How to Get a Table at a Restaurant

Upon entering a restaurant, look for the host stand. The host stand is at the front of the restaurant. If you find the host stand but no one's there, wait patiently. A helpful person will be with you soon. There may only be one host and that host might be seating another party. The host will be right back.

It's rude to other customers to automatically assume you can sit wherever you want. The table you desire might be reserved for someone else. There might already be a line of other customers waiting for the exact same table.

If there appears to be no host stand, if there's a sign that says, "Please seat yourself", or if you're just sick of waiting for a host to show up, you are free to seat yourself wherever you'd like.

It is important to note that while there is no excuse for poor service, there are explanations for it. Seating yourself may place in the section of a server who is already overloaded with tables. Part of a host's job is to evenly distribute customers to the servers so as to best ensure an excellent experience. Tables may remain open during a rush in order to alleviate pressure on the servers, bartenders, and cooks. Should that happen? Probably not, but restaurant managers have to make decisions that will ensure the best experience for everybody.

Most restaurants have employees, called hosts or hostesses whose job it is to seat you. Despite their often young age, they really do know what they're doing. If you let them do their job, it will yield a more positive overall restaurant experience.

Prepaid Debit Cards

When dining out, don’t rely on prepaid debit cards to pay for your meal. They are often rejected by restaurant payment systems.

Restaurant payment systems (and gas pumps) seek authorization for payments without knowing the final total. In restaurants, the system uses the check total as a start point but it has to authorize a total higher than that amount to leave room for the tip. The exact percentage over the the total varies but it’s at least 20%. That means if you try to pay a $50 check with a $50 Visa gift/prepaid card, it will likely be rejected. Even a $40 bill might be declined with a $50 card. There’s no way for your server/bartender to toggle that aspect of the system. They can attempt to run your $50 card for, say, $30 and you can pay the rest with cash/credit, but that’s not always going to work. Using multiple prepaid cards often fails, too.

Save yourself some hassle and don’t use prepaid cards to pay your restaurant bill unless they have a good bit more on them than the check’s total. Allow at least 25% leeway.

Sending Back Food

If you don't like what you're eating, send it back. Servers only want you to have a good experience. They're not going to get mad at you for not wanting to eat half-raw grouper. You don't have to apologize. You're not doing anything wrong. If you don't like what you're eating, politely send it back and let your server know what you would like them to do about it. Do you want the kitchen to cook it longer? Did they cook it too much and you'd like a fresh one cooked correctly? Did it taste horrible and you want something else? Would you like to see a menu so you can decide on a different item?

You're not doing anything wrong by expecting your meal to come out correctly and taste good. What's wrong is when you eat half of it and start complaining or you wait until it's done and then say that your fries were cold. Your server is only interested in helping you have a good time. Complaining for the sake of complaining doesn't accomplish anything. Your server is thinking, "Is she just trying to get something for free?"

If you ate your meal and have suggestions, complaints, or comments, fill out a comment card. That's what they're there for. The Powers That Be at the restaurant really are interested in your comments. Major decisions often rely heavily on customer feedback. If they get enough comment cards saying that the burgers are dry, they'll probably tweak the recipe.

When your food is not to your liking and you'd like it to be remedied, say something. Remember, servers simply want their guests to enjoy their meals and have a good experience. You're not doing anything wrong by sending something back. The restaurant did something wrong by presenting you with a flawed dish.