Seating available for 4, but not for 2???

[Jetta8300]

I'm trying to get reservations at Rose and Crown for dinner during my trip. A 6:20 dinner shows up for 4 people, but nothing shows up that evening for 2 people. How is this possible? Should I make the reservations anyway for 4 even though there are only 2 of us?

 

[Pakey]

Reservations for 2 are seated at 2 top tables; those for 4 are seated at 4 tops.

Just take the 4 reservation and when you get there, tell them it will only be the 2 of you.

 

[penny28380]

That's what I would do.

 

[tinka-belle]

Some places have very few tables for 2. For example at 1900 Park Fare there are only 4 or 5 two-tops.

Get a table for four and tell them two cannot make it. Since ADRs have to be made so early now most restaurants are understanding about people backing out. OR make two friends in the walk up line who are being turned away!

 

[CathieArms]

I'm trying to get reservations at Rose and Crown for dinner during my trip. A 6:20 dinner shows up for 4 people, but nothing shows up that evening for 2 people. How is this possible? Should I make the reservations anyway for 4 even though there are only 2 of us?

Sure it's possible. They probably have dedicated 2-person tables, and those are booked. They don't really want to put 2 people at a 4-person table, any more than they'd want to put 2 people at an 8-person table, if they actually offer 2-person tables and those are booked up.

 

[Jetta8300]

Sure it's possible. They probably have dedicated 2-person tables, and those are booked. They don't really want to put 2 people at a 4-person table, any more than they'd want to put 2 people at an 8-person table, if they actually offer 2-person tables and those are booked up.

Thanks for the responses everyone! To the poster above, I was confused because I didn't think they actually "HELD" any tables like a real reservation. I thought they just put you in a queue, and the next table that came up was given to you. So I guess they obviously have separate queues for 2 tops and 4 tops...??? I know they would obviously rather have a table of 4 than 2, but it is just a little strange to me that they wouldn't make a table of 4 available at all online. (Olive Garden isn't going to turn us away because there are only 2 people dining, they seat us at a 4 top!)

 

[mrsxsparrow]

Same thing happened to me in february. I made the ressie for four and told them it was really only two. They didn't seem to have an issue with it. And we were seated at a four top... It was kind of nice to have some extra room (and a chair for our bags!).

 

[Agri]

Thanks for the responses everyone! To the poster above, I was confused because I didn't think they actually "HELD" any tables like a real reservation. I thought they just put you in a queue, and the next table that came up was given to you. So I guess they obviously have separate queues for 2 tops and 4 tops...??? I know they would obviously rather have a table of 4 than 2, but it is just a little strange to me that they wouldn't make a table or 4 available at all online. (Olive Garden isn't going to turn us away because there are only 2 people dining, they seat us at a 4 top!)

Olive Garden is WAY different than eating at WDW, though. How often do people make reservations for Olive Garden? I wouldn't compare a common chain restaurant to eating at a restaurant in the WDW parks. Any given restaurant at WDW is going to have hundreds, if not thousands, of potential diners (i.e. customers) walk by during any given day - all there for a once in a lifetime experience. Olive Garden is not a once in a lifetime experience.

If I was going to compare restaurants, I'd at least compare them to a unique restaurant where you have to make reservations in order to get seated.

We've also been turned away for walk ups when they've had tables for four open but not tables for two. Also, whenever our party size has changed from the reservation in a busy/popular restaurant, we've been told we will have to wait longer than our ADR time and one time they had to check if they could seat us at all.

 

[Jetta8300]

We've also been turned away for walk ups when they've had tables for four open but not tables for two.

This is more along the lines of what I wanted to know. I was just unfamiliar with the process, and again i had no idea that they had separate queues for tables for 2, and tables for 4. It seemed to me by looking a pics of a lot of restaurants that they just push 2 tops together to make them 4, 6, or 8 tops.

I was just using Olive Garden as a generic example. I rarely go to restaurants where you do not have to make a reservation, and many times we are seated at a 4 top table when there are 2 of us, if that is all they have (instead of turning us away). And yes that's in downtown Cleveland right before a Cavs game when LeBron was still here!

 

[fla4fun]

Also, whenever our party size has changed from the reservation in a busy/popular restaurant, we've been told we will have to wait longer than our ADR time and one time they had to check if they could seat us at all.

I'm sorry, but that just doesn't seem right. If you've gone to the trouble to make your ADR's at 180 days, and managed to get into a popular, hard to reserve restaurant, and then a month before your trip, your traveling companions lose a job or something and can't go, they shouldn't be able to turn you away at the door.

If it's a popular restaurant, then they will probably be fully booked and not taking walk ins, so it would make better business sense to allow the party of two to dine at a four top than to lose the revenue from the party of two when you aren't going to allow a walk in party to replace them (yes, I realize they will probably want to put a party of four there, but I'm saying that the overall head count for the restaurant for the night will be two less than it would have been, in this example).

I run into a similar problem making ADR's though OP, that doesn't make any sense either. As a solo, I would be seated at a two top, but many times it won't allow me to make the reservation for a party of one. I have to book a party of two (same size table) and then adjust at the restaurant when I arrive. I always try a party of one first, to see if availability comes up, but I would say about 30% of the time, I end up having to book for two.

 

[maxiesmom]

Be aware that if you do this for a restaurant that asks for full payment or a credit card guarantee when booking, you will be charged a no-show fee for whatever guests don't make the ADR. For example, if you book at Akershus for 4 but only 2 show up, you will pay the no show fee for 2 people.

We have never been denied seating, but one time we did get the stink eye from a CM at Le Ceiller. We were a party of 6, but somehow they had us down as a party of 8 for our ADR. I have no idea at all how it happened, unless my travel agent made a mistake. Anyway, they did look at us real funny when we told them we were not waiting for 2 more people to show.

 

[aubriee]

. As a solo, I would be seated at a two top, but many times it won't allow me to make the reservation for a party of one. I have to book a party of two (same size table) and then adjust at the restaurant when I arrive. I always try a party of one first, to see if availability comes up, but I would say about 30% of the time, I end up having to book for two.

I was just going to post the same thing. I go to WDW solo several times a year. I always book all my ADRs at exactly 0700 ET 180 days out. Every trip I have trouble getting some of them for one person and always have to book for two. The Signature restaurants seem to be especially difficult to get solo ADRs for. Like you about 30% of the time I have to make reservations for two and then tell them I'm solo when I check in. What's funny is alot of times they'll seat me at a four topper.

 

[Jetta8300]

Thanks again for taking time to reply everyone! A 5:20 adr opened up for Rose and Crown for two, so we are going to just take that instead of the 6:30 for 4. I had originally make reservations 180 days out, but my reservation was for Bistro De Paris. We decided that we didn't want to have to spend quite as much time eating, so I continued to check for an opening at Rose and Crown, and that is when I saw the 6:30 opening for 4 people!

I'm sorry, but that just doesn't seem right. If you've gone to the trouble to make your ADR's at 180 days, and managed to get into a popular, hard to reserve restaurant, and then a month before your trip, your traveling companions lose a job or something and can't go, they shouldn't be able to turn you away at the door.

If it's a popular restaurant, then they will probably be fully booked and not taking walk ins, so it would make better business sense to allow the party of two to dine at a four top than to lose the revenue from the party of two when you aren't going to allow a walk in party to replace them (yes, I realize they will probably want to put a party of four there, but I'm saying that the overall head count for the restaurant for the night will be two less than it would have been, in this example).

I run into a similar problem making ADR's though OP, that doesn't make any sense either. As a solo, I would be seated at a two top, but many times it won't allow me to make the reservation for a party of one. I have to book a party of two (same size table) and then adjust at the restaurant when I arrive. I always try a party of one first, to see if availability comes up, but I would say about 30% of the time, I end up having to book for two.

8

This is what I was thinking. Since I had taken the time to make my ADRs 180 days in advance, it doesn't really compare to doing a walk in. I hadn't thought of how tough it would be to make reservations for 1! I'm sure in the instance most people make reservations for 2!

I was just going to post the same thing. I go to WDW solo several times a year. I always book all my ADRs at exactly 0700 ET 180 days out. Every trip I have trouble getting some of them for one person and always have to book for two. The Signature restaurants seem to be especially difficult to get solo ADRs for. Like you about 30% of the time I have to make reservations for two and then tell them I'm solo when I check in. What's funny is alot of times they'll seat me at a four topper.