Securing a reservation at a restaurant in New York has become increasingly challenging, reaching new heights of difficulty in recent years. The process for dining at the city’s most sought-after establishments has evolved from merely challenging to nearly unattainable for many food enthusiasts.
Joel Montaniel, CEO of the booking platform Sevenrooms, shared insights with Bloomberg, noting that some restaurants are virtually impossible to access. He said, “I’ve talked to restaurateurs, and we’ve hosted them on panels, asking for tips to get in, and they say, ‘I don’t have them.’”
The competitive landscape for dinner reservations prompted the New York state legislature last month to outlaw third-party booking sites like Appointment Trader, where users resold restaurant reservations for upwards of $200, a practice reminiscent of ticket scalping for concerts and sporting events.
Melissa Fleischut, President and CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association, hailed the legislation as a significant win for the hospitality industry, aimed at lessening competition for reservations and shielding restaurants from costly cancellations.
Despite the legislative measures, the demand for upscale, trendy, and unique dining experiences continues to exceed availability in recent years. Travel advisor Jaclyn Sienna India noted, “Post-COVID, everything is booked up; every plane is full, every restaurant is full, every hotel is full.”
Having operated Sienna Charles, a concierge and travel planning service catering to the ultra-wealthy for 16 years, India understands the intricacies of securing restaurant access. Her clientele typically includes families with an income exceeding $100 million, and her past clients include notable figures like George W. Bush and Mariah Carey.
India highlights that gaining access to the most popular dining venues relies on a few key elements: recognizing customer preferences and cultivating relationships with restaurants. She pointed out a notable shift in client desires, stating, “People have really moved away from fine dining; we very rarely have a client that wants to sit through a tasting menu.” The current trend leans toward vibrant, trendy restaurants where the emphasis is more on the experience and social recognition than the food itself.
For those eager to secure a reservation at some of New York’s hardest-to-book restaurants, perseverance is crucial, as explained by Sienna Charles.