Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons User Hopefulromntic

Here’s a question for you. What’s worse: a restaurant that doesn’t take reservations, or a restaurant that insists on reservations but doesn’t honor them?

Think about it…what is a restaurant reservation if not an implied contract?

You make a reservation for 8 p.m. and you expect your table to be ready when you arrive.

But then the table isn’t ready and you are steered to the bar to buy drinks.

When the table is ready, instead of transferring your tab to your table, you are told you must settle up at the bar first.

Hey…if I’m there on time and the table isn’t ready, the first rule of hospitality is that the restaurant should buy the drinks.

Conversely, I’m also in favor of a 15-minute rule that works the other way.

When I make a reservation, I should have to supply my credit card.

If I’m more than 15 minutes late, there should be a penalty. If I’m a total no show? Just like with airlines, I should lose the value of the dinner.

That’s the fair way to do it.

But please no more making me pay for drinks because the restaurant didn’t honor the reservation.

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