The one thing restaurants need, presumably, is customers, so why would a place risk alienating loyal diners by requesting that they yield their table to folks waiting in line?
That was the question from an At Play staffer who took umbrage at being asked (and not in a polite way, she says) by a restaurant owner if she and a friend could “wrap it up” as they sat chatting over coffee after having brunch one Sunday morning.
“We were really stunned, especially because we had only been sitting there for an hour and 15 minutes,” said Trine Tsouderos, who was an almost-every-Sunday diner at this particular restaurant but now will never return.
To be sure, most restaurants would rather not lose customers–whether they’re already seated or are hungrily awaiting brunch. So here’s how a few others say they deal with such a sticky situation:
The Breakfast Club (1381 W. Hubbard St., 312-666-3166): Though occasionally a table will overstay its welcome at this 60-seat West Town spot, manager Marty Galligan says he never tells customers he needs their table. But he will drop some hints–delivering the check, taking up their money, clearing the table. “Aside from that, you’re kind of helpless,” he says.
Over Easy (4943 N. Damen Ave., 773-506-2605): This 35-seat Ravenswood restaurant has had weekend brunch crowds since it opened a few months ago, and owner Jon Cignarale has had to wrestle with this problem. If there’s a line outside and diners have been lingering for at least an hour and 15 minutes, the host will say, “Could you help me out [by finishing up here]?” he says. Though Cignarale says he doesn’t want to create any bad will, he apparently did with one couple, whose response to this gentle request was, “So, you’re throwing us out?” They then parked at the table for another 30 minutes. Mostly it’s large parties and women who tend to linger, unaware they’re creating a backup, he says. “Guys come in, eat and leave.”
The Lucky Platter (514 Main St., Evanston; 847-869-4064): “We rely on the customer to decide when it’s time to leave,” says Eric Singer, co-owner of this 65-seat spot, which is a favorite for weekend breakfast. When the restaurant first opened 15 years ago, Singer sometimes would ask diners to free up a table during really busy times. But he since has mellowed and demands the same reasonable attitude from his wait staff. “As I get older,” he says, “I’m just happy to have customers.”
What do you think? We’d love to hear from both diners and restaurateurs.
Beyond chicken nuggets
Hats off to chef Carol Wallack of Sola (3868 N. Lincoln Ave., 773-327-3868), who has come up with a creative yet realistic kids menu at her contemporary American restaurant. Offerings include roasted chicken breast (yahoo, no nuggets!) with silky mashed potatoes and a pile of peas and carrots; crunchy-topped mac and cheese with Gruyere, white cheddar and Parmesan; and grilled cheese (choice of bread) served with fruit and either house-made tomato soup or fries. Dessert is a gummi-bear-topped sundae made with homemade vanilla ice cream. Prices are low ($3-$7) and portions are decent. Even so, Wallack says she’s “shocked at the number of kids who order steak.” At $26, the parents probably are too.
Restaurants gone wacky?
If you really want a window into the wacky world of running a restaurant, take a peek at some of the hot products at the recent National Restaurant Association Show at McCormick Place:
– The SanitGrasp, for opening bathroom doors with a forearm or closed fist.
– Individually wrapped slices of white bread.
– Bulk gas charging systems for whipped cream.
– Lobster-shaped table pagers.
– Air-inflated cows, ice cream cones and tomatoes.
– And we thought restaurants were mostly about food.
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Have a gripe, a question or an observation about dining out? Send an e-mail to atplay@ tribune.com and put Food & Whine in the message field.
