PLAYING THE WAITING GAME AT DANCING CRABS

Ive been waiting for ages for this kind of restaurant with `seafood in a bag` to pop out anytime soon in Tokyo so when they announced their much awaited opening, I called to reserve but lo and behold  it  got me wondering anew why some restaurants take reservations, while others—to the annoyance of many diners, me included—don’t.

Not having to hold tables for reservations brings a certain chaos to a restaurant and annoyance from anticipation from  customers like us.  When we arrived there were queues of people hovered around this restaurant`s doorway  for more than 2 hours or more, waiting to be seated while enviously watching diners inside and inhaling lingering aromas as satisfied diners departed. I know it was frustrating for some, me included.

I saw some walk-ins as early as 7pm last night , but people in line  wants to know if we can actually be guaranteed a table, I think that’s really important. But dancing crabs staff was not able to give any assurance to all those hungry faces in line.. grrrrr.

But there is a fine line between doing what is right for the restaurant and what is in the best interests of the customer. A no-bookings policy crosses that line.

Glad we just had a fab pictorial after we cancelled it all together and ended the night at the best shabu shabu in town (see my next post)