Making a long story a little shorter...we called ahead for a Tuesday night seating and were told there would be no wait. When the five of us arrived, we were told it would be a 30-minute wait because two giant parties had just walked in moments before. We were also offered immediate seating in the bar, which we accepted.
The server was as efficient as she could be, given that she was suddenly responsible for about seven tables at once in the small bar area. Apparently she mistakenly believed that we were with a very large party (about 15 people) seated at four separate tables near us in the bar area, and the server put our order in with theirs.
The food took an hour to arrive in spite of having ordered simple items: two sandwiches (one cold), two salads and a small individual pizza. The food was characteristically tasty and correctly prepared when it arrived, however.
After the other party had left and after we had finished a single dessert that we shared, the server confided in us that she had mistakenly believed that we were with the other party and that's why our food had taken so long. She said the management was comping our entire meal as a result!
We gave the server a generous tip and we feel that the management comping the entire meal was well above and beyond what could rightfully and reasonably have been expected in a situation like this.
Way to go, Claim Jumper! You turned what could have been an unpleasant experience into an unexpectedly terrific one! This was a birthday dinner that will have lasting fond memories for us.