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. 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.

Bob