Bob wrote:
>
> Sorry, I'm jumping into this thread late. Kate wrote:
>
> > I have always wanted to eat at Brennan's in New Orleans and when I got the
> > chance to go there I was really excited. I couldn't wait to have the
> > Bananas Foster. I made a reservation months in advance. I was meeting my
> > sister and her husband there for dinner while we were both on vacation in
> > N. O. at the same time. So, we get to the restaurant and are seated and
> > the waiter comes to take our order and I ask for separate checks. No
> > deal! Huh? What's the big deal? (I don't even want to hear all the "so
> > why couldn't one or the other of you just pay the check and get reimbursed
> > by the other" comments - there are reasons - okay?) So I'm furious. I ask
> > to be seated at another table nearby. They think I'm nuts. Too bad it
> > didn't work. If it had been a place where you didn't need a reservation
> > months in advance it woulda worked. We ended up eating at Kakoo and
> > Ralph's. It was great. Eh, their Bananas Foster is probably not all it's
> > cracked up to be anyway. :-)
>
> Bananas Foster is GREAT at Brennan's. But it's also good at The Palace Cafe
> (as it ought to be, since the full name of the restaurant is "Dickie
> Brennan's Palace Cafe). And I know for a fact that the Palace Cafe is
> willing to handle separate checks, because I was part of a party of fourteen
> who demanded such.
>
> I didn't see any mention of whether this reservation was for dinner.

Yes, it was dinner. I made a reservation because I was
only going to be there that one time for one day and
didn't want to take a chance on not getting in. But it
would have been a good idea in any case. I guess if you're
going to be there for 2 weeks you can always go back another
time if they're full when you go. But for only one day
I would always make a reservation no matter where.

> Over
> the last few years, I've spent a total of about 45 days in New Orleans, and
> I've had brunch at Brennan's at least a third of those days. I never needed
> a reservation. I suppose conditions might be different for dinner, so I'm
> going to assume that you were going there for dinner.
>
> I'm very surprised that you couldn't get separate checks. Heh...here's
> something to try next time: For each person who wants a separate check, have
> a separate reservation made. Arrive and get seated at separate tables, order
> a drink (which causes a check JUST FOR YOU to be created) then
> "spontaneously" discover your long-lost sister and her husband, who by
> incredible coincidence happen to be dining in that selfsame restaurant that
> evening. Tell the waiter that you want to be seated together.

Ha! Very clever! Well, if I ever get to NO again maybe
I'll deliberately go to Brennan's just to pull that on them.
:-) I like the idea of beating them at their own game.

I have been to a couple of places that would take your order
on the same check and then ring up the totals separately for
each party wanting a separate check. I guess that would be
a good way to do it if the main issue is having the kitchen
get all the food out at the same time. Of course, nowadays
we would each just figure up our own tab and give them both
credit cards and tell them how much to charge to each one.
Too bad I didn't know about that then.

Kate

--
Kate Connally
“If I were as old as I feel, I’d be dead already.”
Goldfish: “The wholesome snack that smiles back,
Until you bite their heads off.”
What if the hokey pokey really *is* what it's all about?