I made a reservation for 12:45 pm at a really great restaurant close to where I work (here). I show up on time but seated around 1:00 p.m. The host seated the couple who came in right before my guest and me - we walked into the restaurant at the same time, but they lined up right in front of us. The couple they seated first didn't have a reservation. So, I was seated at exactly the same time as if I didn't have a reservation. What irks me is that the host asked if I had a reservation before he'd seated the other couple, but he still seated them first, knowing that he didn't have a table ready and that I wouldn't be seated at my reserved time.
Fifteen extra minutes doesn't sound like a long time, but this was a business lunch, and I had to get back to work right at 2:00 p.m. I wound up being a couple minutes late back to work, which was mildly embarrassing. The service was also slow, which I understood since they're a popular restaurant and really busy during lunch (hence why I made a reservation). But once the lunch crowd slowed down, my waiter vanished - he was probably burned out from the lunch crowd and forgot about us. I had to hunt him down for the check. The food was phenomenal, though. I won't eat there for lunch again unless I have more time to spare.
Before tip wank ensues, yes I tipped my server, yes it was 20%.
