Ask George: If you attempt to book a table online and there’s no availability at the desired time, do you then advise calling the restaurant? Do restaurants ever hold back tables? Leslie T., St. Louis
Yes, almost restaurants that take reservations do hold back tables--for walk-in’s, good customers, VIP’s, reservation errors, for what's collectively known as “the unexpecteds.” These tables are the floor manager’s best friend. Having a few on hand is a safety net that’s almost always worth the risk of not booking them. Because guests often run late (and parties often stay late), having a table or two in your back pocket keeps reservations running on time. And what’s that worth to a restaurant?
Restaurants that use reservation systems like Open Table pay for that service. It’s a convenience--and a good one--but it costs money, as in a monthly fee and up to $1 per guest. Keep in mind that not all available tables are offered up to the site—restaurants block off key times and certain tables--for the reasons above and also because of the per guest fee. If a restaurant knows it can fill X number of tables with phone reservations and/or walk-ins, it will probably do so and pocket the service fees.
So it’s not a bad idea to call the restaurant first, before resorting to reservation services. You’ll save the restaurant a buck, and may just snag a table that was not visible online. Win-win.
I realize that reservation services are fast, easy, they’re ready when you are, you’ll never get a busy signal, they offer reward points, and (in the case Open Table) provide useful and informed feedback. I get all that. Just understand that there are other options, that services have their drawbacks.
So how to secure one of the tables a restaurant may be holding back for whatever-reason? It's not that hard.
Be humble, honest, and simply ask. On some occasions, I have fallen on the mercy of the court – or in this case, the restaurant host/hostess/floor manager—by merely pleading my case, telling them that I really meant to make a reservation, but didn’t, or that I’m a terrible procrastinator and basically a horrible person, but that I’d really like a table. Understand that the host/ess stand is a very fluid place. Ask and you often receive. You might just be the guy who makes the manager’s day by subbing for a no-show. Such things happen every day at every restaurant in town.
