Count me as one that hates the behemoth of a menu - if it doesn’t fit on a single oversize sheet, with decent-sized font, your menu is too big.
As to the mandatory wait - from a business perspective, it’s makes no sense. That’s tables sitting empty when they could be making sales, and guests leaving to find somewhere else that doesn’t require parking it before even getting a table. From a customer service standpoint, it’s almost as dumb. People that have to wait for a table are less patient and forgiving, in general, of any delays from that point forward.
Wait times are used for two reasons - you don’t have tables, or you don’t have servers. If you don’t have tables, that’s self-explanatory. If you don’t have the servers: your employees can only handle so many tables and guests at a time. That number varies for each server, but there IS a finite limit. Passing that upper bound is, as Beckdawreck would say, “bad, bad, bad”. Customer service becomes non-existent for all but the best waitstaff, and that, again, leads to upset customers.
Given the layout of every CF I’ve been to, I’d guess that the shorter waits (<5 minutes), were solely so the host could make sure the table they’re planning to seat you at is actually available and clean. It’s POSSIBLE it could be a corporate policy to “improve” the desirability of the brand, but to do so at the REAL cost of lost business seems…suboptimal.
The one on television had nothing in common with the real chain. Not the decor, the menu, the uniforms, anything. People say it’s product placement, but I can’t imagine why the company would pay to have this cheap imitation represent them. My belief is they used the name just so they could make fun of Leonard’s lactose intolerance.
I also don’t believe they ever make people wait if there are clean, available tables. I’ve certainly been seated right away and I only go there occasionally. My belief, again, is that such a huge restaurant has trouble cleaning tables after parties leave, leading to the impression that tables are open even when they’re not.
My beliefs, apparently, tend to assume that people who say stupid things on the internet are stupid. I find me hard to dispute.
I can see the exclusivity thing maybe working for a trendy nightclub or else one that’s trying to be trendy.
But having worked in restaurants, including as a host, I can’t see any restaurant pulling that. First of all, the servers make their money from tips. So, they want their section as full as they can handle.
I know there’s a conspiracy theory they make you wait so you’ll order something at the bar. That’s complete rubbish. The bartender wants to make tip money as well and she’s not making it when people are sitting their drinking cokes. In many restaurants, the bar area isn’t 21+ so you may even have kids sitting at the bar.
From watching some of those restaurant makeover shows, the restaurant doesn’t want to seat too many people at once, so the wait staff isn’t trying to take orders from too many tables at the same time and also so the kitchen isn’t overwhelmed with orders. I don’t know if that’s what Cheesecake Factory is doing but it might explain why some restaurant do things.
This is a feature for some people. I lose weight on 3000-3500 calories per day and practice intermittent fasting generally. So, if I go out to eat I’d rather get most of my daily calories in one sitting.
remember to the natives, in the beginning, at least McDonald’s and dairy queen were exotic places as they probably been eating the local fare you’re so in love with for centuries …
This reminds me of Denny’s first foray into Thailand, back in the '90s. They tried to go upscale, with a fancy wine case and everything. Didn’t last long.
The key word is “available.” Maybe they were short staffed after a shift change or some of the wait staff went home sick. There could be many explanations more plausible than deliberately keeping from making money off you.
Sure, and if the CEO or someone pipes up in here and says they changed the policy he gave many years ago, I will believe it. But he specifically said that was his policy and that it make his restaurant look more “exclusive” to make people wait.
Well, the locals have no idea. It’s like Payless Shoes. They entered Thailand a few years ago and marketed themselves as an upscale shoe store. I kept telling Thais that in the US, that’s where the poor people go for their shoes, but I got dubious looks, particularly from the Business Editor at the Bangkok Post who was tasked with putting out promotional stories for the chain. Dunno if they’re still there, as I’ve heard Payless has been having a lot of financial problems. They left Hawaii completely last year.