I worked in a very popular resturant before and we would give them a 15 minute grace period. if they weren't there in those 15 minutes and didn't call, they lost their table. Seems fair enough to me!

I'm trying to look at both sides of the arguement. To me, its fairer for the restaurant to wait 15 minutes; what if the late customers are somewhere (subway) where they can not call? Often times restaurants are very late in seating people with reservations, so why can't they wait 15 minutes?

I'm with you ash!

Generally I would say wait 15 mins, but if they called twice and she didn't call at all, it's on her.

yes, they did the right thing. The lady knew she was running late and should have called to let them know.

She should've called! Who doesn't have a cell phone these days?!?

im not sure about this one
tricky.

both sides have their reasons

If I was the lady, I would have called to make sure that the restaurant would hold my table. Seeing as she didn't, I guess the restaurant did the right thing. If you have a timed reservation, you should really be there on time.

Ahhhh! If you want something, you need to be on time! I saw Juno on Friday and 4 pairs or people came in after the movie started and each one asked if my friend and I would move. There was dried nacho cheese on the seat so I didn't, but I don't think I would have any way.

You snooze, you lose. I agree, she should've called to let them know that she was running late. I think the restaurant even went above and beyond by calling her.

i think 15 is more than enough time. just like with anything in life, if youre going to be late: CALL!

I agree Luci... no call no hold!

The restaurant did the right thing. She should have called if she was running late.

IF the hostess actually DID call, and got no response or call back soon after, then the lady was out of luck. although, the restaurant i work at is really busy and popular and when situations like this arise and people show up, albeit really late, we do our best to seat them as soon as possible/as soon as a table opens up. hopefully, the people are flexible enough to understand and the restaurant is interested in keeping the patron's business.

I think if the lady (who made the reservation) called to say she was running late then it would be wrong to have given the table away.

Given that the restaurant had attempted to contact her, and waited 10-15m past the time of the reservation... better to have the table filled instead of risking that it went empty. Now, if they HADN'T given her 10-15m... then I'd have to wonder...

i don't understand. if you go out of the trouble to make a reservation, shouldn't you also call to tell them you're running late. if i know i'm going to late, i usually call the restaurant 10 minutes before the reservation to hold the table.

The sense of entitlement some people feel in these situations astounds me. Yes, you made a reservation but without common courtesy and common sense of course you lose it if youre late. Especially if the restaurant states their reservation policy up front you cant expect the everyone to bend over backwards for you.

The lady should have called, but the restaurant could have given her a fifteen minute grace period.

They did the right thing. Usually if you are that late restaurants, salons, etc assume you are not coming. They are wasting their time and money by having an empty table.

If you're going to ask the restaurant to oblige a reservation, then the least you can do is make a phone call saying, "I'm so sorry, I'm going to be x minutes late, will you please hold that for me?" I'm the queen of lateness. But if I'm going to be late, I at least let people know! And even better than making a phone call--just be on time. Or better still.. be early. Reservations are done as a favor IMO. Return it.

I am stuck in the middle. I agree she should have called the restaurant herself. BUT if she was stuck in traffic and didn't have the number, what is she to do. But at the same time the restaurant could have bene losing revenue from an empty table. Tough call. They probably should have ask the non-reservation to wait a few mins to see if they show.

I'm with Taadie on this one. People that show up 15 minutes late, without a phone call, then getting upset because they lost the table just amazes me. My favorite local restaurant gives only five minutes if you're late. If you can't be on time, and especially if you can't call, you lose the reservation. All it takes is being accountable, so you either show up on time or call to ask if they will hold it for a few more minutes.

Ugh I hate crap like that. What makes people think that the world should wait for them? I am late, too, but I make a POINT of calling and letting people know.... Don't know the number? Call 411... Make an EFFORT

Sure, a restaurant can give a reserved table away after 15min...But you also have to look at it from the other end. If a customer has a reservation, arrives on time, and yet has to wait 30min for their table...

I think 15 mins is a erasonable time to hold the ressie. But I also think restaurants should make their reservation policy clear at the time they take the reservation. If the customer knows what the grace period is ahead of time they can't really complain.

the restaurant has the reservations as a courtesy, because they are so popular. If you dont show up on time, they have no obligation to hold it. 15 is too much time passed with no phone call. too bad lady.

if the person can make reservations, they should be polite enough to tell them the party is running late.

It's definitely a courtesy on behalf the resturant. I would think that most resturants would at least do that because I'm pretty sure resturants are not always bang on with their service. A little give and take is good for business. On the other hand, how would the resturant know whether you are few minutes late or a no show? Best advice is let them know if you are a few minutes late. It can't hurt and it would probably ensure that you get your table.

I think waiting 15 mins is totally reasonable. I ALWAYS call if I'm not going to be there on time though. I would never expect a restaurant to hold a table for me (for any amount of time) without having called them first.

The restaurant did the right thing. Like sucrechaton said..they don't know if you're late, or just not gonna show up. And how pretentious of the lady to think the restaurant would hold the reservation for her...when she showed up 15 minutes late. But, that's how people are these days. Think they deserve everything handed to them, no questions asked.

And I'm a chronically late person. But I ALWAYS call

While I was in college I too worked at a very popular restaurant and I gotta say it depends . . . for our regular clients we would hold the table all night if need be; however, in most cases we had the standard 15 to 30 minute grace period (of course longer if they called to say they were running late). But here the establishment only waited five minutes according to the facts above. Therefore, I think that in this situation the restaurant could have given the reservation holder a few more minutes then 5 - and then let YUM and friends no that it may be a possible 15 minute wait if the reservation holder does not show or longer then 15 minutes if they do show- but your obviously at the top of the list for the next available table . . .

Yes. ESPECIALLY if they tried calling her (twice). You snooze, you lose!

She wasn't there, she wasn't answering her phone, she already WAS fifteen minutes late, she didn't bother to call; I see no problem in giving away the table.

Oh I forgot to mention the part that I thought was the most ridiculous. She had a reservation for 6 people, but when she came in at 7:45, she was the only one there. We were by the window and could see that no one was waiting outside either.

oh wow, then she really loses if she was the ONLY one of a party of 6! sheesh.

She should of been on time if she wanted her table. I usually show up 15 minutes early to my reservations. I am sick of people who don't understand the concept of an appointment. If the shoe was on the other foot they would do what they had to do to make the money.

I certainly wouldn't be surprised if I walked into a restaurant fifteen minutes late for my reservation to find my table had been given away. I don't expect a restaurant to wait around for me...they're not on MY schedule.

If you are running late and aren't sure if you're going to be there on time, how hard is it to give the restaurant a call and let them know?? I'm sure they'd be much more likely to hold your table for a bit if you called.

they did the right thing. as for someone who said she didn't move down when people were late for the movie - i wouldn't have either! i hate when i have to move from my comfy spot or whatever for someone else - especially anyone with kids. i am so sick of people with kids thinking that they should be more privileged. like the entire country isn't already rooting for them in every single way.

Hey, if you're late then others shouldn't have to wait.

They waited too long in my opinion to give that table away. 10 minutes tops should be the wait time in my opinion. And if she had reservations for 6 and she was the only one that showed up at 7:45, then she looked even more ridiculous arguing with the people at the restaurant.

Snooze ya loose girlfriend.

That's what someone should have told her loud mouth as she was making a scene in the restaurant.

im rooting for the restruant... the lady should have called and said she was running behind or stuck in traffic, whatever the case may be... and yum topped it off with her update

Yum came in at 7:35 got her table at 7:40
and the hostess still gave away the table within a 15 minute 'grace period' the reservation person came at 7:45, 15 mins past her reservation.

all in all i would be pissed if i was the person reserving, like others before me there could've been traffic or what not holding her back. but yum just said she had a reservation for 6 and she was the only one. so...eh i don't know kind of torn but i guess it's up to the situation

Sorry, it's like any other appointment where you don't call if you know you're running late. It's courtesy. Besides, an empty table means less money ... and there are a LOT of people who either never show or show up very late. I think 10 min is more than appropriate window of time.

I agree with the "you snooze you loose" policy. At least call if you're late or make sure another person in your party can be there on time if you can't. Additionally, it's people like this woman and her party that make the rest of us have to wait 30 mins. for our reservation. Yes sometimes the resteraunt over books or something but a lot of times it's because people make reservations and they are late. And then the rest of the party is late. So then it takes even longer. So now the table isn't just 15 mins behind, it's 30 mins behind. That pushes the next seating back and affects everyone really. People don't realize that reservations are also used to plan out the night. The people coming in are spread out in a certain way so as not to overwhelm the kitchen with orders. All it takes is a few inconsiderate people to throw off seating for everyone else.

I detest people who are intentionally late.

It is just rude to make an appointment and show up when you get good and ready.

It the reservation was for 7:30 then you need to be there by 7:25. Period.

This is the lone reason most restaurants won't do reservations anymore. It just cost them money to have to hold tables for people who obviously have no intentions of being there on time. Or if they show up at all.

personally i think that it was ok to give the table away - but only if it was 745...not 735. traffic, parking, all sorts of things can make you 5 minutes late.

If you care enough to make a reservation you need to be early...the restaurant shouldn't have to potentially lose money waiting for you...

The fact that she came in at 7:45 isn't a big deal to lose your table. However, you said you showed up at 7:35 and they gave you the table -- that, I would have a problem with. 5 minutes and giving away a table is totally unfair. And like heyjen said, what if you're on the subway and can't call? I always try to be early, but sometimes things happen... I wouldn't feel guilty being 5 minutes late to a restaurant, especially because so often when I make reservations, I still wind up having to wait 20 minutes for a table.