1. Don't go roaming around her restaurant looking for open tables.
- Rest assured that she has someone to let her know what tables are open, you're the guest act as such.
2. Don't tell her there's no difference between one table and the next, there is.
- If you insist there's no difference between one table and the next, you would be sitting wherever you want. Maybe the section is closed, maybe the table is being held for someone else. If you don't like where the hostess sat you, use your words.
3. Don't lie to your hostess.
- Whether you're lying to get a sympathy table or lying to exaggerate to manager for free stuff, lying is never necessary. For example, lying about the size of your party to get a shorter wait time; there is a huge difference between a party of 2 and a party of 3 or a party of 7 and a party of 9. This leaves someone-regardless of age or size-without a seat, then you blame the hostess. She knows you're lying anyway.
4. Don't sit for 30 minutes and ask to move to another table.
- There's nothing more annoying to your hostess than when they thought they've successfully seated you and got you out of the waiting area, we pass my and your appetizers are on your table but wait.... The server comes over to ask if their table can move to a nearby booth. If you're not comfortable with your table, let the hostess know in the beginning.
5. Please bring at least half of your party with you.
- It can sometimes be hard when dining out with a large group. Most restaurants expect at least half of your party to be with you when your table is ready. For instance, if someone walks in the restaurant for a party of 12 people and when your table is ready they're only 4 of you there. Now you're probably saying, what's the big deal, they're coming, I'll order for them, just seat us! Easily this can turn into a party of four, costing the restaurant to lose tables (which they saved for you) money (that they lost because your 8 other people decided to not come anymore) and mostly time (in which they could've seated several other parties.). At least if we have majority of your party here, we can still hang on to the issue of your party's arrival and make some money because there's 8 people there not 12. As a matter of fact, the restaurant I work at allows for parties of 5+ to have at lease 75% of their party physicallyin the restaurant before being seated.
6. Just because they're not eating, doesn't mean they don't count.
- A lot of people go to restaurants and try to do anything to leave a person out if the wait is long, especially small children. The excuse? He/she's not eating so it doesn't matter. Actually, it does. There's no room for a high chair at your two-top.
7. Don't ask for a first available table if you know what you prefer.
- Something that can really ruin a hostesses shift is when people ask for first available (whatever table comes first-whether it be inside or outside for restaurants that have inside/outside seating-but already know what they prefer. We usually ask your preference if there's a difference but if there's something you truly prefer, tell the hostess or else you may not get it. Ask and you shall receive.
8. Threatening to call higher ups don't really 'scare' the hostess.
- When you're not getting your way in a restaurant, some people take the easy route; leave and never return. Others tend to take the 'I-want-everything-complimentary' approach and insist that the managers give them everything free to make up for a bad experience. Lastly, we have the people who threaten to call corporate offices and complain. The hostess are so far down on the totem pole of the restaurant that nothing scares them, including the threat of corporate getting called. First off, it doesn't solve anything immidiately and unless it was so outrageous (someone made an offensive comment towards you, someone physically/sexually assaulted you, etc.) nothing will really be done about it.
9. The hostess does not care that you've worked in a restaurant before.
- When a hostess is talking to you, you don't have to say '...I know I used to work in a restaurant'. Firstly, we don't care, second, you haven't worked at this restaurant so that doesn't apply and lastly, if you know so much about restaurants and working in the , how come you're so angry that you can't have a booth because you didn't ask for one? It's also rude and insulting when you're condescendingly telling the hostess that you use to be a hostess. That's a wrong way to tell your hostess how to do her job.
