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Last month, SLM critic Dave Lowry opined on "no reservations" restaurants causing a retort a few days later that largely endorsed the practice.
But the problem didn't get solved. The issue was still an issue. On one hand we have the "reservation" restaurants, often hard or impossible to get into; on the other, restaurants that do not accept any reservations, the result often being a long and uncomfortable wait for a table. Is there no middle ground? No area of compromise for the restaurant owner? No carrot he could toss to the rattleboned masses? I believe that there is.
Some restaurants choose to reserve only a percentage of their tables on any given night, placating those who must have a reservation as well as folks like us: the spontanaeous, the wanderers--the walk in's. This offers the best solution, in my opinion, as every customer gets what he wants and the restaurant in question stays full.
Other restaurants offer what has been dubbed "call ahead seating," a wait list of sorts, where the diner calls ahead to be put on the wait list or announces his time of arrival if there isn't one. Some chain restaurants use this technique as does Cyrano's in Webster Groves. Charlie Downs calls it "a rainmaker," as it provides the restaurant added revenue as well as a welcome heads-up, especially when large parties are considering stopping by for a round of desserts. "It's rare that we can't handle parties en route almost immediately," Downs says.
Another option is altering the way the restaurant wait is handled. Comfortable chairs, heated patios, brisk beverage service, complimentary passed goodies--all help make an otherwise long restaurant wait more palatable.
Another way to do this is by use of the now-familiar "coaster" pagers--the long-range version. Especially if the restaurant's waiting areas are full, the diner has the option of taking a stroll, doing some window shopping, or heading up the street to wait in more comfortabe surroundings. This alternative is better alternative than asking the guest to pile into an already crammed bar.
Restaurateurs wishing to avoid those crazy blinking, vibrating discs can use a more socially hip means of accomplishing the same thing. The front desk can choose to notify waiting guests by other electronic means: by text message, email, DM, or a good ol' fashioned cell phone call, whatever the guest desires. I bet Siri would make the call if you asked her nicely.
