In New York, securing a dinner reservation has become increasingly difficult, reaching an all-time high in the past three years. The challenge of obtaining a table at some of the city’s most sought-after restaurants has moved from merely complex to nearly impossible for many diners.
Joel Montaniel, CEO of the reservation service Sevenrooms, noted that many restaurants are so popular that even industry insiders struggle to offer advice on how to gain entry. He indicated that these establishments are becoming exclusive venues where access is tightly controlled.
In response to the growing reservation crisis, New York state lawmakers recently passed a bill prohibiting third-party booking websites like Appointment Trader, where users had been reselling reservations for inflated prices of $200 or more. This practice was compared to ticket scalping for concerts and sports events.
Melissa Fleischut, president and CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association, hailed this legislation as a vital win for the hospitality sector, aiming to reduce the competition for tables and mitigate costly no-shows for restaurants.
Despite these measures, the rising demand for trendy and luxurious dining experiences continues to exceed availability. Travel expert Jaclyn Sienna India pointed out that since the pandemic, virtually all hospitality sectors – from flights to hotels – are at capacity, complicating the task of securing reservations.
India, who has specialized in catering to high-net-worth clients for 16 years through her company Sienna Charles, described the evolving dining scene. She highlighted that many patrons are now favoring trendy establishments over traditional fine dining, often driven more by social status than culinary excellence.
For those eager to secure reservations at New York’s hardest-to-book restaurants, understanding client preferences and cultivating relationships with venues are key strategies, according to India. She concluded that today’s diners are more interested in the experience and status that comes with dining at exclusive locations than purely the food itself.