Restaurant queues. Is it a Melbourne thing?

[i-need-a-martini]

Just got back from a couple of days in Melbourne for business and was taken to a couple of restaurants at night and some places for brekky. Both times the queues were ridiculous.

Whilst I see this phenomenom creaping into the Sydney 'cool' no-booking type restaurant scene, most Sydneysiders would just keep walking (to the next restaurant) if they saw a queue.

We had a 2 hour weight for a seat at ChinChin and then a one hour wait fro brekky at Hardware Society. Our Melbourne hosts thought it acceptable and seeing as I was pitching for a job I could exactly say "stuff this!".

Would you wait 2 hours for a meal?

[*crikey*mate*]

we sell more ice cream in wintewr than in summer

[*crikey*mate*]

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@donnashuggy wrote:

What amazes me is that places can die or thrive overnight according to trends.

No, I wouldn't wait 2 hours - not when there are loads of other choices.

Bondi has more icecream shops than you can poke a stick at and when a new one opens all the others appear empty.

We went down the beach last night and Messina has queues a mile long and all the others were practically empty (all equally as good) With an average rent of about $5,000 per week I would hate to be in the food business.

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Donna, did you ever check out The Bridge Room?

[i-need-a-martini]

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@am*3 wrote:
Restaurants with no queues may have not so good food on offer.

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I don't queue to get into Marque, Quay, est or Rockpool in Sydney. I book. I arrive. I sit. I eat.

In Melbourne we even queued to get into Longrain cause they wouldn't take a booking for 2 on Thusday night.  Food was average. Desserts were possibly the worst desserts I have ever tsted at a quality restaurant.

[i-need-a-martini]

Bridge Room is fantastic crikey. Service a bit off but food good. 

I had one of the best tasting trifles I have ever had in my life there a few months ago.

[imastawka]

So it looks like your Melbourne hosts wanted you to have

chinese/asian.   Forget about looking for somewhere to eat

straight away.

Perhaps they have their stomach clock set for 8pm so

sllow for the queue?    Dumb people

[durruticolumna]

Si 😄

[imastawka]

lol

[*crikey*mate*]

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@i-need-a-martini wrote:

Bridge Room is fantastic crikey. Service a bit off but food good. 

I had one of the best tasting trifles I have ever had in my life there a few months ago.

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That's really good, well apart from the service, did you let them know?

I like it too

[the_bob_delusion]

THere're plenty of great restaurants in Melbourne. Your host is either an idiot of completely oblivious of the many options out there which do not require lining up. 

[crystal**flake]

Even for brekkie there are queues where I live.