The restaurant business is a tough game - according to a study by Cornell University about 30% fail in their first year. So it's not surprising that restaurants have certain tactics to keep costs down and diner numbers up.

餐馆业的竞争十分激烈--据康奈尔大学的一项研究显示：30%的餐馆在营业第一年就会倒闭。所以餐馆用一些策略降低成本、吸引更多的顾客，也就没有什么大惊小怪的了。

Here are some of the ways eateries ensure success, according to Imogen Edwards-Jones (and her anonymous¹ insider), who wrote the book Restaurant Babylon, available from Amazon.

Imogen Edwards-Jones（和她的匿名内部人士）写了一本叫做《巴比伦餐厅》的书，亚马逊网站上即可购买。据她所述，小饭馆有一些确保成功的方法。

DINERS WHO BOOK BY PHONE ARE PREFERRED…

打电话预订的顾客优先……

Apparently², people who book by email are less likely to show up so restaurants prefer customers who call to reserve a table. Email bookers also tend to be computer-literate and that may mean they're a blogger or a reviewer - always a worry for restaurants. They're also harder to track down if they leave without paying.

很显然，用邮件预约的客人不太可能会来餐馆吃饭，所以电话预约的客人有优先权。用邮件预约的人也往往会使用电脑，所以他/她可能是位博客或评论员--对餐馆来说总是个担忧。如果他们吃完不付钱就走，也很难再找到他们。

…AND SO ARE PEOPLE WHO JUST WALK UP

直觉来餐馆的客人也同样优先

An increasing number of restaurants don't take bookings, or only offer a small number of reservations. This is, in part, because eateries can 'turn a table' three times with walk-in diners, while customers who book tend to stick around for longer. This policy can work against restaurants, however - it can be harder to move diners on if there's no subsequent booking for their table.

越来越多的餐馆不接受提前预约，或者只提供少量的预约桌。部分是因为提前预约的客人往往会停留的更久一点，而同样的时间内，直接来吃的客人可能已经换了三批了。然而，这个策略可能也会不利于餐馆--如果没有人陆续预约，那么餐馆很难继续经营下去。

LUNCH DELIBERATELY³ TAKES LONGER

故意让午餐更久一点

Because everyone wants to eat lunch at the same time -restaurants are likely to stagger bookings, keep you waiting for your table, or get waiting staff to chat to you so the kitchen can take the strain.

因为所有人都想在同一时间吃午餐--餐馆很可能会交错安排预约，让你一直在等待，或者让工作人员与你聊天，这样厨房就可以不用那么热火朝天了。

VIPS AND PRETTY WOMEN GET BETTER SEATS

贵宾和美女的座位更好

The more attractive or famous you are the more likely you are to be seated at the front of the venue⁴. Dating couples and overweight businessmen tend to get relegated⁵ to the back.

越有魅力、越出名的人就越有可能坐在餐馆的前排位置。约会的情侣和肥胖的商人们往往坐的位置比较靠后。

CHEAPER RESTAURANTS ARE OFTEN A FALSE ECONOMY

便宜的餐馆通常都是虚假节约

You may not be able to afford to spend a fortune on an upmarket meal but you could be getting better value for money if you do. Ingredients, staff, linen⁶, flowers and rent all have to be factored into the pricing of dishes.

可能你去不起高档饭店吃饭，但如果你去了可以让钱花的更有所值。配料、员工、桌布、鲜花以及租金都涵盖在了菜价内。