For those wishing to dine out in New York, securing a reservation has become more challenging than ever. Over the past three years, the process of obtaining a seat at the city’s most fashionable restaurants has transformed from difficult to nearly impossible for many food enthusiasts.
Joel Montaniel, the CEO of the booking platform Sevenrooms, shared insights with Bloomberg, stating, “There are some restaurants that people can’t get into. I’ve even spoken with restaurateurs and asked them for tips to secure a reservation, and they say, ‘I don’t have them.’”
The demand for dinner reservations has become so intense that last month, the New York state legislature voted to prohibit third-party booking sites like Appointment Trader, which allowed users to resell restaurant reservations for upwards of $200—similar to practices seen in concert and sporting event ticket scalping.
Melissa Fleischut, President & CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association, hailed this legislation as a “major victory for the hospitality industry,” aimed at lessening competition for reservations and protecting restaurants from costly cancellations.
Even with these legislative changes, the ongoing trend shows that the demand for trendy and luxurious experiences continues to surpass their availability. Travel advisor Jaclyn Sienna India noted, “Post-COVID, everything seems to be fully booked—every flight, every restaurant, every hotel.”
India, who has spent 16 years running Sienna Charles, a concierge and travel planning service catering to the ultra-wealthy, understands the intricacies of securing restaurant reservations better than most. Her clientele includes families with incomes exceeding $100 million, including notable figures like George W. Bush and Mariah Carey.
Despite her high-profile background, India stresses that gaining access to the most coveted dining experiences hinges on a few key elements: understanding client preferences and cultivating relationships with restaurants that can meet those needs.
“People have really moved away from fine dining; it is rare for us to have a client interested in a tasting menu,” she said. “The shift in the last three years has been towards trendy restaurants where the emphasis is less on food and more about the experience and exclusivity. It’s about acquiring bragging rights.”
For those eager to secure their own bragging rights and willing to persist in the reservation hunt, stay tuned for a rundown of the toughest New York restaurant tables to book, as identified by Sienna Charles.