OK, "That clothes thing" thread seems to have digressed so I'll begin a new one.

I have found that no matter how nicely I am dressed, or in what country I am in, the first table the waiter shows us is always the worst one - you know, the one next to the bathroom, the one next to the kitchen, or the bus station. I usually smile and point to a different table, ask if we may sit there, and am then given another table. My husband is always embarrassed because he feels the waiter is giving you the ONLY available table available and we should take it. If we are given an inadequate table, he will change places with me and face the bathroom, bus station, etc. just to keep me from asking for another table.

I believe that waiters will automatically show you the worst table in the house first. If you will take it, that means the restaurant will have a nice table available when the next person who is a little more demanding walks in the door.

I have observed restaurants on many occasions and have found that this doesn't just happen to me. I have watched wait staff in Milan try to give a table next to the kitchen (in an empty restaurant) to an Italian couple (who refused it and were seated elsewhere), Venice, Paris, New York, London, San Francisco, San Jose, etc. etc. etc.

So what is the proper way to "get a good table"? Does one need to call well in advance and not at the last minute? Request a good table up front? Slip the wait $20?

I won't argue with you, but I've also seen many people who arrive with the attitude that they WILL be shown the worst table. I've seen a host show people to what I'd consider the best table in the house, and without even looking at it, the people are already eyeing the place and requesting a different table. And don't forget some people prefer the dark corner to the middle of the room, or even the one near the back as opposed to the one with the view which is also very bright in the day or has passersby looking at you. Not everyone agrees with what is the best table.

Maybe some places they do start with the worst table, but I find a lot more places start with the best tables first, unless of course those specific tables are booked. And I've never been refused a "better" table in an almost empty restaurant. A polite request is all it takes as far as I've experienced.

I can honestly say this has never been a problem for me in my entire life. I agree with Patrick that people do not always agree on which is the best, or the worst, table in the restaurant. And unless you are a regular, the waiter doesn't know whether you'd rather be in the window or in the back corner.

If we are shown to a table and prefer another that is empty, we simply request it politely. Waitstaff has always been accommodating. The few times we've had to accept what we considered a bad table, it was clear that there were no other options at the time.

I find it strange that your husband should be embarrassed by this. There is no reason to be.

Sometimes I am a hostess for a very nice restaurant and I sum up the patron as they enter. I don't have a hidden agenda and I let them chose if we have space or I try to seat them where I think they would like.

I have no idea if a couple wants to be isolated and romantic or if they want to be in the thick of things.

At times I ask for the person's preference such as, by the window? would you like a booth? would you like a table?

If they are mute I seat them where I want and I don't get insulted if they want to move before they mess up the table.

Remember the host or hostess if just another person like you are, we have no agenda, we want you to have a nice time and not give us trouble.

Nope, not a problem unless it's in a restaurant 'known' for particular tables. For example, here in London there aren't that many central restaurants with outside tables (and certainly not where they aren't right on the road) so where there is a nice terrace (Chez Gerard in Covent Garden is quite a good example) you do have to book an outside table in advance.

Other than that I've never encountered a problem. Just point to a table, smile and say 'Oh, I don't suppose we could sit there, could we? I do like to sit near {x}' or something.

I am often given inferior tables, but I assume that is in part because I am eating alone.

The big exception was in Arromanches-les-Bains where I had informed the hotel I would be having dinner when I reserved the room.

The nicest table in the restaurant was waiting for me. Unfortunately there was heavy fog and no view at all.

Keith

If there are more appealing tables open, I'll sometimes ask if we might sit there...and sometimes when the airconditioning is blasting, I'll ask to move to someplace less frigid I probably remind people of a favorite aunt (or maybe grandma now that I'm getting older) and a pleasant smile looking right into their eyes usually does the trick.

>I usually smile and point to a different table, ask if we may sit there..<

Sounds good to me.

I know at some places the choice tables can be reserved, if you walk in from the street you might have to take whatever is left.

I always ask for a better table if I see I am getting led to a lousy one, why not? I am paying, I'm not a guest.
If none is available I don't put up a fuss though, it is my own fault for not reserving.

reminds me of when my kids and met my husband at a fairly "in" London resturant. He had made the reservation and showed uo first. So there he was a center stage at a table for six. Imagine the look on the front staff when we arrived! They thought they were getting a big group of business men in to spned lots of money......
Before you all come after me, our reservation was for six o'clock NOT a great time to dine in Londonand we had cleared the table before eight.
Trust me, if I had gotten ther first we would have be ( rightly in my opinion) seated in the darkest corner!

Why are tourist sometimes ( SOMETIMES) placed at a "bad" table? Because they are tourists, not frequent customers. I usually don't try to switch tables. However, on one of our last family trips we were led through an EMPTY dining room to the back side room of our hotel restaurant. Since many other families were there I was rather put out that we had been placed at this table. I did make a comment and was told that the dining room would be filling up "shortly." I was annoyed all diner until I saw a friend ating with her family at a "good table." They had had lousy service all night.
not sure what the point is of my post, but added it just the same.

I think if this happens to you every single time, that is very very strange. It does not happen to everyone who doesn't reserve, and I can see that from observation. If you believe this always happens in every restaurant to everyone, you are mistaken.

I travel alone and dine out alone a lot, and it does happen to me occasionally (and I know it's because I'm a single female). When I am shown to a table in a bad area or near the kitchen, I simply say I do not want to sit there, and suggest another free table. If they cannot accommodate me, I have actually left. Usually they will, as it's a trick they try on single women. I"ve never seen that happen a lot to couples, though.

However, I have worked as a hostess many years ago, and what I think is obvious but perhaps isn't -- the job of the person who seats you is not to just sit everyone at the best tables. It is to balance out the diners among the various sections of the restaurant so they are evenly divided between waiters, to the extent possible.

I would never pay money to be seated at a decent table. I think your experience is a lot different than mine if you've observed this on many occasions, though.

Agree with Patrick completely! Another solution in Italy is to go to dinner early..you might then get the table reserved for later in the evening.

When I was a hostess, we had a system of seating people so that one waiter wouldn't have ten tables all sitting down and wanting service at one time, but we tried to accomodate special requests.

There is nothing wrong with asking!

That's really odd! We've never found that. Of course everyone is offered a bad table eventually (I think because no one wants them - but someone has to take them to balance things out for the wait staff - of the place is full.) And often we are offered a very good table - outside, or with a view or near the fireplace etc - unless the place is absolutely full.

IMHO when I have wanted a certain area or a particular table I make reservations early. If that area or table not available than I know. If it is than it is reserved for me.

When there are no reservations one does have to accept what is available or just leave. But I don't see a problem in politely asking if another table is available if the first one shown is not acceptable.