Liberty Tree Tavern, bad experience and we didnt even get to the food!

[tcufrog]

I don't mind the text notice if there's something to do while I wait. For example, there's a luxury mall (The owners display their fine art collection there which includes a Warhol.) near us that has lots of expensive sit down restaurants that take reservations. Some of them will text you when your table is ready after you sign in. That way you can hang out at the restaurant's bar or shop at nearby stores while you wait for your table.

 

[kaytieeldr]

If they aren't actually reservations they shouldn't have the word in the name.

For a short time, they were called Priority Seating. Probably the clearest designation would be Call Ahead Seating Extreme. CASE

If they didn't book to capacity and people saw empty seats they would gripe. There is no way to win. But yeah I think after 30 minutes waiting there should be the option to leave with no penalty.

I think before thirty minutes, right when you check in and discover the wait time. After thirty !inutes, well, you've already invested so much time, you may as well wait

 

[TJDisneymama]

They are doing this in some cases. It doesn't happen at every location, or even every time in the locations that can do it. I don't know the parameters for it or even the locations. It is needed anytime you aren't seated as soon as you arrive. That way, folks can walk off a bit, not stand there clogging the entry. Some of those are quite small.

I actually had dinner at LTT same day as OP and they did text us when the table was almost ready.
There looked to be a LOT of ppl waiting for tables inside (and out) and I was afraid it wad going to be a long wait but we got the text after about 10 min., then went in nd waited inside for about 5 min.

 

[Jennifer Brooklyn]

40 minute wait and being able to have a drink at the bar - ok.
40 minute wait and a text to my cell phone when my table is ready - still ok
40 minute wait and being told to remain in the holding pen. Not ok. I would have asked for the manager as well.

There is no incentive for a business to improve if customers are tied to their reservation by cancellation fees that were established to discourage no shows. I fully understand situations arise that force restaurants to be behind schedule. A 40 minute wait past ADR time is absolutely not acceptable and guests should be permitted to cancel without penalty.

It also doesn't make sense that if they were running behind having a few people decide to cancel would have actually helped them accommodate everyone in a more timely fashion. A manager would be freaking out at the large number of guests waiting 40 minutes or longer and backing up the whole day of ADRs. It just doesn't make sense to me.

 

[TeresaWen]

Yes, I was specifically referring to DW. I know some of the newer restaurants have moved to texts, but off the top of my head, I can't think of many overall in DW. Do you find that limiting?

Sorry it took me so long to reply. Just back from vacation in the Dominican rebublic. No wifi

Not limiting at all for us. Never said I would not wait. I just said I won't wait standing around in lobby. There are nights when we look forward to our wait in a lounge over a cocktail or two.