Key Questions To Ask Your Guests When Planning A Party At A Restaurant

When you need to feed a large group, letting a restaurant handle the hard work is a no-brainer. It keeps you from having to clean both before and after the event or spending the entire night working over a hot stove instead of chit-chatting with friends or family. But hosting a large party at a restaurant comes with its own unique challenges, both for you as the host and the restaurant workers trying to ensure you have a smooth evening.

A little preparation can help you avoid dinner party mistakes like long wait times, menu confusion, issues with dietary preferences or allergens, and payment headaches. You can make the evening run smoothly by confirming a few things upfront to ensure no one holds up the event or arrives starving, only to find there's nothing to eat. And the restaurant staff is the champion you deserve in this endeavor. Daily Meal spoke with experts to determine the best questions to ask when planning a restaurant party.

Before you even choose a restaurant, there's some general information you need to gather. Certified etiquette consultant Nikesha Tannehill Tyson, senior etiquette trainer at Shreveport, Louisiana-based The Swann School of Protocol, advises getting information about general dietary preferences when you gather information about the date and time guests are available. If there are vegan guests among you, even the best restaurant in your state is an inconvenience at best if it's a steakhouse.

It's also a good idea to jot down any special accommodations necessary, such as high chairs or wheelchair access. Those are simple accommodations if the table isn't already set up in a spot where high chairs are dangerous, or wheelchairs can't roam. This is also a good time to work out the easiest way to pay so it doesn't take an hour to check out.

Then, contact the restaurant you chose. Don't just set up a reservation, though. Ask to speak with someone who coordinates big parties. That's often a manager, but it may also be a lead host or maître d'. They can do more than take the reservation. They can help work out all the restaurant details to ensure your evening goes well.

This is probably the most challenging part of being the host of any party. You need to ensure your guests are fed. It is a dinner party, after all. Zack Bush, co-owner of both Taquerias El Mexicano and Mad Room Hospitality in Miami, says it pointedly: "It's essential to ask if anyone has allergies or dietary restrictions." He suggests you inform the restaurant staff upfront to ensure everyone's meal remains satisfying and safe.

But even if none of your guests need special accommodations for their food, it's still beneficial to consider your party's needs in advance. Large parties can seriously jam up the kitchen, meaning it takes longer to get your food, and everyone may not get it at the same time. That's especially true if there are a lot of special orders or long-cooking options.

That's why Adam Perhosky, director of sales and events at American Social Bar & Kitchen, suggests the whole party look at the menu ahead of time. You can even set a fixed menu that meets all your needs if necessary. Perhosky notes, "Gathering as much information as possible in advance helps us execute the meal more efficiently and ensures a smoother dining experience for everyone."

When all is said and done, the restaurant is there to execute your evening for you; you just need to ask the right questions. That said, if your sarcastic Uncle Roger shows up drunk, late, and politically or religiously chatty, that one's still on you to work out.