Have you ever gone out to eat at a restaurant and been told that there will be a wait for a table even though you can see that there are a bunch of tables open?

While that can be frustrating, there is a reason for it. This TikToker has years of experience working in all sorts of restaurants and she explains why this happens.

She starts off the video outlining the situation, saying, “So, you walk into a restaurant and you see a few, or a bunch of empty tables. And yet, the host tells you that there is still a wait. It feels a little ridiculous, right?”

It sure does. She goes on to say what she knows, and what her experience is, “Here’s what’s actually happening. And I promise it’s not a power move. I worked in New York City restaurants for over a decade, in every kind of restaurant, from chain to three-Michelin-starred.”

Nice. She clearly has the experience to know what is happening here.

She explains, “Most restaurants don’t seat every table the moment it becomes available. It’s not about the physical space, it’s about what can the kitchen and the staff handle right now. If the host seats too many tables at once, especially in a particular section, that server gets slammed. They’re probably putting in a bunch of orders at once, the kitchen gets overwhelmed and probably backed up, and then you end up waiting longer for drinks, food, everything.”

Ahh, that actually makes sense.

She then wraps up the video by saying, “It’s about protecting your experience and the staff’s capacity and their sanity.”

I’m glad someone finally explained this. It makes a lot more sense now.

Though in some cases, I would rather sit and wait at a table than in lobby.

Watch the full video yourself to see what you think.

@thesamanthawilliams

Empty tables ≠ available tables #restaurant #restaurants #hospitality #customerservice #foh #boh #fyp

♬ original sound – Samantha Williams

Check out what the people in the comments had to say.

This person says she can’t stand very long, so getting a table and waiting would be better.

This person has a great idea.

He makes a good point.

Honestly, I have to believe that the restaurants know what they are doing and they know that people in the lobby are expecting to wait, whereas people at the tables will get upset if they aren’t served well.

This waitress really explains it well.

If you liked that story, check out this video from a former Chipotle employee who reveals how the company cheats customers out of food.