Seinfeld

About this Seinfeld episode:

When the episode initially aired in the United States on NBC on May 23, 1991,it received a Nielsen rating of 11.7 and an audience share of 21—this meant that 11.7% of American households watched the episode, and that 21% of televisions in use at the time were tuned to it. Seinfeld was the eighteenth most-watched show of the week, and the sixth most-watched show on NBC. NBC executives held a meeting after the broadcast to determine the fate of the show, and decided it would receive a third season order if the writers would put more effort into episode storylines.
Seinfeld - The Chinese Restaurant received very positive responses from critics and is considered one of Seinfeld's first "classic episodes".

In this Seinfeld episode, Jerry, George, and Elaine decide to order dinner without reservations at a Chinese restaurant, but are repeatedly stymied by the maître d'. After they are repeatedly told that they will receive a table in "5, 10 minutes", Elaine mentions that she is so hungry, she would eat food off of another patron's plate. Jerry wagers $50 that she would. Elaine approaches the diners at a table and tells them that her friends would give her $50 to eat one of their egg rolls and that she is willing to give them $25 of it. The people at the table do not understand her, and Elaine walks away and loses the wager. Jerry, having lied to his uncle that he couldn't make it to dinner, sees his uncle's receptionist at the restaurant. Realizing that his cover is blown, he decides to have dinner with his uncle after all. George, who is unable to reach his girlfriend on the pay phone, and Elaine are more than willing to leave. After they do, the maitre d' calls their party.