Even before COVID, planning an outing for our neighborhood’s big little dining group could be a bit of a challenge.
Choosing a date that works for everyone, picking a place that offers good fare and nice libations, and doing the math at the end of the night are obvious first-world problems. Still.
Sometimes the hardest thing was getting a reservation for what could be 20 to 24 diners. A Polish specialty place flat-out turned us down. Another that offers German fare told us to come on a Wednesday. No one wanted to do that. And others asked that we come early, before 6, or late, after 8, which we were happy to oblige.
We’d been to Gatto’s several times and to Traverso’s, Rocco’s, Tradycja and Rock Bottom. All five-star outings.
Then came COVID and everything stopped.
When the shutdown ended, we almost ran back out into the mix, resuming our Saturday night gatherings with a wonderful meal last Christmas at Frankie’s Ristorante in Tinley Park.
After that came Kefi Greek Cuisine in Palos Heights. Then Krapil’s Steakouse in Worth. This fall, we enjoyed pizzas at Fox’s in Mokena and a delicious steak meal at Jack Gibbons Gardens in Oak Forest.
We were so grateful to be back together and back at a restaurant. And, until recently, we were batting a thousand.
Our latest venture to a (once) renowned steakhouse had us wondering, “Are we just too big to accommodate in an inflation-racked, post-pandemic world?”
The evening could be summed out in four words: mediocre fare, mass confusion.
At first, we were told we’d be given a family style meal, for a set price. We said OK. Then, that was changed to a list of four selections, which we thought would be even better.
But they never showed us menus or prices, and everyone assumed we were paying the prearranged fare. When the bill came, it was much more than anyone expected.
Still, we were gracious, ponying up and commenting on how lucky we are to enjoy these experiences together.
But then came another final bill, and then another.
In all, we devoted 90 minutes to figuring it out – longer than it took to eat. Still, we were grateful for the night out and even more grateful that one charter member is an accountant. He had the stamina to count, collect, recount, recollect, count again, disburse and finally reimburse before we could call it a night.
We laughed it off as “The Nightmare Before Christmas” but I wondered if it wasn’t a harbinger of troubles to come. It’s no secret that many small businesses are struggling to keep up these days.
The next day I reached out to the restaurant’s owner but he hung up on me. Not a good sign.
Then I called other restauranteurs at places we would easily go back to and asked if group dining is now on the skids.
Both Angela Santoro-Castelli, general manager of Frankie’s, and Jim Abbott, manager of Jack Gibbons, said no. Groups are still welcome but there are serious challenges for restaurants in this new economy and groups can strain the system.
Santoro-Castelli said the post-pandemic crush of diners, coupled with rising prices and staff shortages have made group dining even more challenging today.
“Lots has changed post pandemic in the industry. And no one wants to turn away business. It really comes down to making the best choices to keep your small business afloat,” she said.
The industry rule is “a profit requires multiple (table) turns,” she said. And that is why Frankie’s recently instituted a new policy limiting groups to 12 guests per table.
Large groups, she said, are notorious for spending three to four hours at a table. That cuts into a restaurant’s turn, and thus profit, potential.
“You think the larger the group, the higher the bill but that’s not often the case. Some (diners) may just get an appetizer or salad,” she said.
Abbott, too, said lingering is a new thing. So are earlier rushes.
The steakhouse’s busy time used to be 7 to 10 p.m. Now, it’s 5 to 8 p.m., he said. “We open the doors and there are 30 to 40 people waiting. That never happened pre-COVID,” he said. If a group takes a table at 6 and keeps it until 9, that table is not likely to turn.
He said a good rule of thumb for how long a group — small or large — should stay is two hours. If you’re having a good time and want it to continue, move to the bar area, he said.
Another challenge when it comes to groups, Santoro-Castelli said, is making 20 to 25 entrees from scratch to come out at the same time.
Separating groups into tables of 10 or 12, she said, makes things more manageable.
Inflation is adding to the stress, she said, as her restaurant struggles with rising rent, rising wages and rising delivery costs. If you want caring, conscientious workers, you have pay for it, she said.
“No one makes minimum wage by us. We truly take care of our team,” she said. Those team members rely on being able to move customers along.
Abbott agreed, adding that the majority of the staff at Jack Gibbons has been with the restaurant for decades.
A “huge” problem today, Santoro-Castelli said, is misuse of online reservation systems. Many people make reservations at a few restaurants and decide “last minute” where they want to go. This is why many other places require a credit card to hold a table.
“We understand things happen but so many people don’t show up for their reservations. Or cancel 10 minutes prior,” she said.
“I stress (on behalf of our industry) that many ‘rules’ are made for a reason. Like no separate checks. It takes forever to put in each individual order by seat on a computer system and keep track, while other servers are waiting to put orders in and other tables are waiting and waiting,” she said.
Abbott said he hopes people in a group like each other enough to be fair when it comes to divvying up the bill. If you overindulged, throw in more money, he said. He also said Jack Gibbons and many other restaurants will accept payment across multiple credit cards so people don’t have to worry about carrying cash.
Another new problem is the expectation of carry out, Santoro-Castelli said. Jack Gibbons does not offer carry out but Frankie’s does.
During the pandemic, diners came to expect both options, which many restaurant kitchens can’t oblige, at least not simultaneously, Santoro-Castelli said. Frankie’s stops making take-away dishes about 5:45 p.m. so it can concentrate on in-house diners, she said.
Both Abbott and Santoro-Castelli said they are grateful that so many people want to patronize their establishments. And while there are issues and challenges industrywide, no one should leave a restaurant feeling like they’ve been through a nightmare.
We agree.
Our big little group won’t go back to that last place, but we will go back out, mindful of the challenges restaurants are up against.
We know we are blessed to have a group that gets along and wants to dine together. We know any hassles we have at restaurants are minor, first-world problems.
Mostly, we know no one wants restaurants to survive, and thrive, more than us.
Donna Vickroy is an award-winning reporter, editor and columnist who worked for the Daily Southtown for 38 years.
