What's the rush? Relaxed dining vs quick table turns

Have you ever looked at a group of people at a restaurant table while waiting for a table yourself, and wondered ‘If they’re done with their meal, why are they lounging around?’ Or have you seen someone walking in and out of a cafe barely in 15 mins and thought, ‘How can someone just eat and leave that soon?’ While these may be two sides of the same coin for patrons, for the restaurant management it’s a different story as they have to strike a fine balance between customer satisfaction and pleasing the pockets. Diners and restaurateurs share their take on what they look for while dining out and the ideal table turnover time, respectively.
What’s table turnover time?
It is the time spent by patrons at a table – from the time they are seated until they leave. The faster a restaurant turns their tables, the more customers they serve and the more revenue they
make. During peak hours or holidays, a restaurant may look at faster table turnovers to accommodate the
high footfall. However, this doesn’t trump the spirit of hospitality.
Average table turnover time: 1.15-2 hours
Ideal table turnover time: 30-45 mins


We understand peak hours but don’t want to feel rushed: Diners
For diners, a restaurant or cafe visit can be anything from grabbing a mid-work bite, to an elaborate meal, networking, or working. And being asked to vacate the table borders on rudeness, they say. “I feel that it should be a diner’s choice when to leave. Restaurants or cafes giving us hints to leave is rude,” says Akash Bisht, a Gurgaon-based corporate employee. Poulami Jagtap, an artist from Pune, mentions how verbal and body language of servers can help with this. “I don’t like to be rushed out of a place if I’m not ready. But a simple ‘Whenever you’re ready’, rather than placing the bill on the table, makes a difference,” she says. There’s a level of understanding from diners too. “If there are people waiting for a table, I think that the staff is right in getting the bill, and I am happy to vacate the table,” said Mallika Nath, a regular diner from Delhi

Did you know?
63.2% like spending time at cafes
88.2% prefer an elaborate meal at restaurants
67.4% feel bothered when they are handed the bill abruptly
51.5% feel bothered when asked to leave for occupying a table for long
(Source: An online poll on dining behviour with people from Pune, Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore)

We request to vacate if there’s no other option: Restaurateurs
Asking one to leave, even subtly, isn’t always in sync with the essence of hospitality, says restaurateurs. But desperate times call for desperate measures, and for restaurants that means peak hours and busy days. “It’s not easy to balance customer satisfaction with table turnover. For late lunch reservations followed by evening reservations, I ask if the customer’s planning to stay after lunch. If yes, I request them to move to the bar, while I check for any cancellations in the next slot,” says Vinay Chandrashekar, founder-owner of Bengaluru-based Long Boat Brewing Co. Polite persuasion also means handing the bill once the meal is over. “Unfortunately, sometimes we do have to hand the bill without the customer asking for it. This is why training staff in matters of politeness is important,” adds Debaditya Choudhary, MD, Chowman chain of restaurants. Some restaurants, however, try to find another way. “We manage by increasing the seating capacity or addressing waiting times proactively,” shares Naman Dhandhania, co-owner of Calcutta-based Fabbrica. Ritika Sharma, director of a Delhi-based restaurant adds, “Having a standard operating procedure for such situations is essential for a good customer experience. We try to optimally utilise manpower in such scenarios.”

The polite route
-Trained, friendly and attentive staff to ensure diners feel valued, not rushed
-15-minute grace period for reservations
-Subtle indication includes clearing plates, asking if one would like to order anything else, mentioning closing hours, and presenting the bill
-Complimentary dessert for those who vacate their table, if being asked politely, on busy days