be 2, as 2 members of our party made alternate plans. The girl at the desk said " Ohhhhh....."with a heavy sigh. I said "Is this a problem? It never has been before" She stated that they were having a larger than normal number of people make reservations and show up with smaller parties and that this was frustrating them. She said she would have to check with the 'seating assigner' to see if we could be seated! She came back several minutes later and said it was fine, but that they are now beginning to crack down on this practice!!!!
Then I was approached by the seating person who I THOUGHT said my first name "Linda? Are you ready?" We made small talk as we went down to our table, a lovely 4 top. When we got there he asked where the third member of our party was. I explained that we were only 2. He then asked if I was Barbara Lindrom....which of course I am not. He then said that I fit the description that was listed on the ticket. The seating assigner came over and told us we had to go back to the podium and wait! I was dining with my traveling companion, who has never been to the restaurant before and needless to say was not impressed with all of this. After waiting for 15 more minutes and other parties of two being seated we were finally shown to a 2 top, which was fine.
All in all the meal did not start off well and no apology was made for the seating snafu. It was incredibly embarrassing to be told by the assigner, with other guests watching that I had to go back to the podium and wait when there were other tables both 4 and two tops ready.
I mentioned it to the manager who brushed it off by stating that errors happen when it is busy. Oh well....live and learn.
I hope that other people who may be in the situation of needing to book a larger table to get a table do not get the same reaction at the podium that I did.
Linda
