Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. Chapter 5 Reservations and Waiting Lists

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. Learning Objectives Explain the advantages and disadvantages of reservation policies. Discuss how to handle special requests during the reservation process. Discuss how to create and manage waiting lists.

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. Most restaurants want to have a reasonable estimate of how many diners to expect on a given day. Factors to consider when determining whether to take reservations: – Style of restaurant – Number of seats – Projected covers per night – Popularity – Other factors, like location, proximity to event spaces, etc. Reservations

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. Different establishments have different reservation systems: – Reservation book, pencil, and paper method – Computer spreadsheet – Computer programs designed to track reservations – Participation in external reservation system Reservations (cont’d)

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. When Reservations Might Be Necessary Advantages of a No-Reservation Policy Disadvantages of a No-Reservation Policy Reduces personnel needed to staff the phones. Eliminates dreaded and costly no-show problem. May increase bar sales while guests wait for a table. Hordes of people standing outside of your establishment can create buzz. Customers may get tired of waiting and leave. Some customers will not patronize a restaurant if they are not guaranteed a table. Service staff may feel need to rush diners to free up tables. Additional space needed for people to wait, especially in cold weather.

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. Some restaurants are so busy that reservations are unnecessary. Bistros and trattorias, as well as chain restaurants, generally do not need to take reservations. The reservation system can seem too formal for some casual restaurants. When Reservations Might Be Necessary (cont’d) When Reservations Are Unnecessary

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. The reservations procedure should be standardized to eliminate confusion. Use a reservation checklist to ensure proper documentation. Checklists should include: – Number of guests – Date and time of reservation – Special requests – Guest name and contact information When Reservations Might Be Necessary (cont’d) Taking Reservations

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. Proper Phone Etiquette – Answer the call within three rings of the phone. – Repeat information back to the guest when you are taking information. – Ask politely before you put people on hold. – Be familiar with repeat customers, and use their names while you are speaking to them. When Reservations Might Be Necessary (cont’d) Taking Reservations (cont’d)

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. Reservations for Efficiency – The primary goal of the reservationist is to fill the dining room to capacity while maintaining a flow of service. – Do not overbook deuces. – Stagger the timing of the seatings to ensure the best service from the kitchen and dining room staff. – Accommodate as much business as the staff can efficiently serve. – Use the reservation log to communicate details of a night’s booking to the chef. When Reservations Might Be Necessary (cont’d) Taking Reservations (cont’d)

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. Timing Reservations – Factors to consider when planning reservations: The menu Number of courses offered Style of service – Larger tables tend to take longer to dine than smaller tables. – Manage new tables so they are introduced every fifteen minutes, which will stagger the orders for the servers and kitchen. When Reservations Might Be Necessary (cont’d) Taking Reservations (cont’d)

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. When Reservations Might Be Necessary (cont’d) Fixed SeatingsContinuous Seating Used by restaurants with relatively long seatings. For example, seatings at 6 P. M., 8 P. M., and 10 P. M. Ideal for prix fixe menus, because the kitchen knows when the meals will be served. Better for high-volume restaurants with shorter meals. New tables are staggered throughout the evening. Allows for walk-ins.

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. Making Notations in the Reservation Book or System – Use pencil in the reservation book, since situations change quickly. – Note cancellations clearly. – Keep a clock at the host stand to record which section got the most recent party. Keep a logbook that tracks covers to use as a comparison for the following years. Always keep a printout of the reservation log, in case the system crashes. When Reservations Might Be Necessary (cont’d) Taking Reservations (cont’d)

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. Minimize no-shows and latecomers by reconfirming reservations on the appointed day. Call reserved customers to ask if they still intend to come. Do not give away a customer’s table if the party is only a few minutes late. – Take into account weather conditions, traffic, and how well you know the guest. – It might be preferable to lose a table for a night rather than risk losing a valuable customer. When Reservations Might Be Necessary (cont’d) Reconfirming Reservations

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. The best insurance against no-shows is a deposit. Many restaurants now require deposits for major holidays, special events, and large groups. A reservation contract will include credit card information, in the case of a no-show. Instead of taking a deposit, when the reservation is made, a less confrontational method is to request that guests call if their plans change. When Reservations Might Be Necessary (cont’d) Deposits

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. The best guests deserve special treatment. Use caller ID to identify an important guest before they identify themselves. Keep track of birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions, as well as preferences and allergies. If few people take reservations, it is more likely that guests will receive specialized treatment through familiarity. When Reservations Might Be Necessary (cont’d) VIP Guests

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. Diners expect their table to be ready at the time of their reservation. Be straightforward when informing customers of delays. Seat people as soon as possible, and offer to make amends if the situation calls for it. When Reservations Might Be Necessary (cont’d) Honoring Reservations

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. Guests sometimes prefer a particular waiter. Although this is not always possible, it is worthwhile to try to accommodate the request. Special Requests Special Server Requests

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. One of the most common requests is for a special table. Don’t make guarantees, but note the request in the reservation log. Some managers add a surcharge for a special table, in response to a high demand. – A special item may be added in this case, like a card or special dessert. Special Requests(cont’d) Special Table Requests

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. Large groups might be 10 to 20 percent of a restaurant’s seating capacity. It is advisable to take a deposit of 25 to 50 percent for large groups. Groups may introduce your restaurant to new customers who could become regulars. Large groups tend to linger longer (and can disturb other guests): – They might overlap into a second seating. – They also tend to spend more money. Special Requests (cont’d) Group Reservations

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. Noting anniversaries and special events is important. Computerized reservations systems can help track special occasions. Establish a cancellation policy for cakes and special requests. Special Requests (cont’d) Birthdays, Anniversaries, and Special Occasions in the Dining Room

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. Waiting Lists A wait estimate is based on many factors: – Average guest stay, number of large parties, kitchen speed Always add five minutes to an estimate, as a cushion. Keep a waiting list with the current time and quoted wait time.

Copyright © 2014 The Culinary Institute of America. All rights reserved. Every restaurant will have guests coming through the front door without reservations. If there is a free table, the guests should be seated. If no tables are available, they can wait at the bar in case of a cancellation. – Be clear that this may not happen. Do not refer to guests as “walk-ins”. Waiting Lists (cont’d) Guests with No Reservations