1. Rebalancing a lopsided table in minutes
If a table of 10 loses 3 guests at once, leaving 7 people at a 180 cm round table feels empty and cold.
The fix is to tighten up compatible groups, moving a couple or a small group from a nearby table, so every table stays at 8 to 10 people.
2. The message the kitchen must get straight away
If the guest who cancelled had a special diet — a coeliac, say, or a nut allergy — the maître d' has to tell the pass immediately, so a special plate is not cooked for nobody and the produce can be used elsewhere.
3. Clearing the setting discreetly
Before the guests come in, the floor team should remove the chairs and covers of anyone absent. A table with an empty chair and an untouched napkin reads as carelessness.