Final answer:
The table should be cleared, cleaned, and reset as quickly as possible, ideally within 5 to 10 minutes, to accommodate incoming guests, especially during busy times like the change of classes in a college campus restaurant.
Step-by-step explanation:
After a guest leaves a table, the process of clearing, cleaning, and resetting the table should ideally occur promptly, often within a few minutes, to allow for new guests to be seated. This is especially important during busy times, such as between classes in a campus restaurant when students are in a hurry. The urgency is even more critical if the dining establishment is busy or if there is a queue of guests waiting to be seated. Therefore, while there is no universal rule, best practice in the hospitality industry suggests that bussing and resetting take place as quickly as possible, often aiming for a turnover within 5 to 10 minutes for efficiency and customer satisfaction.