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Chew on This: What’s an Acceptable Wait Time for a Reservation?

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By Kate Nerenberg   Published Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Last week, a reader wrote in to food and wine editor Todd Kliman’s chat to get his feedback about a bad experience waiting at a restaurant. The reader had a 9 PM reservation and wasn't seated for 50 minutes. “I’m wondering what your guidelines are on what’s considered a reasonable wait for a table when you have a reservation and when you should just cut your losses and leave?” asked the frustrated customer.

“I think 2 minutes or fewer is a reasonable wait if you have a reservation. I’m not being facetious,” Kliman said. “Actually, I’m being charitable and forgiving. I think no-wait-at-all is what is reasonable if you have a reservation. Or two minutes and the restaurant buys you a drink. Fifty minutes? Fifty minutes and the meal ought to be comped.”

In Kliman’s chat today, lots of people wrote in with opinions on how the restaurant should have handled the situation. What do you think? How long is an acceptable wait for a table when you have a reservation? If you have to wait, should the restaurant do anything to make up for it?

Comments

No more than a 5 minute wait if a reservation is made. After 5 minutes, accommodations should be made, whether free drinks or apps.

Posted by: Figure it Out!, Oct 16, 2009 09:13:39 AM

Todd you’re an idiot!
Your opinion is not based in reality.
Maybe you should spend a weekend working as a host in a busy restaurant.

Posted by: SERIOUSLY!, Oct 15, 2009 09:33:15 PM

Look, this is not an exact science. Parties that have reservations prior to 8:00 that run late, eat slow, take their time ordering or just linger after they’ve finished eating make it impossible for later parties to be seated on time.

If people would just show up on time, order, eat their meals and leave promptly, nobody would ever be inconvenienced by being sat late.

The "2 minute" rule that Todd Kliman has written is stupid, ignorant and completely ridiculous. Thank goodness most people don’t take him seriously anyway. He is far out of touch with the restaurant industry.

Posted by: Oscar, Oct 14, 2009 10:39:10 AM

I once had to wait 45 minutes for a table at Oya. We had 8 in our party and clearly the 8 top where we were to be seated was staying much later. It was annoying, but Oya went out of their way to take care of us. They brought us a bottle of wine and several sushi rolls on the house.

As others have said, the restaurant business is very unpredictable. Patience would do us all some good.

Posted by: Dougvansant.com, Oct 14, 2009 08:33:09 AM

I expect to be seated immediately and do get annoyed if directed to the bar and would expect the drink to be complimentary, which, of course, it usually isn’t. They would still find me there for 15 mins. I would expect a restaurant to hold my table for 15 mins and when running late, I always call to apologise and let them know my ETA.

Posted by: michelle, Oct 14, 2009 08:32:51 AM

I think 10-15 min is fair, due to the unpredictable nature of the business (guests lingering over their meal), but I don’t like this "eye for an eye" attitude by some restaurants. This is a service-based business that is inherently unfair (i.e., customer usually is right); the oneus is upon the restaurant to compensate either in service, free drink/app, etc. for a long wait. It’s not up to the customer to make it up to the restaurant- he can just patronize another establishment.

Todd made a good point, and I agree: "mom and pop" establishments get a little more leeway than the big chains or expensive, fine dining restaurants. We expect more when we pay $25+ for an entree, as we should.

Posted by: Rosslyn, Oct 14, 2009 07:47:16 AM

15 minutes in either direction sounds about right to me (if admittedly arbitrary). That’s about the point where I’d begin to get annoyed if I had a reservation, or understand if a restaurant gave my table away.

Posted by: Missy, Oct 14, 2009 07:41:36 AM

I think the rule should be applied as 15 minutes. If I am more than 15 minutes late AND I don’t call, my table is open. If I wait more than 15 minutes for a confirmed reservation, I should get something in return.

Case in point, I went to Felidia in Manhattan a couple of years ago. We arrived early for our confirmed reservation. After 30 - 40 minutes, the natives were getting restless. Lidia Bastianich herself shows up, buys all those waiting a cocktail and personally serves a little amuse bouche from a tray. It was a nice gesture that went a long way to our enjoyment of the evening.

A restaurant must acknowledge when the seating is way behind schedule.

Posted by: Phillip, Oct 14, 2009 07:22:05 AM

2 minutes, sorry TK. In an ideal world no one would ever wait. Anyone who has worked in a restaurant for a minute knows it is not an ideal kind of place. Restaurants overbook reservations for the simple fact that people don’t show up. Or what if they show up late? Should we kick them off their table because it’s reserved. I would like to. What about the table that stays for 4 hours, or the 6 top that shows up with 8 people. I saw that Seinfeld episode too, and it was funny. I get bent out of shape when I have to wait for a table and I have a reservation. However, people seem to forget restaurants are a business, and an unpredictable one at that. So please be patient, show up on time or call to cancel. And try to have a good time, life is short.

Posted by: FOR REAL?, Oct 14, 2009 06:50:44 AM

If a restaurant is expected to seat you within two minutes, then a guest can only be two minutes late for their restervation before we give the table away.

Posted by: restaurant manager, Oct 13, 2009 05:46:59 PM

No more than 5 minutes. It’s a reservation for a time. I expect to be seated within five minutes of that time.

Posted by: Michelle, Oct 13, 2009 01:55:26 PM

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