Ok, the banquet manager has finally recovered from our Thanksgiving dinner buffet in the ballroom. All went well. The staff setup beautiful decorated displays with pumpkins, gourds, hay bales, etc…you know, all the seasonal stuff.
Service was going great too. The hostess was on top of her game, switching tables as needed if the guests stayed later than planned. The servers flipped tables quickly and without any noise. The kitchen had enough food (yes I know, what a surprise). A nice easy (but busy) day ahead.
Then it happened…
I get a call on the walkie talkie from our hostess saying that there is a 14 top that just walked-in and wants to be seated. WTF…a 14 top?
I calmly walk out of the ballroom and go over to my hostess. She has the look of despair all over her face. Apparently she has been following my directions and has been trying to keep to our reservation schedule and not make too many changes. But this group is insisting to be let in to the buffet.
Just as I go to introduce myself and try to find out who is in charge, some 50’ish woman in high heels walks over to me and says, “Are you the manager”? What a stupid question, now the fun starts I’m thinking. “Aren’t you a hotel”? came next. “Why can’t this woman (my hostess) understand that you need to let me in”? “You need to accommodate your guests and not shoo them away” was her last complaint on that one long breath.
So now I started…”Why yes, I am the manager, How can I help you”? This just got her started again. After listening to her story once again I said, “Do you have a reservation”? “No I don’t”, she said, “but what’s the difference – we’re here already right”?
“I’m sure you can understand that for a large party such as yours, a reservation is needed to ensure that we can accommodate your group” I said. “I can’t promise anything but let me see what I can do” came next as I walked to our host stand and the reservation book. I wasn’t going to jump through hoops to squeeze her 6 adults and 8 kids into the room. Oh, I forgot to mention that…8 kids ranging from an infant to around 14 years old. She expects me to find room for 14 people that won’t even be paying full price for their meals? Yeah right!
Remember, it’s now a little after 2pm and right in the middle of our planned 4 hour seating. There is a line forming behind these 14 people and they are coming in for the 2pm seating. I ask the mob leader to please take her group and step aside so the other guests that do have a reservation can be seated in a timely manner. This got her steamed but I kept going.
“I’m very sorry but the earliest I can accommodate your large group will be at 4pm, our last seating” I said. “WHAT”? “You’ve got to be kidding me”. “What are we supposed to do for the next 2 hours”?, came next. “I’m very sorry but as you can see from the line that formed behind you, that we are very busy today and expect to do over 500 people today”. “4pm will be the first chance we can seat you”. “Will you like me to put your name down for then”?, I asked, knowing she never would want to wait.
With that she said “Forget it” and stormed out of the lobby with her possie in tow. Now listen, if we could have found a way to squeeze the group in I would have. But I’m not going to jeopardize other groups that did the right thing and made a reservation just to find a home for these 14 people. It’s hard enough to serve 500 people with no mistakes. I won’t let a 14 top walk-in mess up my day.
I’ll wait until the complaint letter for that!
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Ok, I've had a few days off to enjoy my time off for Christmas...now it's back to work today for me to prepare for the New Years Celebration.
