What IS it with restaurants that don't take reservations???

[Tina]

We live in an area where most restuarants do not take reservations. Instead they have "Call Ahead Seating." Its nearly impossible to eat before 9pm!! We just called more than 10 restuarants in our area (that we like) and none have a waiting list shorter than 2 hours! If they would just take reservations, I would have made plans a couple of days ago.

I'm hungry!!!

 

[caitycaity]

i hate it when they don't take ressies.

 

[TheLionKing]

I am confused.

If you had called 3 hours earlier would you have gotten a more reasonable time?

 

[Micca]

Surely there are some restaurants in your area that take ressies??? I suggest you find out from friends which restaurants take reservations and support them with your business. I know what you mean though, many of the the chain restaurants(Outback, Chilis, etc.) only offer call-ahead seating.

 

[nativetxn]

I hate that too

 

[Tina]

Nope, 3 hours ago would not have helped. There would not have been a wait then and there would be no "call ahead" list. They start the list when the calls start coming in. Unfortunately, eveyone wants to eat at the same time and the list grows quickly. We just don't have enough GOOD restaurants here.

I'm sure there are plenty of restaurants that take reservations in the area, but I have not found any that I prefer to eat at. All of our favorites do Call Ahead.

There are others that we really like (such as a couple of Japanese places) that don't take reservations or Call Ahead. At those places, you just have to stand and wait (usually at least an hour or two).

I guess we need to start eating dinner later - like 9pm!!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I know what you mean and if we have a planned outing for Fri or Sat night we eat at 4-5pm. No later than 6pm or you are asking for an hour+ in some restaurants.
Last weekend we were out and about and it was after 6pm on a Sat...ugh. Well I would jump out and see what the wait was for ANY restaurant as we were starving...finally, after many we got one.

 

[Kermit]

We have that problem here, too. There are just so few restaurants that aren't chains, and the chains don't take reservations. We try to eat out during the week or at lunch on Saturday most of the time so that we don't have to wait.

 

[Doctor P]

I think you have answered your own question. If it is so hard to get in, they are getting plenty of business. Without reservations, they can probably turn the tables over more quickly. Also, they don't have to worry about someone coming in with a reservation who can't be seated. Frankly, I think I often eat at a place more when they DON'T have reservations because I don't have to worry about not getting in at all, but rather only worry about the possible wait.