How do you feel about restaurants that put time limits on your dining experience?

I made a reservation for 10 people for my birthday in Manhattan. The woman on the phone made sure to tell me that there is a "2 hour time limit" on dinner. I think this is kind of offensive, especially considering how much money we're going to be dropping for 10 people to eat dinner in NYC.

What are your thoughts on this?

Re: How do you feel about restaurants that put time limits on your dining experience?

Message edited 11/10/2011 4:07:07 PM.

Re: How do you feel about restaurants that put time limits on your dining experience?

Are you kidding me???!! That is ridiculous and I think especially if there are 10 people dining.....and how did they come up with the magical 2 hour limit? Is there some sort of "secret" eating equation we don't know about?
This would never, ever happen in Europe where sitting for a meal is a marathon event!

Re: How do you feel about restaurants that put time limits on your dining experience?

I can't STAND that- why would you want to go to a nice meal if you have to rush and worry about time?
It takes away from the entire experience and puts a bad taste in my mouth. Not to mention when dining with a long group you usually want to linger and enjoy each other.

Re: How do you feel about restaurants that put time limits on your dining experience?

Message edited 11/10/2011 4:09:25 PM.

Re: How do you feel about restaurants that put time limits on your dining experience?

Wrong, wrong, wrong. I can't stand that! I'd rather not spend my money at a place that would place a time limit on my meal.

Re: How do you feel about restaurants that put time limits on your dining experience?

I'm not a fan, but if it's a busy place I can understand that they are just trying to get as many people in to maximize revenues.

My MIL refuses to patronize restaurants who do this.

Re: How do you feel about restaurants that put time limits on your dining experience?

That is honestly the most ridiculous thing ever!! I would probably decide to go somewhere else and call them and let them know why you are cancelling.

Larger groups, especially, always take longer!

ETA: Oh and how excatly do they enforce this?

Message edited 8/2/2007 5:49:05 PM.

Re: How do you feel about restaurants that put time limits on your dining experience?

Message edited 11/10/2011 4:09:46 PM.

Re: How do you feel about restaurants that put time limits on your dining experience?

Re: How do you feel about restaurants that put time limits on your dining experience?

that is ballsy

happy early birthday

Message edited 8/2/2007 5:55:20 PM.

Re: How do you feel about restaurants that put time limits on your dining experience?

OMG i've never heard of that but i would definitely be pizzed if i were you.

Message edited 7/13/2009 2:33:51 PM.

Re: How do you feel about restaurants that put time limits on your dining experience?

that is SO rude! how dare they put a limit on your time there?

eta: what if the food takes forever to come out? or you have slow service? so you have to eat and then rush out the door? I would NOT go to any place that gave me a time limit.

Message edited 8/2/2007 6:15:12 PM.

Re: How do you feel about restaurants that put time limits on your dining experience?

That is ridiculous - you are going to be spending mucho dinero...they should let you stay however long you want!

Re: How do you feel about restaurants that put time limits on your dining experience?

Posted by SweetestOfPeas

that is SO rude! how dare they put a limit on your time there?

eta: what if the food takes forever to come out? or you have slow service? so you have to eat and then rush out the door? I would NOT go to any place that gave me a time limit.

Re: How do you feel about restaurants that put time limits on your dining experience?

This is crazy! This has never happened to DH and I until we went away like 2 weeks ago.

They were like, you can sit here but you need to be out by 8:00pm, so I turned around and said "if you get us our drinks and our food out in a decent time then it won't be a problem" Low and behold our dinner didn't come until like 7:45...

We didn't even move when 8:00 came around, and then we ordered desserts just to f' with them even though we were already stuffed like turkeys. heheh LOL.

Re: How do you feel about restaurants that put time limits on your dining experience?

I can see not wanting a large group to just linger long after dinner & dessert are done but to actually put an actual time limit on the meal is nutty. There are plenty of other places to go.

Message edited 8/2/2007 6:21:51 PM.

Re: How do you feel about restaurants that put time limits on your dining experience?

Absurd!!! When we were living in Dublin we went to a restaurant and when my girlfriend went to order dessert she was told no because our time limit was up I was so mad because we were never told we even had a limit. We left, with no dessert and I never went back there again, even though I loved the food.

Re: How do you feel about restaurants that put time limits on your dining experience?

I would find a different place to dine!

Re: How do you feel about restaurants that put time limits on your dining experience?

That is so wrong..10 people 2 hours ..you are going to be so rushed! I would go someplace else!

Re: How do you feel about restaurants that put time limits on your dining experience?

Re: How do you feel about restaurants that put time limits on your dining experience?

very strange...i'd try to go elsewhere or disregard the time limit. do u think they have other reservations for that table after 8?

Re: How do you feel about restaurants that put time limits on your dining experience?

I would go elsewhere..

Re: How do you feel about restaurants that put time limits on your dining experience?

That's crap!