Reservations
I took a phone call the other day from someone that wanted to make a reservation for a party of six. When we got to the end of the details, I informed the caller that it is our policy for parties of six or more to secure the table with a credit card, that the card is not charged, but in the event that they did not show or canceled after noon on the day of the reservation, they would be charged a penalty.
This made the caller furious, indignant, and outraged. We had a discussion about our policy. I explained that for our restaurant, we only have a limited number of tables that will accommodate a group of six or more and that no-shows for those tables is a problem for our restaurant.
The caller’s first response was that they had never heard of such a thing. I suggested that they try making a reservation at a New York restaurant and see what their policy was. “This isn’t New York!” he indignantly replied. True, it’s Asheville - but what difference does that make? My tables are as precious to me and my staff as any in another city. For that matter, call a small restaurant in Raleigh or Chapel Hill, even for a two top and see what their response is.
The next line of discussion was the fact that the caller really likes the restaurant, the service is always good, food tasty and ambiance warm and welcoming, which is why he wanted to dine with us. He also indicated that he was a regular diner. These were good things to hear. I explained that we didn’t keep track of individual clients reservation habits, though there are a few ‘local’ clients that are (were) notorious for calling with large groups and then never canceling or showing up - after we had called in staff to cover the party, blocked off a time slot and made sure we were adequately staffed in the kitchen.
The caller identified himself. He works with a group in town that we have done some fund raising for, and so The Market Place has been very helpful establishing their business. Knowing what that group does, which is essentially the same thing The Market Place does - sell seats to an evening of entertainment - I asked if they ever held ‘will call’ tickets WITHOUT a charge card? The caller did not respond to that question, but of course they require a charge card! As a matter of fact, they charge the card before someone picks up the ticket. And if the person doesn’t show, I am guessing there is no refund.
Well, being in the hospitality business, I could see that I had outraged this person. And that I was not going to get anywhere sharing my experience of no-shows. So I acquiesced, and told him, I would not expect him to guarantee his reservation.
When I hung up the phone, I felt violated.
I have always wanted to write about this, an now, in the open world of blogging, I can express myself, and you can respond and perhaps we can learn something and find a better way. This issue of reservations, no-shows and large groups is a challenge not just for this restaurant, but for every restaurant.
This morning I went to the dictionary and looked up the word “reservation”. Here’s what I found on dictionary.com:
1. the acto of keeping back, withholding or setting apart 2. the act of making an exception or qualification 5. an arrangement to secure accommodations at a restaurant or hotel, on a boat or plane, etc. (italics are mine).
In a restaurant like The Market Place, everyday there is an incredible amount of time and energy spent on balancing ‘the floor’. How much food do you buy, how much staff to schedule, figuring out how many people are coming in at any one sitting, assigning stations, what are the special requests - all these things and a hundred more small details to pay attention to - everyday - almost 29 years for me. This attention to detail is not restricted to geography - what I contend with in Asheville is exactly what a restaurant in NY or Chapel Hill or anywhere has to mind.
Everyone wants to eat at 7:00, or if it there is an event that people are going to, they all want to come in at the same time, and get out on time.
When you walk in my door with a reservation we honor that. In all my time here, I think I can count the days on one hand when we were ‘in the weeds’ and had someone wait more that 10 or 15 minutes for their table. So, when you make a reservation, your seat on the “plane” is “reserved”. Even when you show up with more or less - we take care of that. Not only that, come in early, come in late - your table is waiting. I never ‘over-book’, that is, I don’t take more reservations than I have tables to commit.
The balancing act - food only cooks so fast, chef’s hands can only cut so quickly, a server can only listen to some many individual orders and special requests at one time, my bartender can only mix so many drinks well. Which is why we take reservations. And honor them. And why our food is fresh, our service welcoming.
Which brings me to large parties - and I know, 6 people is no big deal. But put it in perspective, it is not just YOUR table, it might be 15 other tables in the restaurant, or there is a party of 20 on the mezzanine. When we have larger groups, or busier nights, I bring in more people to work, which costs more money. And servers earn their living waiting on people, not waiting on empty seats. So I don’t want to ask them to work when they can’t make any money.
So when someone makes a reservation, “an arrangement to secure accommodations”, and they don’t show, don’t have the courtesy to cancel, or make multiple reservations at different restaurants and then decide at the last minute where they might go, or show up with more or show up with less or come a half hour late, or trickle in - it hurts. And not just the staff, it hurts other customers who respected their contract to arrive at their appointed hour with the correct number of guests. It hurts the people we might have turned away. It hurts me not to be able to perform and deliver what is expected when you dine in the restaurant. And when any of that happens, the restaurant is blamed for ‘poor service’ - for something not in our control.
What would your response be if you showed up with a group of 10 and the restauranteur told you they decided not to seat you, or had given ‘your’ table to someone else? You would probably never come back.
And now there is a different challenge. For BAR 100, we don’t take reservations, it is limited seating in a small dining room. But we have requests already for reservations for large parties. And I hear the same thing - it’s unfair of me to ask a group to guarantee the party.
Over the years, no-shows have been costly. And with larger parties, the challenge is bigger, because the impact is bigger.
So I pose some questions: What is the best way to handle this? Is a table any different than a seat on a plane, a room in a hotel, a rental car, a doctor’s appointment, a meeting with an attorney or CPA? What would happen if you showed up at the airport with 3 extra passengers or didn’t show up at all? Do you expect the restaurant to have your table available when you arrive? For the server to be able to ‘handle’ your party? Why is Asheville different than, say, New York?
What IS the best way? Here’s what one California restaurant does.
Google “reservation policy” and see what you find.
I don’t want anyone to think I am ranting, a better word would be frustrated. And the truth would be that I, and my fellow restauranteurs, really want to make it work for all of us.
As a FORMER business owner with a slant towards Customer Service I am impressed that you had the “gumption” to require a cc to hold the table. GOOD FOR YOU! I, having been in retail for 24 years, closed my business recently. One of the biggest problems for me was the randomness of the business. Any other “professional” had appointments with clients. My doctor gets paid if I don’t show up!
For example, randomly, an important client walks in, and they are ALL important, and ANOTHER important client walks in and they all need MY help. Then, the client who had an actual appointment walks in… ugh…
Fortunately, the good clients are patient, aren’t “needy” and appreciate what we do to make them happy. A CC deposit for my service would’ve been nice– because all three of my clients may have walked in, demanded hours of my time and walked out without purchasing anything.
I spent six hours with a client buying, returning, buying, returning only to refund her money and see her walk out of the store. She wanted to keep the bag because she likes to recycle. That was the day I decided to get out of the business!
You keep charging for those tables. Apparently your restaurant is fantastic and people are willing to do what is right to have the opportunity to enjoy it. Loosing six suppers that night may have netted you more diners who will appreciate what you do!
So, on a more gratifying note, my partner and I have reservations tonight and are really looking forward to experiencing The Market Place! Bon Appetite!!
Ches Kennedy, Greensboro, NC
I am a frequent diner at the many excellent restaurants in Asheville. I have never been asked for a card to reserve a table, but I completely see your point. I am glad I read this before I have the experience of being asked for the card, because it allows me the time to adjust my view privately instead of trying to adjust real-time while on the phone making the reservations. Now that I understand, I know I will be happy to provide a card if I am ever asked. I also can understand how a stressed and volatile person (which I admit having been at times) might react very negatively when surprised by this affront to their expectations of how the world works. A person with some self-awareness will probably reflect later and 1) feel embarrassed by their reaction; and 2) see the logic of the request. So, even the person you describe may well have made the adjustment in attitude after hanging up from that call - but may be hanging back due to embarrassment.
To help others avoid this difficulty, you could look for ways to make your customers aware of the policy ahead of time so they can adjust their expectations before the phone call. And don’t sweat it when you get someone who can’t handle it. It is their loss much more than yours. You are doing the right thing.
I received this email from a friend about our reservation questions. She has posed a number of good questions, which I will answer.
Mark,
Welcome back - where did you go? Wining/dining someplace wonderful I hope.
I’ve read your blog - twice. Your position is clear and supported, but I still disagree with it.
It’s really a perception issue for me. As you know, I coordinate 52 group dinners a year, the number of people varies from a low of 6 to a high of 16. We always get a reservation for the number that we think will show up, advise them of our separate check requirement and then call the restaurant with a confirming number on the afternoon of the reservation. Despite my best efforts, there will sometimes be one or two that don’t show up or one or two that do show up, but didn’t tell me. On average, we meet our commitment (624 dinners last year, not including the Christmas party ~ I’ve got it all in a spreadsheet), but sometimes not exactly.
As an individual I won’t accept financial responsibility for a group. Now, if I were coordinating this for a business and the business was accepting the responsibility, that would be fine.
What would your policy be in these situations ~
* A women’s group of 16 has a “Girls Nite Out” scheduled for a weeknight in February. They made their reservation two weeks in advance, but on the day of the dinner it starts snowing and there is a 2″ accumulation, now they want to cancel. Do you charge them?
No, if I was able to control the weather, I wouldn’t have to run a restaurant.
* A business group of 12 makes a reservation for a weekend dinner, but only 10 show up. Do you charge them for the two missing?
Yes, to build a 12 top, I would have used three tables, instead of two, and would have limited my servers station, so they could give full service to the group. If it were only 10, I would have had that third table free and the server could have handled another table. Additionally, if they had reserved a private room, it would have been the ONLY table the waiter served.
* A non-business group of 12 makes a reservation, but only 10 show up. Do you charge them for the two missing?
Yes, what is the difference between a business and non-business reservation?
* A group has a reservation for 12, but 14 show up. What do you do?
That depends. If it were a very busy night, say a weekend night in the summer, I might not have any tables available. An advance phone call would certainly have helped. It is unacceptable to think people just ’show up’. Especially in today’s world of cell phones, pdas, etc. Of course, if we have the availability, we would change their table to fit. The other thing about groups, which they don’t understand, is if they don’t show up on time, it can really disturb the entire evening’s flow. Consider this, you are giving a party at home, your table seats ten, dinner is planned for 7:00. Half your guests arrive on time and the other half shows up with 4 more people and are 30 minutes late. On tope of that, you have dropped your children off at a sitter’s house and you need to pick them up afterwrds. What do you do? And how do you feel about it.
* A group of 10 show up without a reservation for Bar 100. It’s a slow nite, but your diners are scattered all over and you don’t have any tables that you can group together to accommodate them. What do you do? Would you have preferred a call giving you a heads up about the group?
Exactly, call ahead. This is precisely what we are trying to manage. As a matter of fact, since opening we have already had a number of groups of 10, 14, or 16 people. We WANT to serve you. That’s why we are trying to figure out a policy in a “NO Reservation” seating area. Think of Gramercy Tavern in NYC.
There are some circumstances were I would be willing to reserve with a CC ~ traveling with a group or for an extraordinary dining experience (yes, I know that you are the French Laundry of Asheville
! ).
I think, from a business standpoint, the issues are:
* Will it protect existing revenue ~ is the no-show problem in Asheville so bad that a CC is warranted to hold a reservation?
Yes, no-shows are a HUGH problem in every city. Direct loss of revenue is between $30,000 and $50,000 a year for me. Tell me the difference between my seat in Asheville and one in New York or Chicago. (Does that mean that a doctor or film-maker or gallery owner in Asheville is different?)
* How will it affect your reputation (and future revenue) ~ are you the only restaurant in town with a CC requirement. If so, what image does that promote - positive or negative?
I would think that knowing you have a GUARANTEED table for your large group would be a positive thing. Imagine organizing 14 of your friends, showing up at a restaurant and no place to dine. Then try finding another place, at the appointed hour, at another restaurant that is also busy.
* How will individuals perceive the policy and how will that affect their future dining choices?
I’m sure there are some people that think making a reservation is a one-sided CONTRACT, that because we are a ‘restaurant’, it isn’t important whether or not we know if they are coming, because, after all it is a ‘restaurant’. But I would hope, that diners would give the courtesy and the consideration TO the restaurant (and their staff) that they expect when they dine out.
It really is a very simple thing - make your plan, call ahead and if and when things change, share that information with the restaurant. In 36 years of restaurant operations, I have always remained flexible to the situation and have always considered the needs of my guests first. But I think fairness to the business is equally important.
All that said - yes, the group wants to come for dinner soon - do I have to give you a CC?
Call me, we can talk about it.
As you read this, remember that I am just one person with just one opinion.
Take care, Nancy
Hi Nancy,
Thank you so much for your email. I will reply back to it specifically.
I have been in France for 10 days and just got back last night.
Would you mind if I posted your email to our blog?
It really is a big issue. And the biggest, is yes, no-shows, late cancellations, etc. probably cost me $30-$50K a year in lost revenue/business turned away not counting extra labor I pay in over staffing.
Mark
Mark:
Keep doing what you are doing! As the Managing Partner of a hospitality group based on Hilton head Island I am aware of many establishments which require deposits or credit card numbers for large parties. We have the Heritage PGA Tour Event coming up April 14-20 and a large number of places are almost forced to take guarantees. Too many times groups will make reservations at several places until they all agree on where to go…..a lot of the time not even being considerate enough to call to cancel the reservations they are not going to use.
I have dined at The Marketplace a number of times and it has always been wonderful. I can’t wait for my next getaway to the mountains to see the new decor and to test out some of the kitchen’s new creations.
Much continued success to you,
George
Thanks for all the feed back. Not that I am keeping score, but last weekend underscored why we have to do what we do. We had a 7 top reserve on Friday. The guarantee policy was explained and we took their card to secure their reservation.
On Saturday, by 1 PM I had turned away a number of large parties, as we had sold all our larger tables. At 3 PM, I received a phone call from the 7 top’s hotel telling me that they had just finished lunch and had decided not to come to dinner. The desk clerk also mentioned that because they had canceled ‘before’ their dinner time that the guests assumed they would not be charged. (Their explanation was they could ‘cancel up to the time of their reservation and not be charged). At that point in the day, we had turned away about 20 people.
After opening, we also had a 4 top and a 2 top cancel. By evening’s end, there were an additional 6 people that did not show, so in all we lost 20 potential customers, 13 people canceled and 6 did not show up. We did not make up those cancellations or no-shows. This is equal to 20% of what I normally do on a Saturday night in March.
On Monday, I queried my office manager of 15 years, who took the 7 top reservation. She clearly remembers taking the reservation, the reluctance of the party to give their card and the fact that she explained that a dinner reservation was very similar to a room reservation (which this particular hotel has a ONE week cancellation/guarantee policy). I already knew this would be her answer, as without question my office manager always explains our policy very clearly and without fail.
We did charge the card according to our guarantee policy. I will probably have a protest through AMX, but they support our policy, so we will see.
A follow up to the original conversation that started all this - that ‘other’ place that sells seats - their policy is if you don’t show up at EXACTLY the time of ticket, they keep the entire amount of the ticket AND sell the seat to anyone waiting, so even if you are late, too bad.
It is important that I make it clear, I am not trying to be punitive or difficult. But restaurants like ours live and die by reservations. We need to make each day count, each available seat count. And the flip side of all of this - we honor our part of the bargain, make a reservation at The Market Place and you have a table when you arrive.
I also appreciate the feedback we are getting, as it is helping us to devise a policy that will benefit all - our guests, our staff and our business. Thanks.
Mark
Having worked in restaurants for half my life, I have experienced something time and time again that has not yet been mentioned here. What do you do about the guests who are obviously “shopping around” for that evening’s destination? For example, they make a reservation at your establishment while asking your opinion on Restaurant X down the street. I have even had people casually mention that they are booking at several different restaurants and will decide where to go based on the group’s consensus closer to dinner time. This happens with two or four tops but most often when one person in a group of eight, ten or more is designated to make the dinner plans. Do you think they take the time to contact the establishments that they have decided to forgo? I think not. In general, I don’t believe most people understand how difficult it is to “plan the floor” with front and back of house staffing, food prep, reservation layout and server sections. In my opinion, a carefully explained cancellation policy for group reservations is perfectly acceptable. The Market Place, like other restaurants, are not looking to just make a buck in these situations, merely to recoup some of their lost profits. It’s a business, after all!
Aryn,
I try not to be a (local) restaurant critic when people call and ask ‘where else’ to dine. I do point out what other restaurants are ‘like’ ours, as well as places that I like to dine.
I think ‘what goes around, comes around’ - we may not always be what people are looking for, and I am fine with that. So, I usually point out other downtown places. Most certainly, when we cannot accommodate a reservation, I will often call some of our neighbors and make the reservation for the guest.
You are right, the public doesn’t really understand our challenges, but then, I want to make the dining experience as positive as I can. This reservation thing is one little piece and now that I have been able to shed a little light on the subject, time to think of some other things to write about.
Maybe, how hard servers work and how difficult their job is? Or chefmen?
Mark, I am also a chef and love the fact that you have put this information out there to allow people a better chance to understand why these policies are put into place. With more and more restaurants opening offering dinners more and more options, I feel this problem has gotten worse in the recent years. Seemingly emphasized on the busiest, high revenue weekends and holidays.
As you explained earlier why is the restaurant different from other professions? Doctors still get paid if you no show. Theatre shows are selling their seats, not selling the possibility of someone maybe coming to fill the seat depending on whether they and their party decide on another show or not. When it comes to restaurants I think there is also one major thing that is forgotten by the clientele, our wares are extremely perishable! Food is ordered and planned on the amount of reservations and projected business levels. With such an emphasis on sustainable farming, organic produce, free range livestock and peoples desire for the freshest of ingredients it is our responsibility to provide these things. Yet if they have no respect for the process and what it takes to make these things a refined finish product on their plate it puts extra pressure on us to adhere to our heightened responsibility to protect mother earth and her many wonderful blessings.
I know I have offered no solutions to the situation, instead adding another opinion, but I think the most important thing is to have this topic in the open to provide people with as much information as possible. Happy dinning and best of luck to restaurants everywhere.