New Yorkers seeking to dine at the city’s top restaurants are facing unprecedented challenges in securing reservations. Over the past three years, the effort to snag a table at popular venues has escalated from difficult to nearly impossible for many food enthusiasts.
Joel Montaniel, CEO of the reservation platform Sevenrooms, highlighted this issue in a recent interview, stating, “There are some restaurants that people can’t get into.” He noted that restaurateurs have expressed their own struggles, even when asked for advice on acquiring reservations.
The competition for dinner slots has become so fierce that the New York state legislature recently voted to prohibit third-party booking websites like Appointment Trader, which allowed users to sell their reservations for prices exceeding $200, similar to the scalping practices seen at concerts and sporting events.
Melissa Fleischut, President and CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association, described the new legislation as a significant win for the hospitality sector. She believes it will alleviate competition for reservations and safeguard restaurants from costly cancellations.
Despite these legislative changes, the ongoing demand for unique, trendy, and luxurious experiences continues to outpace their availability. Travel advisor Jaclyn Sienna India noted, “Post-COVID, everything is booked up. Every plane, restaurant, and hotel is full.” As the head of Sienna Charles, a concierge service catering to ultra-wealthy families, India has spent 16 years assisting clients in navigating the saturated landscape of exclusive dining and experiences.
India emphasizes that securing accesses to popular restaurants relies on understanding customer desires and cultivating relationships with restaurant owners. She observed a shift in client preferences away from fine dining: “People have really moved away from fine dining… It’s about FOMO. It’s about saying that you got in; it’s a bragging right.”
For those determined to attain their own bragging rights, a look ahead reveals which New York restaurants have the most challenging reservation processes, as recommended by Sienna Charles.