Time limits coming to some NYC restaurants as diners linger longer
NEW YORK - You’re sitting at a restaurant, the conversation is getting good, and a waiter comes by and tells you you’ve exceeded your time limit. It’s part of a growing trend in New York City.
Hasan Senyurt, the managing partner at Serena's Wine Bar on the Upper East Side, has seen the old standard of 90 minutes evolve into almost half of a typical work shift.
"They were here almost four hours," he complained about a recent table. "This happened last week."
Multiple guests are overstaying their welcome, and it adds up for business owners. Taking into account the rising cost of food and supplies, plus paying employees, that time is quite literally is money.
"When we needed tables and we don’t get the table, we can’t tell people to leave. We will never do that," Senyurt continued.
With spring blooming, Serena’s expects their number of guests every night to pick up with the warmer temperatures. But they won’t have to physically keep their own tabs on their guests’ time in the restaurant.
"The computer system actually will tell us what time they came in. When the table turns red that means they’re already past 90 minutes," Senyurt explained.
Emma Orlow, a reporter from Eater NY, says this isn’t a New York-specific issue.
"I don’t think any of this surprises me or is a bother to my day to day," she offered. "I think you’re seeing it in cities all around the country. I would guess it’s happening at restaurants that may be a little more pricier or trendier."
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As restaurateurs work to manage their reputation as friendly and accommodating, enforcing the time limit gets a little muddy. Senyurt worries if enforcing the new measure will result in negative reviews.
"We try to do really our best as business owners," he added. "We want to represent this place as a good neighborhood place."