We went out at the weekend for a birthday meal at the local and it gets really busy. We've turned up before with 10 of us and struggled to find a table and were advised to book in advance in future.
So I did. I called during the week, asked for a reserved spot for between 8-12 people, expecting to actually have 10 and we'd squeeze in if there were more.
We get there at the weekend and the place is busy but not packed. I tell them we have a table reserved and they go to the book .
Employee 1: Umm... let me just find out where that is for you.
Employee 2: Who did you speak to? Right, let me sort that for you.
Employee 3: Oh, umm... ok... umm, it was <name> right? *turns pages* *runs off and comes back a couple of times never leaving behind the bar*
After about 5 minutes its obvious: Its not in the book. At this point I'd spotted a couple of tables next to each other which would do fine and dispatch someone to go check if they were free or reserved. They were free. Fine.
After another 5 minutes Employee 3 finally admits there is no reservation and I tell them its ok, we've found two tables we can use, point to them, and order drinks.
I know its not truly awful service and I didn't treat it as such. I'm just glad the table that was available didn't go whilst they were running around trying to avoid telling me they'd lost the reservation!
So I did. I called during the week, asked for a reserved spot for between 8-12 people, expecting to actually have 10 and we'd squeeze in if there were more.
We get there at the weekend and the place is busy but not packed. I tell them we have a table reserved and they go to the book .
Employee 1: Umm... let me just find out where that is for you.
Employee 2: Who did you speak to? Right, let me sort that for you.
Employee 3: Oh, umm... ok... umm, it was <name> right? *turns pages* *runs off and comes back a couple of times never leaving behind the bar*
After about 5 minutes its obvious: Its not in the book. At this point I'd spotted a couple of tables next to each other which would do fine and dispatch someone to go check if they were free or reserved. They were free. Fine.
After another 5 minutes Employee 3 finally admits there is no reservation and I tell them its ok, we've found two tables we can use, point to them, and order drinks.
I know its not truly awful service and I didn't treat it as such. I'm just glad the table that was available didn't go whilst they were running around trying to avoid telling me they'd lost the reservation!
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