In New York, securing a restaurant reservation has become increasingly difficult, reaching new heights of exclusivity. Over the past three years, the challenge of landing a seat at the city’s most popular dining spots has escalated, leaving many food enthusiasts frustrated.
Joel Montaniel, CEO of the booking platform Sevenrooms, shared with Bloomberg that some restaurants have become practically inaccessible. He mentioned, “I’ve even talked to restaurateurs; when asked for tips to get a reservation, they have no advice.”
The competition for dinner reservations prompted the New York state legislature to outlaw third-party booking sites such as Appointment Trader, which allowed users to resell restaurant reservations for significant markups—similar to practices seen in concert and sports ticketing.
Melissa Fleischut, President & CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association, hailed the new legislation as a significant win for the hospitality sector, aimed at reducing reservation competition and protecting restaurants from costly cancellations.
Despite these legislative efforts, the reality persists that the demand for unique and luxurious experiences continues to exceed availability. Travel advisor Jaclyn Sienna India noted, “Post-COVID, everything is booked up—every flight, restaurant, and hotel.” India, who runs Sienna Charles, a travel planning service for affluent clients, underscored that navigating the reservation landscape requires significant expertise and relationship-building with restaurants.
She pointed out a shift away from traditional fine dining, stating, “We rarely have clients interested in tasting menus anymore. The focus has moved towards trendy spots where it’s less about the food and more about the experience—people want to share that they got in; it’s a status symbol.”
For those eager to secure their own exclusive dining experiences in New York, Sienna Charles has identified several restaurants where reservations are particularly hard to obtain.