This is not a specific Lakes issue and I have not noticed any particular increase in the problem.
My personal solution, if possible, is not to eat out in a higher end restaurant on Saturdays or holidays. Of course, this can't always be arranged.
When we are seated, we order cocktails and, if we have any inkling that timing will be a problem, we tell the waiter that we do not want to be rushed. But we try to be sensitive to what is going on in the restaurant, if it is really busy, we do eat at a leisurely but "reasonable" pace and don't just sit around just talking if the bill has been paid.
If the entree comes when we are still in the middle of apps/salad, we do send it back (realizing this can create its own problems). Generally, I believe this kind of timing is usually caused by the waitstaff putting the entree order in too soon, but I am not in the food service business so more informed folks can comment on the cause.
Every establishment has off-nights and specific problems, but if this is a recurrent problem I just do not go to the restaurant. If in a group, I just grin and bear it.
I will rarely complain to management...if it is a rare event I do not want to be comped; if it is the usual event, I just don't come back. Management should be well aware of chronic problems and should have fixed them before they became chronic.
Large groups can be a problem and one does does the best and I just chalk that up to experience.
I really enjoy eating out and getting aggravated makes a bad situation worse.
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