Final answer:
Guests should be greeted by a server within 5 minutes of being seated to ensure good service and customer satisfaction, especially during busy times in a campus restaurant setting.
Step-by-step explanation:
Within a restaurant setting, it's crucial for customer satisfaction that guests be greeted promptly. The scenario described suggests a fairly busy time with students arriving between classes. Based on industry standards and expectations for good service, it is generally considered best practice for guests to be greeted by a server within 5 minutes of being seated.
From a business perspective, the time a customer spends waiting can greatly impact their overall dining experience. The references to customers checking their watches imply the significance of quick service in a campus setting, where time is often limited between classes. The statistical data provided, mentioning 90th percentile wait times and average intervals for customer arrivals, supports the importance of designing restaurant operations to meet or exceed these service standards.
To ensure customer satisfaction, restaurant managers may analyze data trends such as average wait times and adjust staffing accordingly to meet service goals, ensuring that the probability of long wait times is minimized and that most guests enjoy prompt greetings and service.