Seating diners is like playing a game of Tetris

Know what you want

Natalia Ribbe is the founder of Ladies of Restaurants, a collective of 500 women working in hospitality across the UK.

‘Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want – especially if it’s a special occasion. Tell us, that makes a difference. A good restaurant knows its best tables inside and out, and a great maître d’ will make it happen for the guest. Although, don’t ever pretend it’s a special occasion. Be personable. Restaurant staff are people, and if you’re nice to them, they will be nice to you – it’s the circle of nice. I’m a firm believer in that. And “best table” is different for everyone. Of course, there are the golden tables (the corner tables), but some people love side-by-side seating, where others prefer to sit across from each other – so know what your best table is. Being on time will influence your table, too. It’s a good idea to have a drink at the bar and speak to the hostess about where you are sitting, and engage with him or her. How do you get the best table? Seating a dining room is like playing a tight game of Tetris, and hospitality folk are solution-focused (or at least they should be) and they will also look to find a way to get you in.

For booking tricks, restaurants won’t put all their availability online, so if you can’t find the table you want, call – that’s one of the best ways of booking. If you can’t book in or guarantee a table, I always say, chance it! Also, no-bookings restaurants such as Padella in London Bridge have just joined Clever Queue (cleverqueue.co), which allows you to join the queue without actually standing in line, so when you can’t book, try places with that to avoid waiting.’ eightysixlist.com