Table Games
Posted at 11:38:53 AM in Restaurant openings, West Village restaurantsby Bottomless Dish
As Frank Bruni pointed out in a post earlier this year, the reservations game in New York seems to be taking a turn toward the unbearable. I guess I don't mind it so much at places like Wakiya and the Waverly Inn, because there's no question at those restaurants that the scene and all its snobby implications is the principle draw for a certain ilk. And, on the flip side, I also don't mind it when more low-key restaurants like the Little Owl create a buzz on their own, and then are actually packed with people on a daily basis. What's not OK is when neighborhood restaurants like Market Table--from the same team behind Little Owl--start playing shady with reservations before they're even qualified hits.
A call a week ahead of time for a Tuesday night reservation received a "5:30 or 9:45?" response. Now, I know the place has some considerable buzz, and I'm sure it will be a hit as it doesn't stray far from the Little Owl formula, but I couldn't help but be a little suspicious as I grudgingly accepted the earlier time slot. Lo and behold, the photo above was the restaurant at 5:30pm. At 6pm, there were maybe two other parties. By the time we left at 7pm (for a place so concerned with crowds, we sure had trouble tracking down a bill), the restaurant was mostly full, although there were still a few tables left. The groups that were getting seated as we left most definitely looked like people who might know somebody who know somebody.
I'm perfectly willing to accept that all 7pm tables were booked, but what would it have taken to land the 6 and 6:30 reservations that I saw trickling in? Having to leave work early to go eat dinner (even if it is your job) doesn't make too much sense to me. So the question remains, are neighborhood restaurants losing their "come one, come all" egalitarianism, or is there an actual method to the madness that I just haven't cracked yet?
This happens in San Francisco and Los Angeles all the time too. Earlier this month, I called an SF restaurant to make a reservation for its opening day. They told me: 6 or 9. So my friend and I show up at 6 and we are the only ones in the joint! Only 3 other diners -- and about a dozen more empty table -- were in there during our entire meal.
Posted by: Jane | October 25, 2007 at 04:09 PM
i understand your diress, however...
restaurants generally don't "sell" that many 6 or 6:30 res because they have less of a chance of turning over the table. If you have a res for 6pm, and figure 2 hours for dinner, the restaurant can't resell your table until 8pm. That's assuming you were on time for your res and that you didn't linger at your table. The 8 oclock res stays for another 2 hours, and voila, there were only 2 turns of that table. If they only make the table available at 5:30, it turns over 3 times-- 5:30, 7:30 and 9:30. A few slots may be alotted for the 6 or 6:30, but, as you experienced, most are not. Restaurants need to make money to stay open. That is why this occurs. Deal with it. And, as you said, you are being paid to dine.
Posted by: rg | October 26, 2007 at 09:40 AM
What you need to understand is that almost everyone wants to eat between 7 and 9:30pm. It doesn't matter whether the restaurant is new or old, whether it is a neighborhood spot or somewhere people just go to be seen. That being the case, even if the reservations book is completely open between 5 and 7 and between 10 and close, the tables that have been reserved between 7 and 9:30 still need to be available at the time promised to the guest who took the initiative to call in advance and make a reservation. If you wait until the day of or the day before or even the week before, chances are you aren't going to get a "prime time" reservation and contrary to popular belief, prime time doesn't just mean 8 or 8:30. It encompasses 7-9:30. If all the restaurant has open is 5:30 it's because the table is rebooked at 7:30. Before you whine at them about it because you can't get there til 6:00 because of your work and don't they understand you have a job to do and you can't just leave work whenever you feel like it and it's only a half an hour what's the big deal...think about this. Someone else has a reservation at 7:30 and they were promised the table would be available and when they get there they find out there's going to be a wait for the table that they called weeks in advance to have and it ends up taking thirty minutes and how could the restaurant possibly make them wait that long...What if you were that 7:30 person... half an hour would sure seem like a big deal then, huh? Reservationists are not out to get you. They don't derive perverse pleasure out of only offering you 5:30 and 10:30 tables, it would obviously make their lives a lot less stressful if they could just give everyone exactly the reservation time that they want but it's just not realisitically possible. They have to make due with the number of tables that they have and the order in which people call to reserve those tables. Just like you have to do your job, they have to do their job and the biggest part of that job is giving equal preference to everyone. I guarantee you that no reservationist out there gives a crap if you are famous or just Joe Schmoe off the street because chances are, they are just gonna be sitting in an office somewhere upstairs or in the basement and never get to see you anyway. We want to help everyone, but everyone has to help us in return by either making your plans in advance or haveing some flexibilty and understanding when you make your plans last minute.
Posted by: reservationist | October 26, 2007 at 11:17 AM
Any worse than the games restaurants play with Open Table? I called at 2am EST 30 days in advance to get a reservation at Lupa and was told 5:30 and 9:45. BS!
Posted by: KT | October 26, 2007 at 11:18 AM
I understand your frustration, but if you aren't a fan of the open time slots given to you for a reservation, then choose not to go to the restaurant!
Posted by: nycfoodie | October 26, 2007 at 01:51 PM
Lupa's lines open at 10 AM one calendar month in advance and like big brother Babbo generally books out the time slot 6:30-10:30 in the first 15 minutes. Many restaurants release tables to Opentable 1 or 2 days after they are available via phoning in. Little Owl books 28 days in advance via the phone and 27 days in advance on Opentable. Know the rules of the game if you want to play and win. Otherwise sit on the sidelines and keep quiet while I enjoy my pork chop at Little Owl at 8:15.
Posted by: Tsquared | October 26, 2007 at 05:09 PM
I came to nyc as a tourist and went to the market table which was recommended by friend. I called and received the reservation that I wanted. But I called well in advance. Yes it was very busy but as with all other great resturants in nyc if you call a couple days in advance you most likely will not get the time slot you want. It is the luck of the draw unless you call weeks and in some cases like with Nobu months in advance. It is the case as well in other major cities....Las Vegas and San Fran are the same!
Market table was a great meal in a relaxed atmosphere I highly recommend it ............just call in advance if you want a table.
Posted by: touristinnyc | July 01, 2008 at 12:35 PM