I am getting married in October and we decided to do a small intimate wedding with immediate family only, followed by a fancy dinner at an upscale restaurant. I heard that when making the reservation (only about 10-15 ppl) that I should only tell the restaurant that it's for a large group, and not tell them that it's for a wedding because they will tack on extra fees and prices. Do you agree??
Since I plan on wearing my wedding gown to dinner as well, I wouldn't want a problem once we got to the restaurant with the staff not knowing it was for a wedding.
2007-07-01 06:34:49 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
I was not going to keep the number of guests a secret, just the fact that it was for a wedding
2007-07-01 06:47:59 · update #1
I would just show up with your wedding party. It's none of the restaurant's business if it's a wedding, unless you want them to cut and serve the cake. Most caterers have a charge for that anyway, so just consider that a wedding expense if you want to have the cake at your dinner. I don't know what else they should charge you for that would be different from any other large dinner. Most restaurants automatically add the gratuity for large groups, that's common practice.
2007-07-01 06:44:47 · answer #1 · answered by Stimpy 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You're definitely right - the restaurant will figure, "Hey, it's a wedding... they're used to shelling out money!" And they'll try to take advantage of you. Just tell them it's for a "special event" so they will know they should treat the reservation seriously and be prepared for you when you arrive. Once you show up with your wedding dress on, their hands will be tied. Make sure you look at your itemized receipt before paying the bill. At my reception (I did the same thing you are doing!) I told the manager that I wanted an itemized bill before we were even seated. That let the restaurant staff know that they wouldn't be able to get away with tacking on extra charges just because it was my "special day"! Congratulations to you and good luck!
2007-07-01 14:46:36 · answer #2 · answered by tooblessed2doubt 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Unless you are renting a special room or having the dinner catered, all the restaurant needs to know is how many people to expect. If you are ordering off the menu, it makes no difference if it is a wedding party or a divorce party. Tell them what is happening and the number of guests. There should be no extra fees.
2007-07-01 14:13:56 · answer #3 · answered by merrybodner 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Generally, yes, telling them it's a wedding DOES get all kinds of fees tacked on - which is dishonest on the part of the merchant.
Honestly, if you have a rapport with the restaurant, I'd tell them it's your wedding, but if they're unknown, I wouldn't. (And if you get called on it, plead stupid.)
2007-07-01 15:36:41 · answer #4 · answered by zippythejessi 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Research. Call 'em up and ask how much a reservation is for a large group, then ask how much for a wedding party (you could call separately if you wanted to). If the prices are different, ask why and see if it seems reasonable to you.
2007-07-01 13:47:34 · answer #5 · answered by stoneinthestream 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I think that you should tell them its for a wedding party because you could get a discount. Not only that, I think that by telling them it is a wedding party, they can make special arrangements for you so everything goes smoothly. Even if it is a little more expensive, it may be worth it to prevent anything from going wrong.
2007-07-01 14:43:39 · answer #6 · answered by She-Ra 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I think it's dishonest.
If you tell the restaurant that you're having a large group they will likely have to hire more staff to accomodate you. When you show up with your small group, they will still have to pay the people they hired and will likely lose whatever profit they would have made on your party.
Additionally they may have to order more food, and then get stuck with it. Most restaurants don't operate on high profit margins, unless you count a 200-400% profit on wine, liquor and desserts.
2007-07-01 13:42:12 · answer #7 · answered by mrpeachycat 4 · 0⤊ 5⤋
I think I would see if they would give you a discount or provide something special for the gathering.
2007-07-01 19:16:25 · answer #8 · answered by JusMe 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's not wise to be dishonest. Things may go very wrong if you don't tell them.
2007-07-02 04:23:39 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
as long as you tell them it is a special event then it shouldnt matter why you are there, they are making money off of you anyways.
2007-07-01 14:51:44 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋