In New York, securing a dining reservation has become increasingly challenging, with many food enthusiasts finding it nearly impossible to get a seat at the city’s most popular establishments. Over the past three years, the difficulty level has escalated significantly.
Joel Montaniel, the CEO of the booking platform Sevenrooms, shared insights with Bloomberg, stating, “There are some restaurants that people can’t get into.” He has discussed this issue with restaurateurs, who often admit they lack strategies to circumvent the problem.
As the competition for dinner reservations intensified, the New York state legislature passed a ban on third-party booking sites like Appointment Trader, where users were reportedly reselling reservations for upwards of $200. This practice was akin to scalping tickets for concerts or sporting events.
Melissa Fleischut, President & CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association, viewed the ban as a significant win for the hospitality sector, aiming to lessen reservation competition and shield restaurants from costly cancellations.
Despite these legislative efforts, the trend of seeking out trendy and luxurious dining experiences continues to outpace supply. Travel advisor Jaclyn Sienna India noted that since the COVID pandemic, demand for bookings in restaurants, hotels, and other venues has surged. “Everything is booked up,” she said.
India, who has spent 16 years running Sienna Charles, a concierge and travel planning service for affluent clients, highlighted the importance of understanding customer needs and fostering relationships with restaurants to secure reservations.
She pointed out a shift away from fine dining, noting that her clients now favor trendy spots where the experience is more about social currency than the food itself. “It’s about the bragging rights of saying you got in,” she explained.
For those eager to secure their own bragging rights and willing to pursue reservations tenaciously, India offers insight into which New York restaurants are the most difficult to access.