Table For 20!?

Forgive me if this has been covered before.
I was recently told a story about a party of 20 that arrived, unannounced, at a well known (and currently very popular) Chicago restaurant for food and drinks at midnight on a weekday. Due to the late hour, they were able to be seated. However, it put quite a strain on the remaining staff - who graciously served them as best they could.
While I'm sure the restaurant was glad to have the business, I was amazed that anyone would arrive at a restaurant in such large numbers without some forewarning (or better yet - reservations!).
Thoughts?

johnny wrote:Forgive me if this has been covered before.
I was recently told a story about a party of 20 that arrived, unannounced, at a well known (and currently very popular) Chicago restaurant for food and drinks at midnight on a weekday. Due to the late hour, they were able to be seated. However, it put quite a strain on the remaining staff - who graciously served them as best they could.
While I'm sure the restaurant was glad to have the business, I was amazed that anyone would arrive at a restaurant in such large numbers without some forewarning (or better yet - reservations!).
Thoughts?

At least in DC, you'd be surprised how often this happens.

Stuff happens, they got good business from them.

Hi,

Overall I would think a restaurant would rather have customers than no customers. Were you friends of the staff who were complaining or just observed a situation you thought absurd?

Some years ago, I belonged to an organization that met once a week. AFter our meeting, we'd go out for dinner. OUr group was often 10-16 people. We wouldn't arrive until 9 PM at restaurants that didn't stay open much later than 10 PM. We made no advance plans, though we took turns choosing on the destination restaurant.

One lady played ring leader on these wandering feasts. She would get the waitress to agree to separate checks. When drink orders were taken, she'd quiet the crowd until all orders were collected. The same was done when our dinner orders were placed to keep everyone cooperative and happy. When soups, salads and entrees appeared, then everyone's attention was on the waitress to help her get the food delivered promptly and accurately. We really did our best to keep everything friendly and running smoothly. We all tipped generously and didn't linger forever because we all had morning commitments.

Once at 41 North, they seated our group in an atrium alcove next to another group. I think they thought our joyful noise would drown each other out. The other group was rowdy with profane humor that practically drowned us out. Fortunately they were winding down and settling bills. Otherwise we were going to need a new table or would have just had to leave.

We really had group dining down to a science. We were generally welcomed with open arms everywhere we went.

Regards,

I think it depends on the restaurant. Some places could easily accommodate a large group with little notice, others, it would bury. I've been in places where, even with reservations made weeks in advance, a group of 20 turned out to almost overwhelm the place.

I've also had places where the guy was about to lock the door, just as we were approaching, who reopened because he was so glad to get two more customers -- but that was two people, so he could handle it himself.

I think it depends on the attitude, too. I can remember back in the old days working in retail, and you'd have dawdling customers who acted like you were peons and shouldn't mind that they were wandering around hours after closing. Them, you wanted to kill. But the frantic and grateful mom who was trying to do all her shopping on her one free night, you had no problem helping, however long it took.

So if you pick the right place and, as Cathy2 described, try to be particularly good customers, then it can work. However, if you can make reservations in advance, it's probably wise. And still try to be good customers.

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,
Overall I would think a restaurant would rather have customers than no customers. Were you friends of the staff who were complaining or just observed a situation you thought absurd?

Let me be clear. No one was complaining. The staff was gracious. I also realize the restaurant welcomed the unexpected business. If they didn't want it, they could have easily said no.
I simply questioned the logic of a large group of people "crashing" a place unannounced.
Just an observation on my part.

Hi,

I think those in the service business just have to put up with unexpected situations and customers, then go with the flow. I know I do in my work life.

Regards,

johnny wrote:I simply questioned the logic of a large group of people "crashing" a place unannounced.
Just an observation on my part.

I don't think it represents good logic. Logic would tell you to at least call ahead. But sometimes life doesn't cooperate -- and sometimes people don't think.

So I agree with all who think a restaurant will just deal with it (if and when they can -- some can't), but I also agree that it is not logical behavior to entrust an evening's success to just hoping they'll be able to accommodate a huge, unannounced crowd.