How Long is Too Long to Wait for Your Food? A Personal Restaurant Experience

A few years ago, Savored Journeys studied "How Long Would You Wait in Line at a Restaurant?" Several other studies have examined which states are the most impatient and which are the most patient, especially when it comes to waiting for food.

The good news? Texas isn’t anywhere near the top of the “most impatient” list. However, it’s also not ranked among the most patient states either. Texas landed at #23 in the nationwide survey (Source: Daily Mail). I bring this up because of a recent restaurant experience that truly put my patience to the test.

The Pancake Predicament

A few nights ago, my wife had a rare craving for pancakes. Naturally, we decided to go out and satisfy that craving. When we pulled into the parking lot of a well-known 24-hour diner, I noticed only seven vehicles parked outside. Through the windows, I could see only a handful of occupied tables, so I assumed we wouldn’t have to wait long, I was wrong.

When we walked in, a sign at the host station read "Please Wait To Be Seated." The time was 9:59 PM, no big deal since this place is open 24/7. After about 15 minutes, a server finally acknowledged us with a quick, "I'll be with you in a minute."

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Another 10 minutes passed before a host sat us at a table. He took our drink order, saying he’d let our server know. From the time we entered the restaurant to the moment we paid our check, a total of two hours and three minutes had passed.

Mind you, only six tables were occupied. One table had a party of six, while the rest were just two-person tables. What was the wait from when we ordered to when our food was served? A staggering 50 minutes.

Is There a Standard Wait Time for Restaurants?

This experience made me wonder, how long is too long to wait for food? Is there an industry standard for acceptable wait times? The answer is yes and no. The pandemic changed the way we wait for things, including restaurant service. According to Restaurant Training Online (RTO), here are the average acceptable wait times for a typical restaurant:

  • Wait time to be seated: 15 to 20 minutes
  • Wait time to order drinks and appetizers: 3 to 7 minutes
  • Wait time to place a food order: 5 to 10 minutes
  • Wait time for food to arrive after ordering: 20 to 35 minutes (depending on the dish)
  • 1 hour and 12 minutes total

LOOK: The Restaurant Was Not Busy And It Took Forever

Experience with me a late-night Diner where the food was marginal and the attitude was "I have to be here" What do you want?

Gallery Credit: Rudy A. Fernandez

Final Thoughts

So, was it frustrating to wait over two hours for a simple pancake craving? The answer is yes. However, for me, the answer is yes and no, because I was having a quiet dinner with my wife, the no part is because someone was getting "hangry". But at the end of the day, a good meal and great company make up for a long wait.

Would I go back? Maybe. But next time, I might just make pancakes at home.

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