The Chinese Restaurant - Plot

Plot

Jerry, George, and Elaine decide to eat dinner without a reservation at a Chinese restaurant before seeing a one-night showing of Plan 9 from Outer Space, which Jerry exultantly calls "the worst movie ever made!" The maître d' (James Hong) repeatedly tells the party they will receive a table in "5, 10 minutes", but with no result. Besides having only a short time until the movie begins, the characters have other worries:

• Jerry previously lied to his uncle, saying he could not join him for dinner; he prefers to see the film, yet feels guilty.
• George is anxious because, the night before, he left his girlfriend Tatiana during sexual intercourse because he needed to use a bathroom and thought hers was too close to her bedroom to provide enough privacy. He wants to call Tatiana to invite her to join them, but is repeatedly prevented from using the restaurant's payphone, as it is first occupied by a man (Michael Mitz) who ignores George, and then by a woman who is rude to him.
• Jerry notices a woman (Judy Kain) he has seen before, but cannot remember her name.
• Elaine is frustrated by being extremely hungry.

Jerry dares Elaine to take an egg roll from someone's plate and eat it, offering her $50 to do so. Elaine approaches a table with an elderly couple and tells them that her friend will give her $50 to eat one of their egg rolls, and she is willing to give them $25 of it. As she softly speaks the offer without moving her lips, they fail to comprehend her. She awkwardly walks away, then laughs off her attempt. George is finally able to call Tatiana, the answering machine answers his call, and George leaves a message. Tatiana calls the restaurant to reach George, but the maître d' calls "Cartwright" instead of "Costanza", and she "said curse words" when he told her that George is not there. When the mysterious woman encounters Jerry, he remembers belatedly that she is his uncle's receptionist.

Plan after plan is thwarted: Elaine tries bribing the maître d', but is unsuccessful. They could get food to go, but they can't eat Chinese food in a taxicab. Elaine is ravenous, but refuses to eat concession stand food at the movie theater.

George decides he's no longer in the mood for the film; Elaine wants to leave and get a hamburger; Jerry decides that he might as well have dinner with his uncle. As soon as they leave, the maître d' calls their party.