Recently I came across a post on reddit (or TikTok, I can’t remember) about some people that went to a restaurant, with a reservation, and walked right up to the front of the line for the host stand, to inform the restaurant that they were there, and then they were confused as to why other people in line were complaining about them skipping the line…
The comments on the post were all over the place, with a lot of people saying that even with a reservation, you still need to wait in the host line to check in. You can’t just budge in front of all the other people waiting, just to tell the restaurant that you have arrived for your reservation. But on the other hand, there were a lot of people claiming that, because you have a reservation, that means you don’t have to wait in line… that’s the whole point.
And I would argue that those people are wrong.
Restaurant Reservations and Waiting for the Host
Anytime I have ever gone to a restaurant, in my entire 44 years on this planet, even with a reservation I still believe you need to wait your turn in line at the host stand like everyone else.
Anytime me and my friends have gone to a restaurant and there was a line at the host stand, we all still wait until it’s our turn to tell the host/hostess that we have arrived and we have a reservation. This just seems like the proper way to do this, but am I wrong? Have we been standing in these lines for no reason?
Regardless of what anyone tells me, it seems incredibly rude to bypass the entire host line if you have a reservation. The reservation is intended to hold your table for you. I have never been in a situation where standing in the host line for a few minutes has caused the restaurant to give away my reserved table.
Now, if you’re running super late and don’t give the restaurant a heads up, then that’s on you. The restaurant obviously can’t hold the table forever, so if they give it a way because you’re running late, then you’re the problem. But if you’re on time, and you just have to wait a few minutes waiting in line for the host, then the chances of the restaurant giving your table away that quickly, are pretty slim.
Wait Your Turn
Maybe I’ve just been doing it wrong all these years, and maybe everyone I’ve ever been to a restaurant with has also been doing it wrong… or maybe it’s a regional thing, I don’t know.
Either way, to me, it seems extremely rude to bypass every single person that’s waiting in line for the host, just because you have a reservation. It makes you seem entitled and, frankly, shitty, if you just push your way up front and announce you have a reservation.
How do you know that there aren’t courteous people waiting in that same line, that also have reservations to check in for? Just because you think your reservation gives you a sense of entitlement when checking in, doesn’t mean other people aren’t going to view you as rude or self-centered.
Please let me know if I’m wrong here…
I honestly couldn’t believe how many people in the comments of that post claimed that a reservation gives you the right to jump that entire host line and announce your arrival.
I don’t know, it really bugged me that so many people felt that they were more important just because they had a table reservation.
The reservation is intended to ensure that there is a table ready for you when you arrive, but you still need to be patient and check in with the host like everyone else. The main benefit of a reservation is that after you check in, you will most likely be seated before all of those people that just walked in (or are early for their reservation) and are waiting for a table to open up.
But you still have to wait to talk to the host…
And this doesn’t pertain to just fancy restaurants, or just chain restaurants, this is any restaurant that has a host stand near the front doors. But again, maybe I’m in the minority here. Either way though, I’m going to continue to not budge past people in line to check in at a restaurant even if I have a reservation. It’s rude and it makes you seem way to entitled and self-centered.
Get to the back of the line like everyone else, your table will be waiting when you get up to the host and let them know you have arrived.
