Restaurant booking refused

[Oxx]

Just curious, but I tried to book a table for 10 at a fairly popular restaurant in a province outside Bangkok for 7 p.m. one day next week.  They refused.  They would let me book for 6 p.m., but said that at 7 p.m. they only accepted walk in customers.  This seems very strange to me.  Is it common practice? What's the logic?

[Inn Between]

I can only guess that they've had problems with large-group bookings. where they've keep tables saved for people who don't show up during the prime dining times and lost walk-up business.

 

Then again, if you're trying to operate with standard Western logic in Thailand, you've going to hit walls a lot. 

 

The first idea is a just wild thought, and hopefully somebody who works or has worked in the restaurant business can shed some light on the situation if it is indeed a trade practice. 

[johng]

Well ....book at 6pm or go somewhere else.

[Pilotman]

just kick them into touch, make a negative TripAdvisor report and go elsewhere; simples. 

[marcusarelus]

I used to do the same thing.  If I knew I'd fill with walk ins I'd refuse reservations because the reservation might not show and you have held a table for nothing and lose the money. 

[Lacessit]

Just go to another restaurant, and don't waste your time with pretentious prats who act like they don't need the business.

[NanLaew]

The OP wanted to book a table for 10 people not just a table for two. The restaurant owner isn't being pretentious if he knows that foot traffic will easily compensate for a possible 10-seat no-show.  However, if the restaurant has a small kitchen with a somewhat bespoke menu, the owner may be aware that the chef(s) may have problems guaranteeing that a group of 10 customers will get served 10 possibly different selections at the same time as a group of 10 diners would expect. Then they could run the real risk of getting a genuine bad review on tripadvisor for an actual bad, slow dining experience rather than a pretentious one just for being unable to satisfy an unrealistically large guest party.

[marcusarelus]

  On 4/13/2019 at 1:24 PM, Lacessit said:

Just go to another restaurant, and don't waste your time with pretentious prats who act like they don't need the business.

Expand  

It's not pretentious.  It is common sense economics.  Hotels don't take reservations if they can get walk ins because reservations are mostly single business travelers and walk ins are families.  In a restaurant when you are expecting a busy night why hold a table when you can turn it twice instead.  You may not know much about the hospitality business.  It's not the restaurant that's a prat.    

[Oxx]

  On 4/13/2019 at 1:44 PM, NanLaew said:

Then they could run the real risk of getting a genuine bad review on tripadvisor for an actual bad, slow dining experience

Expand  

 

On the other hand, by treating a would-be group of customers so shoddily, they could be guaranteeing a fake but utterly damning review on Tripadvisor.

[marcusarelus]

  On 4/13/2019 at 2:19 PM, Oxx said:

 

On the other hand, by treating a would-be group of customers so shoddily, they could be guaranteeing a fake but utterly damning review on Tripadvisor.

Expand  

The even slightly sophisticated or experienced diner would understand.  Think a second.  Why tie up a table - one turn to wait for you to come and one turn if you don't show.  Potentially losing the revenue of 30 customers for maybe 0.  Running a profitable restaurant look easy to you?  

[direction BANGKOK]

THey should just take a nonrefundable deposit and if a no show after 30 minutes you lost the res. 

[NanLaew]

  On 4/13/2019 at 2:19 PM, Oxx said:

On the other hand, by treating a would-be group of customers so shoddily, they could be guaranteeing a fake but utterly damning review on Tripadvisor.

Expand  

You said it. If anyone seriously considers any 'review' on tripadvisor as being either relevant, honest or factual, especially when it comes from 'would be' diner rather than an 'actual' diner, then I guess there's still hope for the United Nations.

 

I saw a rather decent American diner place in Nha Trang, Vietnam being panned on tripadvisor by a reviewer who freely admitted that the burgers they ordered wasn't what he and his partner wanted to eat as they were actually looking for some phở at the time but got hungry looking for an open noodle shop. They were unaware of the hours of availability of a local specialty 'fast food' cuisine and for that reason, they ignorantly chose to blow a hole in a western-owned 'fast food' place's reputation.

 

Anyway, since you brought it up, would you consider posting any sort of review on this or any other restaurant where maybe you haven't eaten at yet? A place damned because they couldn't accommodate a large group but possibly has many, many satisfied, returning customers and maybe presents value for money as well as good food?

 

[puukao]

I used to make reservations for 30.  give them 25 euros so they knew i was serious.  never showed up.

 

i owned a few restaurants close by...needed to get them to go out of business.  it worked.  made them hire some friends, we all fell down and sued them for billions.  

 

party of 10.... minimum tip of 25% and no-show payment of 100,000 baht.

 

there isn't a farang in Thailand with nine friends!!!!  that's the red flag

[Farangwithaplan]

  On 4/13/2019 at 2:19 PM, Oxx said:

 

On the other hand, by treating a would-be group of customers so shoddily, they could be guaranteeing a fake but utterly damning review on Tripadvisor.

Expand  

Thank you for giving me just another reason to avoid Tripadvisor.

[JimmyJ]

"Thank you for giving me just another reason to avoid Tripadvisor" - Farangwithaplan

 

I found TripAdvisor a great source for hotels during 3 months in SE Asia.

8 hotels, would return to every one of them.

 

Some common sense evaluating the reviews is called for, as is true for reading any review anywhere.

[Lacessit]

  On 4/13/2019 at 1:53 PM, marcusarelus said:

It's not pretentious.  It is common sense economics.  Hotels don't take reservations if they can get walk ins because reservations are mostly single business travelers and walk ins are families.  In a restaurant when you are expecting a busy night why hold a table when you can turn it twice instead.  You may not know much about the hospitality business.  It's not the restaurant that's a prat.    

Expand  

We'll have to agree to disagree. No, I don't know much about the hospitality business. I do know I am the customer, it's my money, and if you don't want my business I'll take it elsewhere. It's not as if you have a monopoly.

How often have you been left with an unprofitable night because the traffic you expected did not eventuate, after refusing to take bookings?

[Nyezhov]

  On 4/13/2019 at 7:48 PM, Lacessit said:

I do know I am the customer, it's my money, and if you don't want my business I'll take it elsewhere. It's not as if you have a monopoly.

Expand  

I need a T shirt that says that.

[geoffbezoz]

Is it a Thai run restaurant ?  The problem is if the customers are generally Thai then a booking at 6pm would possibly lead to empty tables as punctuality is not a Thai strong point so hence 6 pm would no doubt turn out to be the customers appearing at 7 pm after which they have a rule for walk-ins only.

 

Now you should have booked a table for 5 pm, turned up late at 6pm, which would be the normal expectation of a Thai and everyone would have been happy.

[marcusarelus]

  On 4/13/2019 at 7:48 PM, Lacessit said:

We'll have to agree to disagree. No, I don't know much about the hospitality business. I do know I am the customer, it's my money, and if you don't want my business I'll take it elsewhere. It's not as if you have a monopoly.

How often have you been left with an unprofitable night because the traffic you expected did not eventuate, after refusing to take bookings?

Expand  

Everything in a restaurant is predicated on the ability of the manager to predict volume.  Food ordering and staff allocation and table preparation.  If the manager is a dummy then the restaurant loses money and goes out of business.  If it's been open for a while the manager knows how to predict. 

[Lacessit]

  On 4/14/2019 at 12:29 AM, Nyezhov said:

I need a T shirt that says that.

Expand  

You probably already have a T-shirt that says " Everything I like is illegal, immoral or fattening".

[elgenon]

If you like the restaurant I would think you would appreciate them having a policy that keeps them in business. Maybe they have had many no-shows or maybe they just don't need to book. Certainly more efficient and easier that way.

 

It seems in a busy restaurant it would be difficult to get space for 10 people during a surge of business. If you have to wait until two adjacent tables are empty, you might get upset at that. Meanwhile they are losing the money for the first table. They want the OP to come before the business surge happens so they can accommodate his party. It seems they are trying to accommodate him and do what's best for their business. You don't always get what you want but, sometimes, you get what you need. I seem to have heard that somewhere.

[visarunner]

  On 4/13/2019 at 1:15 PM, Pilotman said:

just kick them into touch, make a negative TripAdvisor report and go elsewhere; simples. 

Expand  

sad statement, obviously you do not own a business. You do not even know why that restaurant had this policy. 

[visarunner]

  On 4/13/2019 at 7:48 PM, Lacessit said:

We'll have to agree to disagree. No, I don't know much about the hospitality business. I do know I am the customer, it's my money, and if you don't want my business I'll take it elsewhere. It's not as if you have a monopoly.

How often have you been left with an unprofitable night because the traffic you expected did not eventuate, after refusing to take bookings?

Expand  

Than the answer is clear. Go somewhere else, let this restaurant do their business. If that restaurant is popular already, does a good job and the people know what they doing than they do not need "you as a customer".  No business like the customer with the attitude " I have the money".    

[Pilotman]

  On 4/15/2019 at 1:29 AM, visarunner said:

sad statement, obviously you do not own a business. You do not even know why that restaurant had this policy. 

Expand  

It doesn't matter to a customer why they have the policy, its the customer that matters.  I've been the CEO of customer service facing businesses and one thing I do know.  hack of one customer, in whatever way, and you lose another 10 by word of mouth. It's a cut throat business and the competition is many and varied.  Make a decision like this if you wish, but then don't be surprised if people react badly and move on.  As I say, it's the customer's view that is paramount, not the hurt feelings of the owner.  Anyone reading this post will not even try to book at that venue, they will go somewhere where they know that tables are usually available, or somewhere that they can book with confidence. It's simple business really.  

[ujayujay]

  On 4/13/2019 at 1:15 PM, Pilotman said:

just kick them into touch, make a negative TripAdvisor report and go elsewhere; simples. 

Expand  

BS flat thinking.

If you go into an almost empty restaurant and the rest of the tables is reserved. Do you then do a negative rating on tripadvisor too?

[Pilotman]

  On 4/15/2019 at 2:25 AM, ujayujay said:

BS flat thinking.

If you go into an almost empty restaurant and the rest of the tables is reserved. Do you then do a negative rating on tripadvisor too?

Expand  

Maybe, its what trip adviser is for. If I have a negative experience I may post it. I sure won't go back.  I don't understand why some people are getting so bent out of shape about this.  It's a customer facing business, the customer decides not the owner. If you don't like customer reactions to your business, don't go into that business. 

[zaZa9]

  On 4/13/2019 at 2:19 PM, Oxx said:

 

On the other hand, by treating a would-be group of customers so shoddily, they could be guaranteeing a fake but utterly damning review on Tripadvisor.

Expand  

Whats 'shoddy' about refusing a booking?

 

You asked ,  and they said they didnt want to make that deal. Its called being honest.

 

Shoddy would be for them to say yes , then not have a table when you arrive , or make you wait ''at the bar'' till they have one ...

[gamb00ler]

  On 4/13/2019 at 12:35 PM, Oxx said:

Just curious, but I tried to book a table for 10 at a fairly popular restaurant in a province outside Bangkok for 7 p.m. one day next week.  They refused.  They would let me book for 6 p.m., but said that at 7 p.m. they only accepted walk in customers.  This seems very strange to me.  Is it common practice? What's the logic?

Expand  

Perhaps the restaurant you called is a very popular one.

 

A married couple in my Thai inlaw family run two very busy restaurants.  They only accept reservations for more than four people during the off peak hours.  There is always a queue during the peak hours.  Making space for larger groups would require them to leave tables empty in preparation for the large group.  Doing so would irritate the waiting customers.

[Snow Leopard]

Maybe talking face to face might help? Get to know each other. 

[Grusa]

There is a restaurant in Pattaya where if you appear without a booking, you WILL be turned away - even if the place has ten empty tables.

If you are so lucky as to get a booking, and make any complaint about food or service, you get a tongue lashing from the chef/owner, and a ban from ever returning.

That said, the food is very good.