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While I was flicking through English Vocabulary In Use, I came across this sentence 'Good night, sir. Have you reserved a table?'

To my knowledge,'Good night' expresses good wishes on parting at night or before going to bed.

Is this usage of 'Good night' acceptable in this context?

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    Technically it's OK, but yes, the meaning has overwhelmingly become a kind of goodbye. Better to say "Good evening, sir …"
    – ralph.m
    Commented Nov 24, 2015 at 7:34
  • Out of curiosity, could you supply the author's name, and the book's level? I might have a copy of it at home, somewhere. Thanks.
    – Mari-Lou A
    Commented Nov 24, 2015 at 10:04
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    I'm not sure it's worth an answer, but I can confirm it's a perfectly normal greeting in Guyana (as indicated in my comment on the answer below). I know this only from personal experience.
    – Matt Samuel
    Commented Nov 25, 2015 at 4:19
  • Related, possible duplicates: What is an appropriate greeting to use at night time? and “Good night” or “good evening”?
    – choster
    Commented Nov 26, 2015 at 2:22

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OED does indicate that “Good night” can be used as a greeting, but it’s unusual (and certainly in BrE, it would be unusual to the point of downright oddity):

  1. a. Expressing good wishes on parting (or occas. meeting) at night or before going to bed.

OED’s earliest citation for this meaning is from around 1496. It’s not obvious that any of its citations show usage on meeting, though.

  1. Chiefly Caribbean. Expressing good wishes on meeting during the evening. = Good evening int.

OED has citations from 1844 to 2009 for this usage as a greeting meaning “Good evening.” They have found evidence for it, as you have; but finding evidence is no indication of how general the usage is, in the Caribbean region or elsewhere.

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  • Bidding someone good night as a greeting would be equally odd here. It would confuse people.
    – tchrist ♦
    Commented Nov 24, 2015 at 10:17
  • I have a vague recollection of having heard goodnight used as a greeting in Ireland, but I can't find any Irish reference in the OED. It would be interesting to know if anyone else recognises it as Irish.
    – WS2
    Commented Nov 24, 2015 at 17:37
  • It is in general usage in Guyana. "Good night" is a greeting used at night, including when answering the phone.
    – Matt Samuel
    Commented Nov 25, 2015 at 4:11
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"Good evening, sir. Do you have a reservation?" is acceptable.

Saying "Good night, sir. Have you reserved a table?" is a lot like saying "Bonne nuit, monsieur. Avez-vous une réservation?"

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