At most (all?) of the larger restaurants I go to the wait staff is assigned to non-contiguous tables. This can lead to frustrating times like last night where our waiter seemingly forgot about us while the tables around us were getting lots of love. Since our waiter didn’t serve any of those tables we had no opportunity to get his attention. It seems like it would make sense to assign the waiters to a single area of the room so that they can more easily keep an eye on things. However, since none of the restaurants I go to appear to do this, there must be a reason. Anybody know?
That’s weird you say most of the places you go to do this, because as a server, that is not the norm. Most places give you a “section” that is anywhere from 3-6 tables, depending on the place, size of tables, how busy it is, etc… that are all close to each other. The only time they typically get a table not near the others is if they have to take an extra because the server in that area can’t, or isn’t there yet, or maybe it’s a shift change, which usually means a section change as well.
However, I have heard that some restaurants don’t do sections, they just see what server is next on the table rotation, and whatever table is open is now theirs…this make it more fair to the servers, because sometimes they have campers who won’t leave their tables…or have a table that is less desirable (near the bathrooms or kitchen), and people might refuse to sit there, so they can just give him/her a table somewhere else.
Many restaurants do exactly what you describe: break up the restaurant into sections (groups of contiguous tables), and assign each section to a server. Then, in order to ensure that each server gets an equal share of customers, the host/hostess seats the first group of people in Section A, the next in Section B, and so on.
But what often happens is that the the hostess starts walking the fifth group of people to Section E, all the way in the back of the restaurant, and the customers notice that they’re being ushered past one perfectly good empty table after another, and they won’t be able to look out the windows, and in fact, their only view will be of the dishwashers whenever the kitchen doors slam open and closed. And so they say to the hostess, “You know, we’d really like to sit a little closer to the front. Could we maybe take one of these booths here?” And she seats them in Section B, and then runs and confers with the servers, and they agree to swap one of the B tables for an E table. Or they don’t, and the poor person serving Section E doesn’t get assigned any tables until the rest of the restaurant fills up, and then suddenly gets all their tables filled at once, and ends up giving them all lousy service because they all need the same things at the same time.
So, some restaurants avoid this by assigning customers to servers in a regular rotation, and seating the customers wherever they prefer, or all in one group (so that the they don’t have to clean any tables that don’t get used if the restaurant never fills up), or whatever works best for them.
And sometimes, it might be that one server goes home sick or their shift ends early, and so their section is split up among the remaining servers, or that one of the sections is largely 2-person tables, and so whoever is unlucky enough to be assigned there also gets custody of one of the larger tables, to even things out, or something else entirely.
ETA: In other words, what bouv said.
Don’t know for sure, but I always figured it was to avoid a situation where several of a server’s tables want attention at the same time and feel like they should get it before the other tables. Being able to see the server go to another table can aggravate the feeling of being neglected, and some people will make an uncomfortable scene over it.
Another aspect might be filling the rooms in a non-scattered way while keeping all the servers equally/fairly assigned tables.
Of course this doesn’t excuse the type of neglect you experienced. The practical way to deal with it is to ask another server to send yours over. Follow up with a reduced tip and/or chat with the manager as you feel is appropriate.