It's not uncommon to have to wait for a table at a resturant during peak hours on a Friday or Saturday night. While some restaurants don't take reservations and therefore make you wait, other restaurants invite you to call ahead and inform them of your party's arrival. For this reason, it's understandable why those working in the restaurant find themselves frustrated when patrons who have reservations fail to show up. This prevents the restaurant from seating customers who are there as well as loses potential business by not seating those who walked in.

One popular restaurant in Los Angeles decided to take a stand against "no shows" by calling them out - by name - on Twitter. Restuarant Manager Noah Ellis of Red Medicine got the idea after losing "a bunch of prime tables" on Saturday nights from 7:30-9:00 p.m. Instead of letting it slide, Ellis took his aggravation out on social media and prompted a flurry of responses.

Some people applauded the restaurant for taking a stand against a problem felt by many resturants all over. Others thought this action was embarassing to the patrons and unkind of the restaurant. Instead, Red Medicine put out a statement saying:

"Most diners don't realize the impact no shows make on a restaurant. Losing numerous prime tables, besides hurting a business, is not fair to the guests who take an earlier or later reservation than they wanted originally. We've tried many solutions, including overbooking and taking credit cards. We've considered a ticketing system as well as taking and walk-ins only. In the end, there's no right answer, however at this time we will continue taking reservations. The type of restaurant we've become merits it. Whether people agree with our reaction, we hope that it brings attention to how all restaurants are impacted by no-shows."

As a student of online restaurant management courses here at Ashworth College, what do you think of the reaction by the restuarant?

For some people, nothing is better than sleeping outdoors, watching the stars, and roasting marshmallows over the open fire.  For others, the idea of sleeping in a tent is pure torture and the thought of going to the bathroom in the woods sounds awful.  This is where "glamping" comes in to play.  The trend, which started about a year ago, combines the luxury of a four-star hotel and the romance of camping.  The trend has recently moved to New York City, where the sounds of cars replace the sounds of crickets and skylines are in place of trees.  Even so, many people are joining in on this adventure.

From anywhere between $300-$2,000 a night, you can have a true Manhattan camping experience.  People in hotel management careers set up a true glamping experience complete with gourmet s'mores, wood burning fireplaces, plasma tv's, and a comfortable mattress.  Need to use the restroom?  Not an issue when you're steps away from a lavish hotel suite. 

Would you rather partake in traditional camping or try "glamping"?

Want to know more?  Check out our hotel and restaurant management training career diploma on our site.

The restaurant industry is competitive and if you want to advance, you need to take advantage of every opportunity.  One New York restaurant knows this and in order to give their employees the best opportunity, they have decided to teach their employees English after hours. For two hours each week, the employees at upscale Italian restaurant L'Artusi meet up in the restaurants kitchen for private English lessons.

Because the restaurant has a partnership with The New School, a New York University, the lessons are taught for free by several students enrolled in the university's program.

According to some data obtained by CNN, 2 million employees in restaurant careers are born outside of the United States.  These employees cite lack of English as their number one obstacle for growth within the company.  People in restaurant management careers at L’Artusi agree and state that they would rather promote from within the company which is why they are aiding their workers.

What do you think of this?

It seems like every restaurant these days is proclaiming they have gluten free items on the menu.  Even those without gluten intolerance seem to be rejoycing in this trend.  But why does it seem every restaurant - from Domino's to PF Chang's - is embracing this gluten free lifestyle?  Well for starters, let's understand what it truly means to be "gluten free."  Wheat, rye, and barley all have the gluten protein so making foods without these items earns the restaurant a "gluten free" gold star.

Although some people do have a legitimate intolerance to this protein, others have found going gluten free improves their overal health and way of life.  Limiting or eliminating gluten from your everyday diet may have some health benefits which has inspired the trend of people embracing the gluten free lifestyle.  It's because so many people are "anti-gluten" that those in restaurant careers have taken to making special menu items that don't have any gluten. 

It's not just gourmet restaurants.  Chain eateries (even Chuck-E-Cheese) has found ways to offer a gluten free meal to guests.

What do you think of this?

In cities all over the world, the hip new restaurants are traditionally darkened and tend to be loud.  While the young crowd finds this atmosphere to be fun and exciting, the older generations are less than pleased.  Many older people would rather be able to sit across from their friend or partner and be able to see, and hear, them.  The question now becomes, by having a place be loud and dark and have uncomfortable chairs, does this become legal age discrimination?

People in restaurant management careers know that if a place is loud, dark, and doesn't feature comfortable seating then those who are older than the desired demographic will not come and eat there.  They also know that the young, hipper crowd is more likely to make their restaurant well known by checking in on social media sites and spreading the word via the internet.

Older crowds are not being banned from anywhere, but by creating this atmosphere, they are less likely to attend.

Have you noticed this trend?  Do you think it's legalized discrimination?

Having a hotel concierge is nothing new.  In fact, many luxury hotels have concierge staff on hand for the benefit of their guests.  While concierge typically assist guests in making dining or transportation reservations, some concierge have very specific tasks.  For concierge at the following 5 properties, catering to very specific needs is an absolute must.

1. If you don't feel like checking your bag on an airplane or realized you forgot your perfume at home, have no fear.  If you're staying in a Rosweood hotel, there is a fragrance butler on hand 24 hours a day 7 days a week.  Simply ring him up and he'll bring 10 fabulous fragrances from which you can choose, each arranged a silver platter of course.

2. In Chapel Hill, N.C., every member of your family is imprtant. The pet concierge at the Siena Hotel is available, for a fee, to d watch your pet for 30-60 minute time slots, take him or her on a walk and even go shopping at a local pet store. Luxury hotels should be enjoyed by even the smallest and furriest guests.

3. Want to book reservations for you and that special someone?  Las Ventanas al Paraiso in Los Cabos, Mexico has a romance concierge who can hook you up with the most romantic items money can buy. Want rose petals in the room, a candlelit tub for two, or chilled champagne and chocolate strawberries?  This is the person to call. They can even help arrange the perfect proposal.

4. Can't sleep? Well, if you're staying at the NYC's Benjamin Hotel,  the sleep concierge has you covered. You can choose one of 12 pilliows from their pillow menu which has everything from 5' body pillows to soothing water pillows. The concierge will also arrange for a PB&J sandwhich as a bedtime snack and a relaxing massage to help you get to sleep.

5. If the cast of the Jersey Shore ever travels to Scottsdale, Ariz. they'll need to stay in the W Scottsdale. That's because there is a tanning speciaist to help guests choose the right sunscreen, schedule an in-room spray tan, and give you tips on saving your skin from sun damage. 

What do you think of these?

For waiters, addressing a table isn't just about talking to the customers.  People in all types of restaurant careers, from Denny's to a gourmet restaurant, are trained to read the situation at the table before approaching. For example, if you are at dinner with your friends and all very engaged in conversation, a waiter may put his or her palms on the table to get your attention without interrupting.  Other signs that waiters look for are:

• If you're chatty - A waiter is more likely to assume a friendly, chatty table is there to party. Get ready for more offers of drinks, dessert and a talkative waiter.
• If you act moody - You may get better service. Several waiters said they are more careful to get every detail right when they believe a table is already in a bad mood (a couple fighting or a tense business meal perhaps).
• If you say 'It's OK' - To attentive waiters, saying food is 'OK' is a red flag that you aren't happy with your meal. The waiter or manager might dig for more information to fix the problem.
• If you ask about the menu - Food questions are a sign that you either like learning about everything you might eat or you feel lost and need guidance. One menu question could lead to a long, full menu description. If you seem overwhelmed, the waiter might try to steer you toward a particular order.
• If you grab the wine list first -Expect the waiter to focus wine explanations and questions about refills to you.
• If you're early and fancy - Diners who are dressed up and have an early dinner reservation may lead waiters to suspect they have another event that night and serve them at a fast clip.
• If you're wearing a suit at lunch - Diners who look like they just stepped away from their cubicle, whether in a suit or business casual, are bound to get speedier service. The exception: If the waiter realizes the boss or valued client wants to set a slower pace by asking for more time before ordering or pulling out papers for a sales pitch.
• If you act like the ring leader - A waiter will try to determine who is in charge at the table through body language, clues in conversation or by who made the reservation, and defer to the wants of that diner.
• If there's no obvious leader - If no take-charge person emerges at the table, the waiter may struggle to figure out whether to be chatty or invisible and whether to make the service quicker or more leisurely.

Would you agree with this?

By now you've heard of BYOB but what about BYOC (Bring Your Own Cake)?  At many restaurants, it's customers for friends or family to bring their own cake and have the waiter bring it out to serve at the end.  One trend that is catching on in Europe, however, is charging a "cakeage", or cake cutting fee.  This cakeage costs £2 - or about $2.70 per person.

Usually this additional charge comes after the diner has already paid for a meal so they are not keen on spending even more money.  One patron said, "we were having the set menu but when I checked I could bring a birthday cake to present at the end they said there would be a £2 cakeage charge per person. That's an extra £36 on the bill, which we thought was a bit unfair because we were already spending a fair amount."

The restaurant sees it differently.  "We do charge cakeage if it's an alternative to a dessert. It's a loss of revenue for the restaurant. But we serve the cake with ice cream and decoration which isn't bad for £2. And if there's a kids' party we usually waive it."

What do you think?