We are invited out to dinner at a restaurant in Cambridge. I name no names, but it’s one of a chain owned by a TV chef/celebrity, whose wife specialises in giving the most ludicrous names to their offspring. I have just discovered that the rules of this place stipulate that parties of fewer than six are allowed one and a half hours to consume their dinner, while larger parties are allowed two and a half hours. Left to my own devices, I would tell this restaurant what it could do with its reservation. As a guest I must bite my tongue. This is the first time I have come across this time limit. What if the service is slow? Husband says then we won’t be eating much and they’ll have cut their own throats. Have other Charioteers come across this? Will we be served the coffee in paper cups we can take with us?
Boadicea's Chariot 
I think I’ve worked out which TV chef / celebrity you mean.
I, too would tell the restaurant what to do with its ‘rules’. A meal out with friends, of however many, is an ‘occasion’ not an eating race. What will they do? Take the plates away after and hour and a half whether one has finished or not… hmmm!~ I’d have problems with that!
If I have the right place – the reviews don’t sound too great!
Damn arrogance and he deserves all the bad publicity that he may get. In many US restaurants, the waiters are so keen for their next tip that they whisk your plates with half finished meals away if you are not watching and pressure your to order something else. You may not dawdle over your coffees of ‘post-prandials’ without incurring their extreme wrath. Eat, drink, pay and get out. I always reckoned that the seats were specifically designed to become uncomfortable after 47 minutes. My rule was that the heavier the sarcasm and the more pressure applied, the longer I lingered and the less the tip I gave, if any. I mean what they actually going to do to you – physically throw you out?
Sheona: It is not an unknown practice in the West End of London, but I do try and avoid such establishments.
Sipu: All very true about American waiters, or at least some of them. However, they are more dependant on tips than their European counterparts so have to create a balance between fast and good service! 🙂
The more expensive US restaurants are more relaxed, but I guess they can afford to be.
You mean the place was actually stupid enough to let you know you only had the table for an hour and a half?
Were I forced to eat there, I would make a point to eat extremely slowly just to see what happened!
Maybe it would have been wiser to beg off the whole thing!
Sipu I don’t think that attitude is so prevalent these days in the USA. What does happen though is serving the starters with the main course!!!!! One has to make it very clear indeed that one wants one course at a time, even then they try and bring the main whilst you are still eating. I just send it away, refuse to have it on the table. Pisses them off mightily but what are they going to do? If it comes back cold, just refuse it again!
sheona, just do as you like and fix them with a basilisk eye, at the end of them day what are they going to do? You always hold the whip hand, it is your money!
Interestingly I used to rebook tables at two hour intervals, not that it was public knowledge or policy, but as a rule of thumb it works. The artform being not to rebook every table so that you have some flexibility in moving parties around slow tables. Also doing your own front of house helps tremendously! Not leaving it to some moronic employee.
Unfortunately, Christina, it’s not our money, since we’re guests. However if we arrive early, I may be tempted to buttonhole someone, wearing my “See you, Jimmie” expression, and suggest they do not start the stop watch.
Interesting, Sheona.
There is a branch in Reading which I haven’t tried, but it’s really “fast food”, according to my daughter. You can book but it’s essentially “walk in”.
Had a similar experience with Le Petit Blanc chain, not really comparable with Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons.
Sipu: the only time that ever happened to me was at cheap pseudo-Chinese restaurants. Much of the time I would have to wait longer to leave than I cared to. As Christine said, they also like to get food out too quickly.
I shall report back – full restaurant review.
Please make it enjoyably catty!
I don’t think I could eat there on the principle of his daughter’s names, let alone the food!
CO: for your amusement, I offer you this morsel about him… He once attempted to improve the quality of food served by the Los Angeles Unified School District. They threw him out for being too much an attention w***e. Yes, even Los Angeles couldn’t stand his ego.