Stand Up to the “No Bookings” Policy
0posted 10th December, 2010 under Food for Thought.
Thinking about where to hold our work Christmas Party, I start ringing the restaurants in close proximity to our office located in an inner city suburb of Sydney.
Each call was met with a cheerful greeting, but the moment I requested a booking for 9, I was met with the same response: “I’m sorry, but we have a strict no bookings policy. Your best bet to secure a table is to come at 6.00pm on the night.”
That’s all well and good in theory – but anyone who lives in inner city Sydney or Melbourne will know that despite alleged decreases in discretionary spending, the restaurants in the inner suburbs are packed 6 nights a week by the “double income no kid” couples who reside in the area. Take a walk in Surry Hills, Darlinghurst or St Kilda any night of the week and you will be undoubtedly be faced with congregations of hungry professionals clammering for the next free table. “You’re looking at a 40 to 50 minute wait” the waiters repeat to their starving patrons.
Why would anyone abolish bookings I hear you ask? Perhaps it comes down to the social habits of the current generation – where plans can change and cancellations are made last minute without a second thought – leaving restaurants with empty tables? It’s a sad reflection of our inability to commit, our habitual failure to do what we say we will or respect social ettiquette. I’m sure if a meal was scarse to come by and we had saved long and hard to pay for it, we wouldn’t want to give up our respective tables.
I don’t know if it’s possible to turn back the clock – but the solution to our Christmas party dilemma is to return to the social grace of yesteryear and host a dinner. Now if you excuse me, I have to get back to the kitchen to check on my lamb.
What are your thoughts?
From the FF
