Dining out in New York City has reached new levels of difficulty when it comes to securing reservations. Over the past three years, gaining access to the city’s most sought-after restaurants has moved from being merely challenging to nearly impossible for many food enthusiasts.
Joel Montaniel, CEO of the booking platform Sevenrooms, mentioned in a recent Bloomberg interview that some restaurants are virtually inaccessible. He noted, “I’ve even talked to restaurateurs, and when asked for tips on how to get in, they say, ‘I don’t have them.’”
The fierce competition for dinner reservations has prompted the New York state legislature to take action. Recently, they voted to outlaw third-party booking sites like Appointment Trader, which allowed users to sell restaurant reservations for exorbitant prices—sometimes as high as $200—similar to the resale market for concert and sporting event tickets.
Melissa Fleischut, President and CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association, hailed the legislation as a significant win for the hospitality sector, aiming to lessen reservation competition and protect restaurants from costly no-shows.
Despite the new laws, the ongoing trend shows that excitement for unique and luxurious dining experiences continues to outpace availability. Travel advisor Jaclyn Sienna India pointed out that since the pandemic, it has become increasingly difficult to secure spots, noting, “Every plane is full, every restaurant is full, every hotel is full.”
India runs Sienna Charles, a concierge and travel planning service for affluent clients, and has a history that includes working with high-profile figures like George W. Bush and Mariah Carey. She suggests that successfully accessing popular restaurants involves key factors such as understanding customer preferences and fostering relationships with restaurant owners.
According to India, consumer preferences have shifted away from traditional fine dining. “Very rarely do we have a client that wants to sit through a tasting menu,” she stated. The trend now leans toward lively restaurants where the experience often takes precedence over the food itself, driven by the desire for social validation. “It’s about saying that you got in; it’s a bragging right.”
For those eager to secure their own bragging rights and willing to put in the effort to land a reservation, India recommends some of New York’s hardest tables to book.