Exploding Myths: Bribing the guy in the restaurant so that you get a table in an otherwise over-booked restaurant

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You know the kinda thing. Humphrey Bogart used to do it all the time.

Surely this is hollywood bollox, right? Or can you actually grease palms and get a free table where previously there was none?

(P.S. I don't go to restaurants very often because their mysteriousness frightens me - confirming or dispelling this myth would cheer me up no end)

― Johnney B, Saturday, 29 May 2004 17:10 (twenty-two years ago)

I have never had the urge to slip the guy at the Olive Garden a fiver.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Saturday, 29 May 2004 17:55 (twenty-two years ago)

at posh restaurants, yes
at burger king, no

― don (don), Saturday, 29 May 2004 18:09 (twenty-two years ago)

What, so at posh restaurants, tables are kept spare for those who want to seem a bit underhand?

And what's the going rate for a bribe these days? fiver? tenner? crisp £50?

― Johnney B, Saturday, 29 May 2004 18:10 (twenty-two years ago)

I saw it work one time! My father slipped someone at this nice restaurant a tenner and we got a table straight away.

― Gear! (Gear!), Saturday, 29 May 2004 18:21 (twenty-two years ago)

What, so at posh restaurants, tables are kept spare for those who want to seem a bit underhand?

I suppose they can squeeze tables closer together.

― N. (nickdastoor), Saturday, 29 May 2004 19:23 (twenty-two years ago)

At the type of posh restaurant in question, tables are kept spare on the assumption that Big Shot Regulars / P Diddy / Robert DeNiro may well pop in without a reservation.

― nabiscothingy, Saturday, 29 May 2004 21:14 (twenty-two years ago)

there was a great article in gourmet about this that's still online, let me look...

― teeny (teeny), Saturday, 29 May 2004 22:02 (twenty-two years ago)

We wouldn't. We do keep tables aside on the off chance for regulars though.

― Matt (Matt), Saturday, 29 May 2004 22:04 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.epicurious.com/g_gourmet/g06_feature/james_beard/dough.html

― teeny (teeny), Saturday, 29 May 2004 22:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Great article!

― NA (Nick A.), Sunday, 30 May 2004 02:59 (twenty-two years ago)

I can't decide if it's heartening (supposedly charmed circles aren't really so charmed) or depressing (it's just about money).

― N. (nickdastoor), Sunday, 30 May 2004 03:02 (twenty-two years ago)

A little of column A, a little of column B.

I wonder how thrilled the employees are to be referred to, especially the last one?

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Sunday, 30 May 2004 03:07 (twenty-two years ago)

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