In New York City, securing a reservation at popular restaurants has become exceedingly difficult, with many food enthusiasts finding it nearly impossible to snag a table. Over the past three years, the landscape of dining out has transformed from merely challenging to almost unattainable for numerous patrons.
Joel Montaniel, CEO of the reservations platform Sevenrooms, highlighted the issue recently, stating that even restaurateurs acknowledge the struggle: “There are some restaurants that people can’t get into… I’ve asked them for tips to get in, and they say, ‘I don’t have them.’”
The situation has escalated to the point where the New York state legislature passed a bill prohibiting third-party booking sites, such as Appointment Trader, which allowed users to resell restaurant reservations for exorbitant prices – similar to ticket scalping in the sports and entertainment industries.
Melissa Fleischut, President & CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association, hailed the legislation as a significant win for the hospitality sector, aimed at decreasing reservation competition and shielding restaurants from costly no-shows.
Despite this legislative action, demand for trendy and luxurious dining experiences remains greater than ever, as noted by travel advisor Jaclyn Sienna India. She remarked, “Post-COVID, everything is booked up. Every plane is full, every restaurant is full, every hotel is full.” She emphasized the challenge of securing spots in an environment where availability is limited.
India, who has spent 16 years running Sienna Charles, a high-end concierge and travel planning service for wealthy families, pointed out that the keys to gaining access to exclusive dining experiences lie in understanding client preferences and fostering relationships with restaurants.
She observed a shift in dining trends: “People have really moved away from fine dining. The entire shift in the last three years has been towards trendy restaurants where the focus is more on the experience and less on the food. It’s about FOMO – the fear of missing out. It’s about saying that you got in, it’s a bragging right.”
For those ready to pursue reservations and claim their own bragging rights, Sienna India has insights on which New York restaurants are the most challenging to book.