Restaurant Customers Should Refrain From This Behavior If Their Party Is Too Big

Have you ever walked into a restaurant with a whole bunch of friends, relatives, or coworkers and found that even the biggest table could not accommodate your party? That can be frustrating, but in most cases, it's not something you should remedy by snagging more chairs to cram under the table or shoving two tables together. Doing so can cause more problems than it solves, says Charles Richardson, the food and beverage director at Cripple Creek, Colorado's Double Eagle Hotel & Casino. "This might be acceptable in small cafes with flexible seating and light, modular furniture, where there are no reservations or strict service procedures," he told The Takeout. "However, in most cases, it is best to refrain from doing this, simply because guests do not see the overall layout of the room, may block passageways for staff or other customers, and do not know which tables are reserved."

Another thing about those empty tables is that perhaps the restaurant is deliberately holding them empty to control the workflow at any given time. Or, as Richardson reminded us, "... there may already be guests sitting there who have simply stepped away briefly." This same thing applies to helping yourself to what appear to be spare chairs or table settings, since you don't know if someone's already using them.

As a restaurant patron, you are a paying guest, so it's true that the eatery is there to accommodate your needs. Still, any basic social contract relies on a certain amount of two-way cooperation, and it helps to realize how severely your actions may affect operations. "The restaurant is always responsible for the safety of its guests, so moving furniture without staff approval creates direct legal risks if something goes wrong," Charles Richardson said. "Fire safety regulations require a certain width for passageways and free access to emergency exits, and if guests block them, the restaurant may receive a fine or face problems during inspections." Or, worst-case scenario, an actual fire could break out, and people could be injured or worse.

So what, then, are your responsibilities as the representative of a large group of diners? Pretty simple: Call the restaurant ahead of time to make a reservation, specifying the size of your party. If you do so, Richardson says, "We can reserve the desired area, prepare the tables, and even adjust the staff schedule if necessary." If you absolutely cannot make a reservation (for instance, the restaurant in question doesn't take them), you should try to arrive during off-peak hours. Also, it's best to make sure that everyone in the group can show up at the same time, since some restaurants have a policy of not seating incomplete parties. Finally, while you're waiting to be seated, be sure to discuss how you'll split the bill. That way, there won't be any unnecessary delay for the server once your party has finished its meal.