Restaurants increasingly opt for two-sitting schedule to make ends meet

As the festive season approaches and restaurants fill up in the capital, many establishments, albeit reluctantly, are introducing two dinner services each evening – "early" and "late" to be more profitable.

Customers are given a precise time to arrive and are told in advance when their time is up, they are presented with the bill.

“We imposed two services from the moment we opened,” said Michaël Ganne, head waiter at CoinCoin in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre.

“The first starts at 18.30 and then at 20.30, we ask customers to vacate their tables so we can continue with the second service,” he explained, saying that this system enables him to keep the menu “reasonably priced”.

“However, we do offer a solution,” Ganne said. “Customers can go out on to the terrace to finish their dessert, tea or bottle of wine in peace and quiet… with blankets if necessary.”

Industry associations emphasise the difficulties of running a business today. “The sector is suffering,” said Matthieu Léonard, president of the Féderation Horeca Bruxelles.

“Most establishments have not yet recovered from the Covid crisis. This crisis has been compounded by rising energy costs, soaring raw material prices and the various waves of wage indexation, while VAT is still as high as ever.

“Since 2019, the wage cost for our businesses has risen by 30%. If we had to pass on all the increases we’ve had to deal with, customers would be paying €30 for their Americain, which is unthinkable. Hence the double service, which allows restaurateurs to achieve a sufficient level of profitability.”

He added that this system of relatively quick turnaround times on dinner sittings is standard in the UK and the US where “everything is as regular as clockwork”.

Most customers understand the dilemma restaurant owners face, even though they do not like their dining experience to be cut short.

“We like to linger at the table and chat with the boss,” Coin Coin regulars Bernadette and Daniel told RTBF.

“Having our eyes glued to our watch and seeing the next customers waiting in front of us spoils the fun. So we no longer come to this restaurant in the evening. We prefer to come for lunch and take our time.”

Thomas Mamakis, owner of Forest’s Art Deco-style L'Altitude resto bar, remains reluctant to impose a double service.

“Welcoming people into our establishment means giving them the chance to enjoy their evening as they wish, to have a drink and catch up on old times. Imposing time slots goes against our philosophy,” he said.

But he admits that there is a real dilemma as well as a challenge to find the right balance between profitability and conviviality: “Unfortunately, we cannot escape the economic reality these days, that just because a restaurant is full, this does not mean that the till is too.”