Sunday, February 1, 2009

Useful Tips on Dinner Reservation

By Doug Schlette

Folks eat at restaurants. Some dine out almost every day, while for others it's a less frequent treat. Restaurant meals are common at lunch for white collar workers. Dinner out is common for some working families and in some industries where constant schmoozing happens. Often people can walk into an establishment and find a table. But at some times, and at some restaurants at all times, a dinner reservation is needed. Without a reservation a person won't eat there.

Particularly weekends and evenings, many restaurants accept reservations. Reservations are sometimes needed months in advance. Some are so special that even having a reservation is amazing. Can you imagine food so good that people would wait months to eat it? For some it's the thing to do.

When making a reservation only make it for the number of people you're sure will attend, and make it in advance of the planned night out. As mentioned, some restaurants are in high demand. Waiting too long can mean missing out on a chance to enjoy a meal there on a particular day. It might also mean a small table can be had, so fewer people can join you. Keep in mind that making reservations too far in advance can result in a lot of no shows and wasted space at the table. Restaurants don't like this. The result could be the restaurant not being willing to let you reserve next time.

Sometimes the customers do the wrong thing when it comes to reservations. However, sometimes it's the restaurant doing the wrong thing. Someone makes a reservation for 7:30PM but isn't given a table until 10PM. Restaurants that do this too often find themselves losing customers. It's expected at some fancier locations. Those restaurants are expected to be discourteous. Some people like to pay to be treated like bums.

Some companies have sprung up that manage reservations for a number of restaurants. Many of these are on the Internet and have a lot of positive feedback. A man wrote that he booked a reservation online only to arrive to find it had not been received. The restaurant set up a special table for his group and let him eat for free.

A dinner reservation is often wise. That is if the restaurant honors them. If not, express your displeasure. Stop giving them your money and tell your friends to do the same.

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