Zagat Poll Indicates Majority of Diners Support Time Limits at Restaurants

If a nationwide poll taken by a publisher of restaurant guides is any indication, it appears that diners may be frustrated by those who take their time eating at busy dining spots.

According to the New York Post, a poll taken by Zagat shows that 60 percent of diners support time limits for patrons at restaurants, at least during peak hours. The results even seemed to surprise Zagat, with its CEO believing the poll results imply that diners may be looking at the issue as a matter of common courtesy--that is, if a restaurant has a long line, folks who are already seated at tables should consider that others are waiting to eat, and that they themselves could be in a similar situation the next time they go out to a restaurant.

The idea of dining spots "clocking" their customers seems to be relatively rare; the issue did take center stage a few years ago when Restaurant Gordon Ramsay at the London in Manhattan apparently instituted a short-lived two-hour rule on tables, which was not well-received, according to the Post.

What do you think of restaurants putting time limits on diners during peak hours? Please post your comments below.

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