Securing a dinner reservation in New York City has become increasingly difficult, with many food enthusiasts finding it nearly impossible to land a table at the city’s hottest spots. Over the past three years, the landscape of dining reservations has evolved from challenging to nearly unattainable for numerous patrons.
Joel Montaniel, CEO of the booking platform Sevenrooms, shared insights with Bloomberg, stating, “There are some restaurants that people can’t get into.” He noted that even restaurateurs struggle to offer guidance on how to secure reservations, highlighting a significant shift in the dining landscape.
In response to the competitive nature of reservations, the New York State legislature recently voted to outlaw third-party booking platforms like Appointment Trader, where users were reportedly reselling restaurant slots for prices of $200 or more, reminiscent of ticket scalping in the concert and sports world.
Melissa Fleischut, President and CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association, hailed the legislation as a “major victory for the hospitality industry,” aimed at reducing reservation competition and protecting restaurants from costly no-shows.
Despite these legislative actions, the reality is that the demand for trendy and luxurious dining experiences continues to exceed their availability. Travel advisor Jaclyn Sienna India pointed out the post-COVID trend of full bookings across various sectors, saying, “Every plane is full, every restaurant is full, every hotel is full.”
India, who operates Sienna Charles – a luxury concierge and travel planning service, emphasized that being able to get into sought-after restaurants typically requires understanding what customers want and nurturing relationships with those establishments.
“There has been a notable shift away from fine dining,” she remarked. “Clients rarely seek tasting menus anymore. The focus has shifted towards trendy restaurants where the experience is less about the food and more about the status – it’s about having that bragging right.”
For those determined to claim their bragging rights through persistence in snagging reservations, Sienna Charles has insights on which New York restaurants are the toughest to book.