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A Race to the Finish?

Taking cue from Chef Gordon Ramsay in the world of fabulous manners, many eateries are now starting to limit the amount of time patrons can spend at their table.

Anyone in the culinary world knows how essential the ability is to turn tables...and turn them quickly...and turn them well. This is part of pulling off a successful service. However, it is taking it to an entirely new extreme to have imposed time restrictions as an expectation. A little reminiscent of the Applebee's Stopwatch, is it not?

My question is this...have the big heads in the kitchen forgotten what is ultimately important...the customer? If there aren't any customers because you've made them so mad by imposing your restrictions, what is the point?

Shouldn't you simply provide excellent service and allow that to dictate the time spent at the table? 

A restaurant at the Gramercy Park Hotel, Wakiya, has jumped into this arena. They have imposed a 2:30 limit on their patrons. It is hard to tell what about this is smart or if it is just utterly offensive.

Have any of you ever experienced this? Would you still dine at a place that restricted your hours of consumption?

And just how many hours do visitors to Gordon Ramsay's The London get if they are in the formal dining room? 2 hours. 

Posted Jul 5, 2007 by sarahisafoodie | Share It

Filed under: Gordon Ramsay Gramercy Park Hotel Wakiya