The VinePair Podcast: No, the Host Is Not Out to Get You

Earlier this week, food and beverage journalist Robert Simonson published a think piece to his Substack about undesirable tables at restaurants. In it, he recounts an experience when a restaurant host sat him and his partner in a less-than-glamorous spot in a dining room that was otherwise entirely empty. After this and similar instances, Simonson wonders whether he is a victim of ageism and if hosts intentionally place young and well-dressed diners at the best tables for a cool, public-facing vibe.

So-called “bad tables” at restaurants are inevitable. There will always be seats next to a drafty door, a bathroom, a loudspeaker, or, in Simonson’s case, the bus station. Of course, restaurants develop an ambiance with music, lighting, and decor, but do hosts cherry-pick diners for certain seats to cultivate an appealing look?

Today on the “VinePair Podcast,” Joanna and Zach discuss whether or not hosts intentionally place attractive guests at the front and center of dining rooms. Are the best spots in a seating chart reserved for diners who fit a certain image? If not, why else would hosts seat guests at “bad tables” in an empty restaurant?

Zach is reading: Inside the Wine Lockers at The Capital Grille — the Elusive Steakhouse Status Symbol
Joanna is reading: How Dogfish Head Finally Found Growth Again — With the Grateful Dead

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The article The VinePair Podcast: No, the Host Is Not Out to Get You appeared first on VinePair.