Securing a reservation at popular restaurants in New York has become increasingly challenging, reaching a pinnacle of difficulty in recent years. The process of booking a table at the city’s fashionable dining spots has escalated from a tough feat to nearly impossible for many food enthusiasts.
Joel Montaniel, CEO of the restaurant reservations platform Sevenrooms, shared insight with Bloomberg, stating, “There are some restaurants that people can’t get into.” He noted that despite discussions with restaurateurs seeking advice on how to secure a table, they often admit to having no solutions.
The competitive nature of dinner reservations led the New York state legislature to enact a ban on third-party booking platforms like Appointment Trader, where users were reselling restaurant reservations for exorbitant prices, sometimes exceeding $200. This practice has drawn parallels to the scalping often seen in concert and sporting event ticket sales.
Melissa Fleischut, President and CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association, called the new legislation a “major victory for the hospitality industry,” emphasizing that it would lessen competition for reservations and shield restaurants from costly cancellations.
Despite these regulatory measures, the ongoing trend indicates that the demand for trendy and luxurious dining experiences continues to surpass supply. Travel advisor Jaclyn Sienna India highlighted the issue, noting the post-COVID reality where “everything is booked up,” including flights, hotels, and restaurants.
India, who has been managing Sienna Charles—a concierge and travel planning service for the ultra-wealthy—for 16 years, explained that catering to high-net-worth families often requires an understanding of their desires and developing strong relationships with restaurants. Her impressive clientele boasts names such as George W. Bush and Mariah Carey.
She emphasized a notable shift in dining preferences, stating, “People have really moved away from fine dining; we very rarely have a client that wants to sit through a tasting menu.” The trend is now inclined towards trendy venues, where the experience often centers more on exclusivity and the status of getting a reservation rather than the quality of food.
For those determined to secure a coveted table, insights from Sienna Charles may illuminate which New York restaurants are deemed the hardest to book.