How long should we wait after the hostess seats us for the waitress. We went for our anniversary last night and waited a good 20 minutes and a waitress never arrived. In that time I went to the bar and bought 2 beers. We drank them and left.

I don't sit there in silence and then complain after the fact. I take control of the situation and POLITELY seek out the wait staff or the manager. Of course, I take into consideration the level of activity in the dining area. If it is busy, I am willing to wait longer.

Depends on how busy they are, but I've never waited more than 10 minutes

5 minutes?