Table of Contents
Why is the Restaurant no longer open for lunch?
Unfortunately, the stories are accurate about the difficulties finding workers in hospitality and restaurants industry. Because of the current situation, it is no longer financially possible to run two restaurants so we have decided to focus on the Vintner’s Knoll for lunch service and a limited evening service at J’s Restaurant.
For the hospitality industry, the staff is the most important component and at this time, we simply cannot hire enough staff to operate as we have operated in the past. We have gone from over 80 employees to 35 employees and have hired and re-trained an additional 12 employees but it will be a long time before we are fully staffed. This is not going to happen this month and it probably will not happen until the spring of 2022. Notwithstanding the green light from the government and the optimism from our customers, it is going to be a long and slow recovery for Nashoba to rebuild a team of professionals to service your event with the level of service you expect and that we demand.
Can I request a specific Table?
Unfortunately, we do not accept request for specific tables as almost everyone selects the same tables. We assign tables based on reservation time. If we did not approach our reservations in the manner, the first table in would want to be seated at table 12 and it is difficult to explain why that specific table is reserved for someone else.
Can I request an outside table.
Reservations are made for inside seating only and as people arrive and if tables are available outside, our guest are provided the option. If we took reservations for an outside table and the weather or insects did not cooperate, think about how awekard it would be for us to inform you that your reservation is cancelled because we do not have a table in side. Accordingly, if you are provided the opportunity to sit outdoors, a table will be reserved for you indoors.
Why does Nashoba limit reservations to only 6 people?
There are a lot of decisions a restaurant makes in determining how to provide an exceptional experience to all of its guests. The ultimate goal is to be able to provide an exceptional experience to all customers which translates into great food and drinks at every table in a timely manner. To accomplish these goals, it is imperative for a restaurant to establish a pace so that servers are not overwhelmed by surges in customers being seated and the kitchen is not backed up with 20 orders that it cannot fullfill in a timely manager. Without a good pace, a restaurant is creating an environment where everyone is at risk of having a less than exceptional experience. The best server or chef cannot perform if they are overwhelmed.
In establishing a pace, the restaurant considers the staff available to serve and cook as well as the design of the kitchen. Imagine trying to produce 20 different meals in your kitchen at home every 15 minutes! Impossible. To make sure the restaurant offers exceptional service and food, we manage how many people we allow to be seated at a time. If you allowed only 4 people to be seated every 20 minutes at home, you might be able to serve 12 people per hour with a menu that offers multiple selections. While professional kitchens have more equipment than you might have at home, there are still limits to how many items can be prepared and served in a reasonable time and it is the restaurants responsibility to its customers to establish this pace.
For us, we have determined that we are able to accommodate 10 people every 15 minutes at 3 tables when operating in the Pavilion. When the picnic grounds are open, we usually seat 20 people every 15 minutes. J’s Restaurant limits its pace to 4 people every 15 minutes except that it accepts a reservation for 6 people at the beginning of service and 6 people later in the evening. Our reservation system is set to follow the above guidelines to insure that our pace is managed. If a restaurant establishes the right pace and our customers arrive at the time of their reservation, the restaurant has created an environment where they should be able to provide an exceptional experience to all of its guests. I wish that every customer could experience how a restaurant runs when everyone shows up on time as compared with a day when everyone is late or early. The impact on staff and the kitchen is amazing.
Why can't we make two reservations and request that the table be together?
Please read our answer above on why we limit reservations to 6 people or less. With the above in mind, please appreciate that large reservations at multiple tables will have a greater negative impact on the ambiance of our restaurant than a large reservation at a single table. While we will honor all reservations made, please appreciate that we will not accommodate separate reservations as a single reservation by having tables close to each other or allowing a lot of movement between tables as this would essentially eleminate our approach to small reservations. From my experience, people that have taken this approach have been very disappointed with the experience.
Why are I required to make a deposit for a reservation?
Unfortunately we have experience an unsustainable increase in cancellations/No Shows which necessitates a new approach to our business. For one week we had 85 people cancel & 92 people that honored their reservations. A single cancellation of 2 people results in a 12.5% loss in revenue. For each person that cancels or does not show up, our server’s pay is also reduced by approximately 12.5% . If a table of six cancels, the restaurant and the service experiences a 33% decline in revenue or expected earnings.
To address the situation, a non-refundable booking deposit of $10.00 per person is now required. The deposit will be applied to your bill on date of service if you honor your reservation. If you cancel or do not show or reschedule, the fee is forfeited.
If you are a frequent visitor and wish to express your disappointment, please email support@nashobawinery.com
J’s Valentine’s Day Dinner Week
Thursday, February 10th through Sunday February 13th – Special ala carte “Valentine’s Week” dinner menu, Standard dining $10/pp
Monday, February 14th – $120.00/pp includes weleome cocktail, 5-course Prix Fixe, three 4-ounce wine pairings, tip and tax
