Securing a reservation at one of New York City’s popular restaurants has become increasingly difficult, reaching new heights in the past three years. The challenge of booking a table at the city’s top dining spots has grown from a tricky endeavor to an almost insurmountable task for many food enthusiasts.
Joel Montaniel, the CEO of the reservation platform Sevenrooms, shared insights with Bloomberg, noting, “There are some restaurants that people can’t get into.” He added that even restaurateurs often lack advice on how to secure a spot at their own establishments.
The competition for dinner reservations intensified to the point that last month, New York’s state legislature enacted a ban on third-party booking websites like Appointment Trader, where users resold restaurant slots for exorbitant prices, echoing ticket scalping practices common in the concert and sports industries.
Melissa Fleischut, President & CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association, hailed the new legislation as a significant win for the hospitality sector, intended to lessen reservation competition and protect restaurants from costly cancellations.
Despite these legislative efforts, the demand for exciting and upscale experiences has outpaced availability in recent times. Travel advisor Jaclyn Sienna India remarked, “Post-COVID, I’m sure you’ve noticed that everything is booked up, right? Every plane is full, every restaurant is full, every hotel is full.” She emphasized the challenges of navigating reservations in a landscape where everything is in demand.
India, who runs Sienna Charles, a luxury concierge and travel service, has extensive experience securing access to exclusive venues for high-net-worth families. She noted that securing reservations at highly sought-after restaurants hinges on understanding customer desires and cultivating relationships with the venues.
“People have really moved away from fine dining. We very rarely have a client that wants to sit through a tasting menu,” India explained. The shift in recent years has favored trendy establishments where the experience often outweighs the food itself, driven by a sense of FOMO—fear of missing out—where obtaining a reservation becomes a status symbol.
For those determined to secure their own bragging rights in New York’s dining scene, a list of the most difficult restaurant reservations awaits, as noted by Sienna Charles.