Impatience Does Not Become You (Or Get You A Seat)
We have about eight tables waiting, and I am bringing in a three-top to sit at one of our high-top tables, just as a lady and her friend are sitting down. This lady comes in frequently, usually by herself, and she’s just annoying.
Me: “I’m sorry, we are on a wait. I’m seating these folks, but I can put you on the list.”
I walk away for no more than a minute and come back.
Regular: “We know them! Can you add a couple of chairs for us?”
Me: *Looking around* “There are no open chairs or bar stools; every single one is taken right now.”
Regular: “What about next door? Can you take a couple from there? And why are they so busy?”
We have a separate bar next door that handles the people waiting and has TVs for games, etc.
Me: “No, we are at capacity due to [health crisis] restrictions, and they are so busy because there are eight parties waiting for tables!”
I admit I’m bulls***ting about the restrictions a little.
Next, the regular starts putting her coat and bag on a bar chair that just opened up, and my bartender tells her she needs to move it because we are going to seat some people there who have been WAITING.
Regular: *To me* “Gosh, I come here all the time. I just didn’t know what was going on. Wow, I just thought we could find a place to sit.”
I finally get her and her friend next door, and then I go back and take the order for the three-top that she had originally tried to join.
Customer: “Thank you so much for taking care of that! We barely know her. I worked with her like ten years ago, and it was really weird that she tried to join us.”