Table reservation

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A table reservation is an arrangement made in advance to have a table available at a restaurant.

While most restaurants in the vast majority of the world do not require a reservation, and some have
no policy or simply any channel for making one, so called higher-end restaurants mainly in
overcrowded cities do tend to require a reservation, and some may have tables booked for weeks in
advance. At particularly exclusive venues, it may be impossible to make a reservation on the same
day as the planned visit.[1]
"It's always smart to inquire about a restaurant's reservation policy. Some will only reserve for large
parties of six or more".[1] Modernly, many restaurants have replaced the traditional pencil and
notebook with an online reservation system.[2] Some websites exist which provide this service for
multiple venues, such as OpenTable, EZTABLE,Bookatable, Urban Spoon, and SeatMe.
Reservations for later dining times may prove problematic, as the restaurant may have a backlog
which will require the reservation-holders to wait beyond their stated arrival time. In addition, diners
with a late reservation face a higher chance that the restaurant will run out of necessary ingredients
for a particularly popular dish.[1] It is generally considered polite to call and cancel a reservation once
it is known that the event can not be made.[1]
Most restaurants do not charge a customer who fails to honor their reservations, [3] and courts have
tended not to impose substantial penalties on restaurants that fail to honor reservations. [4]
The modern reservation system evolved from the prior practice of arranging catering at a restaurant.
[5]

1 The importance of Table Reservations in Restaurants

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1.1 Restaurants benefits of offering table reservations

1.2 Clients benefits of making table reservations

1.3 Benefits of an Online Reservation System

The importance of Table Reservations in Restaurants[edit]

Nowadays it has become common for fine dining restaurants to offer table reservations to their
clients. In fact, this service has become an integral part of a restaurants operation, because of its
multiple benefits. Even though, there are still types of restaurants that prefer the modality of firstcome, first-served, the majority of fine dining and casual restaurants organize their operation through
table reservations. As it has become part of restaurants service to offer reservations, clients are
tending more and more towards making use of this offer, and for some people it has become
mandatory to make a table reservation before going out to a restaurant, since there are also benefits
for the client in this type of service.

Restaurants benefits of offering table reservations [edit]

A restaurant will weigh the advantages and the disadvantages of offering the service of table
reservations to its customers, and even though there is a cost involved in this service, the benefits it
offers will outweigh all the disadvantages one may consider.
Offering table reservations may be a good tool to increase demand of certain restaurants. As clients
know that there is a limited capacity of seats, they will always prefer to make a table reservation

instead of arriving at the restaurant and facing a long waiting line. This tool helps the restaurant to
keep a high demand of its customers on busy nights, and even better, to increase traffic on slow
nights, when customers make reservations, because they dont know how crowded the restaurant
will be.[3]
Table reservations are also a handy tool in competitive markets, since it makes it possible for
restaurants to steal some market share from its competition. This occurs when clients are not able
to get a reservation at their first choice restaurant and they decide to go to their second choice
restaurant, where they are able to get a reservation. [3]
This service represents an important benefit for restaurants, because by guaranteeing customers a
seat, they will be able to start operating at an earlier time, and serve food until a later time than
average, and thus, serve more parties each day, and consequently, have a higher daily income. [3]
The modality of table reservations helps restaurants to estimate demand in a more accurate way,
and therefore, to improve sourcing and staffing, and to manage costs more efficiently. By managing
workflow in a better way, through reservations, the restaurant will be able to deliver a better quality of
service.[3]

Clients benefits of making table reservations[edit]

A client will always benefit from being able to make a table reservation at the restaurant he wishes to
go. Nowadays, the majority of people prefer to go out knowing that they have a reservation, instead
of incurring the risk of not getting a table at the desired place.
A clear benefit of making a table reservation for clients is the security that they will experience when
going out to a restaurant. Making a reservation will guarantee the client that he will receive his table
at the time and place he has planned.[3]
It will be an advantage for the customer to know in advance that he will not have to go through the
trouble of waiting until a table is available, or being put on a waiting list, or in the worst case, needing
to find another place to eat, because the one chosen wont be able to serve him.
Another important benefit of making a reservation in a desired restaurant is the better quality of
service one will receive. As the restaurant knows at what time and with how many people the
customer will arrive, a comfortable table with enough seats and space will be reserved and the
restaurants staff will be prepared to serve the arriving group. [3]

Benefits of an Online Reservation System[edit]

Traditionally, restaurants have managed their reservation systems with a reservation book, which
means that they received the reservations through telephone calls and wrote them down in a book.
Nowadays, as a consequence of the massive use of Internet and its benefits, experts have seen the
opportunity and great added value of creating online reservation systems, and already many
restaurants have replaced the traditional format with these new systems.
An important advantage of online reservation systems is the flexibility they offer when making a
reservation. When reservations are managed in the traditional way, patrons will only be able to call a
restaurant to make a reservation during operational hours. On the contrary, when reservations are
managed through an online reservation system, customers will be able to make their reservation at
any time and from any place they choose. In general, patrons will have a better experience when
making an online reservation, because it will be a quick process, the service will be available 24/7,
and the system will provide all the necessary information in order to make the desired reservation
with tranquility.[6]
Restaurants will experience a great number of benefits when using an online reservation system.
Some of these benefits translate into a decline in incoming phone calls, a better control of the
capacity of the restaurant and the number of reservations one will be able to accept, and a number
of handy statistics and reports that will help to analyze the business in interesting ways. [6]

Online reservations systems will benefit restaurants with a wide range of management tools, like
operational reports, floor management software, customer reservation histories, customer data and
preferences and customer data bases. Restaurants will also be able to track cancellations and
manage walk-in and waitlists in a better way, eliminate overbookings and create target mailings with
the information from the customer database.[6]
Restaurant reservation systems store the customer database that grows with every new diner
booking a table. This presents marketing opportunities for restaurant operators by means of email or
postal mail. Some providers also offer email marketing tools integrat

A typical restaurant kitchen is composed of different stations. A station

is the area where a certain type of food is prepared. Stations help keep
a restaurant kitchen running smoothly. The number of stations is dictated
by what is on the restaurants menu. A restaurant may have several
stations with specialized equipment or just one or two areas that are
designated for cooking certain menu items.

Budget and space are the two biggest factors in determining how
many stations are in your restaurant kitchen. Many of these stations
can be combined to save space and money. And you certainly dont
need a cook at each station during slow shifts.
The Saut Station
The most experienced cooks work the saut station, since this is where the most complicated
dishes are prepared. An experienced saut cook is also necessary because they usually cook
several dishes at one time during the dinner rush. Typically a saut station is equipped with a
multiple burner gas range, saut pans and tongs. A saut station usually has its own prep area,
with all the cooks ingredients, cutting board, cooler, and seasonings.
The Grill Station
The grill station consists of the grill, which can be a char broiler or a flattop, a cooler for grill
items (chicken, beef, kebabs, ect) tongs, grill brush and whatever house seasoning you use.
The grill cook needs to have a good degree of experience. Like the saut cook, the grill cook is
cooking several dishes at once.
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He also needs to know how to properly cook beef to well, medium and rare temperatures.

The Fry Station

The fryer, or fryolator as it is sometimes called, is for fried foods, such as chicken wings, onion
rings and French fries. Because a great deal of food that goes into a fryer is a frozen, most fry
stations have their own freezer. Other equipment needed includes fry baskets, tongs, and bowls
for breading. The fry station is a good entry level cooking position, ideal for someone just
starting out in a restaurant kitchen.
Pizza Station
If pizza plays a prominent role on your menu than a pizza station is a good idea. A combo reachin cooler with prep area is a good choice for a pizza station. And of course you will need an oven
for cooking. You can invest in a specialty pizza oven or use the ovens in your gas range. Again, if
you plan on serving a lot of pizza having a large oven that can cook several pies at once is your
best bet. Besides an oven, a well stocked pizza station should have pizza screens for cooking and
serving, a pizza paddle, pizza cutter and sheets of wax paper.
Other Kitchen Stations
Restaurants with enough space may have a salad station and/ or a dessert station. Or these might
be incorporated into the wait station. A well stocked salad station includes a cooler for lettuce,
vegetables, salad dressing and plates. A dessert station needs to have cooler for deserts and space
for plates, desert forks and an area to assemble desserts.
The Kitchen Line
Last, buy certainly not lease is the kitchen line. The line is the area where the servers pick up
their food. Sometimes the line refers to the line of stations in a kitchen. The line is often
manned by the expeditor- the person who sends the dishes to the dining room looking great. The
line should have garnish, plates, a spindle for order tickets and heating lamps, to keep