Imagine you’re out to dinner, lingering over a bottle of wine and the last of your spaghetti and meatballs. As a server comes over to clear your plate, you ask, “Could we see a dessert menu, please?” 

Your server’s eyes widen. “Oh, I’m sorry,” they reply. “You’ve run over the time limit. We’re going to need this table back for the next reservation.” The server pulls a check out of their pocket and slides it your way. 

Nowadays, it seems like half the time you make a reservation, it comes with a time limit. What started as a pandemic trend in order to space out guests and avoid overcrowding the host stand has stuck around for the long haul. Many restaurants around the country  — especially in my home of New York City — are still requiring guests to commit to not overstaying their welcome.

Whether it be one hour or four, the idea of a countdown beginning from the moment you arrive at your table is, objectively, stressful. But as a former restaurant host, I promise that the allotted reservation out times (the time a party is required to leave their table) do not need to be a cause for concern. In fact, they’re probably making your life better. 

Here’s everything you need to know about reservation time limits.

If a restaurant has a time limit, there’s a reason why

It’s one thing feeling rushed at a restaurant, but you know what’s worse? Arriving in time for your reservation, but not being able to sit because the party at your table refuses to get up and leave. Allotted dining times were created in order to remove that possibility from the equation. 

Although a reservation time limit might feel like a rigid policy, it’s actually designed to make your dining experience smoother from start to finish. “The goal of most restaurants is to feed as many guests as possible without overwhelming the kitchen or front-of-house staff at one shot,” says 2022 F&W Best New Chef Calvin Eng. 

At his Brooklyn, New York restaurant, Bonnie’s, any party of eight or fewer is asked to “adhere to a two-hour reservation seating.” For larger groups, they offer a pre-set menu which accounts for a longer meal time — typically three to three and a half hours. Because of this policy, Eng is usually able to turn every table three times a night.

Not only does this mean that Bonnie’s is making more money, it also means that you as a diner are more likely to be able to score a reservation or have a shorter wait time. This is especially helpful for small restaurants like Alma Fonda Fina in Denver. According to co-owners Johnny and Kasie Curiel, allotted dining times allow them to maximize the space of their 38-seat dining room and ensure that every guest has the same experience. 

It’s on you to read the fine print

Not all restaurants have time limits, but the ones that do will always have their rules outlined on their website or wherever you make a reservation. Allotted time limits are not for everyone or every occasion. Maybe it’s a special occasion — a first date, proposal, or birthday for instance. Or maybe you just prefer to dine the “European way,” catching up with friends for hours over several bottles of wine or slowly sipping a coffee while diving into a great novel. That is entirely OK! You do you! But in those cases, restaurants with allotted dining times might not be a good pick. 

It’s on you to read the fine lines when you make a reservation in order to find out if that restaurant meets your needs. If it doesn’t, I suggest you go elsewhere. There will be plenty of excellent alternatives, I promise.

Encourage your party to arrive on time

If you do make a reservation with a time limit, arrive on time. Usually, the allotted dining time starts when your reservation starts, not when you sit down. For example, if you have a reservation for 8 p.m. and an allotted dining time of two hours but you don’t arrive until 8:20, you’ll still want to wrap up your meal by 10 p.m., rather than 10:20 p.m.). 

Still, things happen. If you’re experiencing a major delay that is causing you to arrive later than expected and you’re worried you won’t have enough time to enjoy your meal, give the restaurant a call and explain the situation. Either the restaurant will accommodate and extend your allotted dining time or, if they’re backed up and can’t afford to hold your table, they may push your reservation to later, move you to the waitlist, or worst case, encourage you to dine elsewhere. Regardless, it’s better to know the reality of the situation while en route rather than arriving to discover you’re out of luck.

Plan ahead 

Nobody wants to be forced to finish a meal while you’re still hungry. If you’re nearing your time limit and the restaurant needs your table back, a server might not let you order that second cocktail, additional sides, or dessert. According to Johnny and Kasie, if a guest tries to order their carne asada, a dish that takes 20 minutes to prepare, after they’ve already been dining for over 40 minutes, their server might tell them they don’t have enough time. 

To avoid that issue altogether, it’s best to order every dish you want at once. Ask your server if they think it’s enough food; they’ll know how to give you the best dining experience possible without making it last too long. Got your eye on a special dessert? It could also be worth ordering it in the beginning with the rest of your food in order to guarantee you’ll receive it before running out of time.

Most restaurants will only push you out if they really need to

Allotted dining times are not designed to speed up guests, rather, they’re supposed to reflect the average amount of time a group takes. “Two hours is typically plenty of time for all parties of five and under,” says Eng. And at Alma Fonda Fina, staff are trained to pace out the dining experience so that guests never feel rushed. 

Even if you meal inches past that allotted dining time, it’s unlikely that your server will ask you to leave. Usually, that solution is reserved for when a restaurant desperately needs the table back — like if a reservation has arrived and there are no other open tables, or someone on the waitlist has been waiting much longer than what the host originally estimated. 

So if you’re nearing the end of your time limit but no one seems to be handing you the bill, it’s always helpful to check in with your server. Ask them if they need your table back. They’ll either tell you “No, take your time,” or they’ll say, “Yes, thank you for asking, here’s your check. Have a good night!”