She's nervous about her new biz and she may have control issues, as manifested by her need to be "ready" if a big crowd shows up. Of course she should have let you sit wherever you wanted, because it could have been YOU expecting two additional people. See, she's not really logical. Unless the food is heaven sent or it is the only restaurant in the area, I would stop going. Next time she'd have an issue with you asking for more than one napkin, yadda, yadda. I'm betting your comments fell on deaf ears but at least out of your system.

If the tables were at the side of the room and set up in such a way that they could be put together for a larger party than four than it is not uncommon for restaurants to save them during busier times of day. It is reasonable for her to save them.

If there were tables for four that could only accommodate four no matter how they were moved then she should have let you have one of them.

how is this woman ever going to become a "regiular" if she's treated like she's less important than the crowd that never did show???? Having said that, if I go to a teenie, tiny restaurant, I do avoid sitting in a large booth or table, in case a big party shows up. But I do not hesitate to hog a big table if all little ones are dirty. Edited to add: Other things come to play: was this a weekend or holiday where it is likely restaurant will be full? Is this only restaurant in town?

That lady needs to brush up on her customer service or she won't have any customers.

Unless there was a reservation or people waiting in line, you should have gotten one of the tables for four like you had requested. If a large group came in later, they could figure it out.

It sounds like she may be new to the business, and nervous about maximizing her seating. If she was having a low turnover of patrons, of course she should have accommodated you - made an effort to make a return diner of you since you were cash in hand in front of her.

I'd like to think I'd have had the conversation with her while there, but I think it was not unreasonable you called to express your feelings later. At which point she still did not seem to have given second thought and regretted your treatment at all, turning me back to thinking she's inexperienced in building a clientele.

Unless the food was exceptionally remarkable, enough so to put up with quirky behavior, I probably wouldn't go back.

I agree and agree. She should have come by with a "sorry" when OP was done eating or leaving.

I wouldn't go back.

Knowing how to cook and knowing how to run a restaurant are two different things. Restaurants have the highest failure rate of any type of small business and when one closes or changes hands, it's rarely a surprise to those who have been there.

After your call about feeling unwelcome, I would think a savvy business person would offer you two free vouchers for another time. when you went back, you may be bringing others with you or at least telling others how nicely she responded to your concern.

If you liked the food and would ordinarily return (if the owner hadn't been so rude) -- if you're feeling particularly spunky someday when you're hungry, go there again with your DH and say that you are expecting two more people to join you. Then you can get the table for four on the side. You can say that you're going to go ahead and order and the other couple can order when they get there.... and then, if you feel like it, as you're leaving you can say something about your "friends not showing up." :-)

Good answer Lindsey.....

It's common when a place isn't busy to wish not to use the side area--that requires a lot more service to keep walking over to keep an eye on when there isn't a server assigned to that section, so I understand her wanting to seat you in the main area. A good host would let you sit there if you insisted it was your favorite spot. I've been to places that insisted that pairs not be allowed at a four top, even when there was a wait for a two top and non for a four! Those people need to learn a lot about customer service. I've occasionally been in a small party that was asked to move to an equivalently nice other table so they could seat a large party. They always comp a portion of the meal in gratitude. This happens in the drinks stage, maybe, or before. Not when people are engaging their meals. I don't mind at all. Much better than being asked to move before potential customers even arrive! Unless she had reservations booked, holding those four tops was ridiculous!

Elledi, I think you did the greatest service to the owner! Restaurant managers all the time talk about how they really want you to tell them when something is wrong or disturbing. They want a chance to fix things that they don't know about, and they want a chance to make it up to you. Most of all they want you to tell your friends about how nice they were and how anxious to please, when you complained, not how awful the issue was and how you'll never go there again, even though you didn't tell anyone.

If the owner can't see that, and you're feeling charitable, the best thing you can do for her is to send her a basic hospitality textbook. :)

Our family owned and operated a successful restaurant for 42 years. I managed and worked every aspect of it. Judging by what you experienced I don't see this owner making it in the business. If she did this with you, she has done this with others and no matter how good the food is, if service is a negative that is what you will remember. Word of mouth is what brings in most customers. She certainly blew it when she declined your request and even more so when you called to complain. Curious as to their Yelp or other reviews.

Lying about a group size is not ok. Most restaurants are wise to it from the getgo, but not worth dealing with and diners know that. Some of the reasons I've heard over the years about why the "other diners" in the group couldn't make it, were quite inventive and often humorous.

Whatever happened to "First come, first served"? You can't just "guess" that your restaurant will become packed and if it does, those patrons stand in line and wait for an empty table. When we eat out, which we do a lot, I tell them exactly where I want to sit and have never been told no.

How would you like to be moved after regulars showed up and the owner wanted them to have "their" table? We were midway through our meal.

Never went back to that place!

I agree, she should have let you sit where ever, she should have apologized when you called and she should have heard you when you said you were familiar with the menu even if she didn't know who you were. Restaurants, especially those trying to establish themselves need to know how to connect with their customers, be flexible and have back up plans that can accommodate all situations; not only with seating on the floor but in the kitchen too. I'm much quicker to pass on returning to a place if the service was bad as opposed to when something is off with the food unless it's just obvious that the place has issues in the kitchen as well.

Garden, I've never been asked to move from a table and would never agree to move just so another couple could have "their" table. I would have responded, well that's what reservations are for and it's our table right now.

Do you review things on Yelp or any other sites? If so, I would post about my experience and let the owner counter with a response if she so chooses.

The owner was rude to you. As a customer you should be granted your wish to be seated at a more comfortable table. If she was expecting a larger group couldn't she have put tables together to accommodate them. She apparently doesn't need your business. Was the food to your liking? Did you enjoy the atmosphere? Was the staff friendly? Was there a variety of meals on the menu? These are all questions I ask myself when we go to eat in a new restaurant or one that has changed hands recently. I'm sorry that you were unhappy with your dining experience. I would let the owner know this.

Thanks everyone for your support and thoughts. This is a very small place and I do understand her position. It's just that when we saw two tables for four empty, with two other tables for four with each having only two customers, it didn't sit well with us. Maybe those were the only seats available when those two other couples came in, but the over vibe was that it was a slow morning.

There was no one ahead of us and no one behind us,the middle of August on a week day morning. To be honest, our food was mediocre at best, so no need to go back, which is a shame because I like to support local businesses.

At best she should have apologized along with her judgement call of why we couldn't be seated where we wanted. We are not ones to want complementerary anything. Even if she would have said, come back and have dessert on us, if I did go back I would not have reminded her of it. That is just us though.

When they took over, they did get a good write up. They created more of an upscale feel than was offered by the two previous owners. I'm off to check Yelp to see how their reviews are now..

Thanks again!

I wouldn't visit again. Let their business fail, sounds like they are well on the way! Where I live "upscale" places usually last two years, max. But the diner that's been around 30 plus years is busy most of the time. And they have a "seat yourself' policy.

Not a good answer Lindsey. Lame.

It sounds like the owner is feeling her way.

She has no idea how many were coming in.

If a large party had come in, you wouldn't be writing this.

Hindsight is foresight.

She might have been more graceful when you called.

If the food was good, I'd go back.

golfergurl, it's a shame you don't recognize sarcasm when you see it. You must lead a sad life.

Sorry. I don't understand. You WERE a Party of Two. *I* feel bad occupying a larger table than needed in a restaurant -- feeling that some wait person is going to miss out on a larger party's tip. Whether more diners arrived or didn't arrive is beside the point. You also cannot know how the restaurant had set up assigning tables to the wait staff. It doesn't sound like you ended up on stools next to the kitchen door.

Only twice have I been refused the choice of table, both times we walked out.

@Lindsey: How the heck are we supposed to know that your post was sarcasm?

It seems others agree. To assume I lead a sad life is a stretch, don't you think?

Two tops are well known to be uncomfortable tables, where the dishes are crowded and the diners aren't sheltered from passersby. I don't mind them when they're lined up in a row, so that the only person passing next to you is the diner at the next table sitting down and rising. They're okay-ish next to a wall if they're not too small, or if they're out an inch or two to provide some elbow room. In the middle of the floor or on the end of the line, they're like playing in traffic! I hate sitting with my back to an aisle, and even more sitting at a two top next to an aisle. It's not that people actually bump into one, it's that all the paraphernalia intrude into one's personal space. A lot of people don't seem to mind that but they still dislike the crowdedness, and having to constantly rearrange.

I've been seated, in a party of two, at a large round, as well. The kind that seats a minimum of six and can crowd ten. That's just as uncomfortable, even sitting fairly close to one's dining partner, because the angles are bad, and the server has to approach from behind, just as if the table were fully occupied. Additionally, there are usually aisles on all sides, so my aisle aversion kicks in. :)

Some places don't even bother with two tops except on Valentine's Day (so they can fit more tables because almost everyone dining will be in pairs). Four tops are most comfortable for parties up to four.