I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

A woman called at 3:00 asking about the bar. She was told that reservations aren’t required but are highly recommended as we can’t guarantee availability as we do take reservations at the bar.  

She makes the reservation, without being able to tell us if she’ll be 1 or 2 people.  

We make the reservation for 2.  

2 guests at the bar at 6:00.  

At 5:45 the phone rings and it’s her saying that she wants to push the reservation to 6:30. I make the change.  

She arrives at 6:45.

She walks in and takes one look at the bar and says, well I guess it’s a good thing you made me make a reservation. The bar is empty.

I assure her that this time of the year there is no rhyme or reason. If she’d come last night it would have been full.

She tells us that she’ll only be 1 and gets seated at seat 10.  

She was cranky, but not terribly so and I don’t think more about it.  

Fast forward to 8:00.  

I’ve had dinner with Chef at the chef’s table and I get up to go to the restroom and get my computer to do some work.

I return and the woman from the bar is seated at the chef’s table.  

I drop off my computer and go to the wait station. I’m not going to interrupt whatever is going on.  

I watch the conversation from 30 feet away or so. She is animated. I can’t tell if she is mad or flirting. Both things happen with Chef often.  

After about 15 minutes, I text him to see if he needs help or rescuing.  

I see him check his watch, chuckle, but doesn’t indicate he needs saving.  

Finally she leaves.  

I take my seat and he fills me in on what happened.  

She was upset that we don’t allow walk ins at the bar. She lives up the street and thinks it’s silly that she and her friends can’t just stop by for a cocktail. She doesn’t understand why we take reservations at the bar.  

He explains. We’ve learned that if we take reservations, most people at the bar dine with us. So instead of having 2 $14 dollar cocktails, they order 2 cowboy cut ribeyes and their check is $200. He continues, that with people spending that kind of money they don’t want people reaching over them to get a cocktail. And if we allow them to stand along the rail, the staff can’t get through, which isn’t good either.

She’s having none of this.  

I get it.  

I get yelled at 1,000 times during the summer, because I tell people they can’t get a cocktail while they wait. No. You can’t get one and stand over there. You can’t get one and stand over here. You are going to be seated in 5 minutes and you’ll be fine.

He graciously changes the subject and explains the pub at our new restaurant will be walk in only.  

This changes her tune.

And she quickly changes her tactics.  

I won’t go into all the details of what was said next, but she left after giving Chef her number, her address and telling him that her husband works out of town if he ever wants to stop by for a drink.

Go Chef.

However, he’s not new to this and it’s a small town and he knows better than to mix business with pleasure.  

I can assure you he no longer has the piece of paper she wrote on.  

However, he was flattered. She was attractive. With a rock the size of Texas on her hand.  

This business is never boring.