How Restaurant Employees Decide Where To Seat You — And If Reservations Actually Help

Most of us are intimately familiar with the ritual of dining out at a restaurant. You check in at the host stand, get seated at your table, and let the delicious festivities begin. But behind the scenes of a typical dinner out, the restaurant staff are making dozens of intentional decisions to ensure you have the best experience possible, right down to where to seat each party.

As someone with over ten years of experience working in restaurants, I've dealt with my fair share of seating-related wins and disasters. To the guests, where they are seated might seem inconsequential, but it is actually a very tactical decision by the host that can affect the service flow of the entire restaurant. Typically, the decision of where to seat a table is based on a few different factors: occasion, party size, and pacing the servers so that one section isn't overloaded. That last one is the most important, as it can be the difference between flawed or flawless service. 

Restaurant hosts will generally rotate the order in which different sections and servers get seated equally to ensure a seamless dining experience for all guests. Ideally, servers will have the chance to greet a new table, introduce the menu, and answer any off-the-top questions guests may have before they get a new table and start the process over again. When done correctly, this intentional pacing means that guests get ample attention from servers, bartenders can mix drinks as they come in without getting overloaded, and the kitchen can churn out orders quickly and efficiently.

Reservations allow the host team to plot out where each party will be sat throughout the night in advance, locking in a smooth flow of service before the doors even open. In the business of customer service, keeping the guests happy is everything. So, if you were to leave a note in your reservation that you're coming in to watch the big game, I'd make sure you were seated at a table with a good view of the TVs. Celebrating a birthday? We'll give you a table with the best backdrop for photos. And, if you noted that you're going to the theater after dinner, we might just give you the best seats in the house. Not only because it enhances what is clearly a special night out, but because we know you'll be leaving at a specific time, allowing us to turn a coveted table.

Beyond making a reservation in advance, there are a few other ways that restaurant staff might decide where to seat you. For example, if the table we had saved for you is in the section of a server who is "in the weeds" — AKA "busy and lagging behind" in industry speak — the host will likely seat you somewhere else. Lastly, being kind and patient to the staff can go a long way. That's not to say that if you're rude you'll automatically be seated right by the bathrooms, but I know from experience that we will gladly go the extra mile for guests that are understanding and friendly.