LongHorn Steakhouse review: seating / front desk service

On January 5, 2019 my girlfriend and I went to the Longhorn steakhouse located at Briar Creek Commons, 8121 Briar Creek Parkway, Raleigh, N.C. 27617. We arrived at approximately 6:30 p m.. We went to the front desk to give the receptionist ( a black female in her early 20's with long straight hair parted in the middle thin) at the front desk our name. We knew there would be a wait based on the amount of customers waiting inside and outside. We received our pager and we're told the wait would be about 50 minutes. It was now around 6:35 p.m. and we went outside and sat on a bench. After 40 minutes or so we went inside and said right in front of the reception desk. E we're just watching the people check in. After about 10 minutes a couple came in up to the reception desk, they appeared to be in there late 50's. The receptionist told them that the wait would be about an hour, she said that they could go to the bar. They went into the bar area and decided to sit at a hightop table even though there were many of is who had been waiting quite a while. The female of the couple approached the female at the reception desk and asked for menues, the receptionist noticed they were sitting at a table and told her there was a waiting list and they were wecolmed to sit at the bar. She returned to her table and the male came to the receptionist took money out of pocket and gave it to the receptionist. He returned to the table and they continued to sit there. After seeing this my girlfriend went to the receptionist and questioned what just took place and told her that we and all the others in the have been waiting for about an hour now. The receptionist said that someone told them they could sit there and she was not going to bother them. We explained that we had been there an hour and this couple just came in, gave you money and got a seat. At this point the manager was at the reception desk and after explaining the situation to her she said she did not want to disrupt them and the money given to the receptionist was for appreciation. I even suggested to the manager to go to them explain they made an error and give the table to the next group on the waiting list. She said she didn't want to ask them to leave the table and she was trying to get tables ready for those on the waiting list. After this I was aggravated and decided to speak to the couple myself. I explained that there was a waiting list and they should give up the table. The male looked at me and said " it's called money". Now I knew I was correct, he gave the receptionist money so he would not have to wait. I cannot believe what took place right in front of me and both the receptionist and manager refused to correct the problem. I also cannot believe that the manager would let the receptionist receive a money gratuity and not address it. The unprofessional manner in which this situation was handled with us and in front of the other waiting customers was discussing. I cannot believe that you as a restaurant allows this type of behavior, giving money to a receptionist in front of everyone never looks good for a restaurant. Needless to say after waiting an hour and then being treated as if we did something wrong when the problem truly is with the manager and receptionist, we left. I hope this situation is addressed and no has to go through and witness what we did and then being treated with such disrespect. I would appreciate a response to this complaint. Thank you for your time. Kevin Woicyk 44 Scarlet Bell Drive, Youngsville NC 27596. [protected]. [protected]@nc.rr.com.