do you know how many people it has to be before you HAVE to make reservations for a dinner?

Question

ok, so im having dinner tomorrow at this restaurant for my birthday. and i just invited anyone and everyone to come, but i dont know if i have to make reservations? they could just come in and sit right??

Answer 1

It really depends on the restaurant.



Some restaurants require reservations for one person to dine. Some restaurants don't take reservations.



If you don't make reservations, you're likely to not get a table for quite a while. The appropriate wait staff won't be prepared, and will therefore they'll all be grumpy and over worked. If you have more than 4 people coming, you should make reservations, if only to ensure that you can have a good time while you're there.

Answer 2

Okay, here's how it works. A restaurant has a certain number of chairs and tables, when you make a reservation they save that number of chairs and tables for you. A busy restaurant may not be able to seat 2 people without a reservation on a busy Friday or Saturday, let alone anyone and everyone. Chain restaurants will usually be better able to accomodate you, they tend to be bigger anyway.



Also, if you say you're going to have 15 people in your party when you make your reservation they save 15 seats, so if you then show up with 20 people there may not be enough seats to go around. If you say it's 15 and you come in with 10, then that's 5 seats that have been held all night when your server could have had other customers there and made more money. They may not appreciate that.



Also, if everyone comes in helter-skelter ordering random things at random times you are making everyone's life very difficult. If at all possible meet at the bar and don't go to your table until everyone has arrived. Make sure that the waiter or hostess knows if there are any changes in the number of people or the time, many restaurants won't hold a table longer than 20 minutes if you don't call and let them know you're running late.



Plus, when you make the reservation you can let them know that it's your birthday, lots of restaurants will do something special for you.

Answer 3

One hour prior to opening isn't going to enable a restaurant to provide additional staffing if necessary.



It depends on the restaurant. If it is an intimate, charming, independently owned, restaurant you should try to make reservations. This allows the kitchen to prepare, the front of the house to prepare and allows your table to be ready for your guests.



If you are going to a big chain or corporately run restaurant it probably won't matter much because they are used to providing service based on quantity of guests rather than quality of food.



Just think about the open question you asked. You said you invited "anyone and everyone to come. " This question really can't be answered because it doesn't say whether you invited hundreds of guests, fifty +, a couple dozen,or 10.



You may want to consider how you are going to handle the check for a party of size. Make sure you have enough credit available on your credit card to pay for "anyone and everyone" otherwise your invited guests may be very disappointed.



Happy birthday!

Answer 4

You should call the restaurant you want to go to and call and ask them if they will take reservations for an unknown amount of people. Try to limit the amount of people you come or give them a number that seems a little high so that if you are a little short on that number it shouldn't be a problem.

Answer 5

Some places do not take reservations. If you make a reservation then you must have a number to reserve seats for. Reservaton means to save you 20 seats at 730pm for dining and your birthday... All 20 will be at the same table...

Answer 6

I think for a better result on service, you should let your restaurant know an hour prior their opening hour!

Specially if you are going in the rush time which is between 5:30 & 8 pm... Your guests will be more taking care of if a table is already set up for you all... You should definitely let them know if you are 8 or more!

Answer 7

Usually over 6 peeps in the party, but, get real! you cant just have people bopping in and out of the restaurant all nite. get a head count at least.