Getting a table at New York’s most popular restaurants used to require just time and patience. Now, it’s more like a competitive sport, with its own set of rules and strategies—kind of like the Hunger Games.
Diners across the city have adapted by setting alarms for hard-to-get reservations, spending way too much time on apps like Resy and OpenTable, and repeatedly refreshing their screens. They’re not just up against other food enthusiasts; there’s also the challenge posed by social media influencers and bots used by sketchy third-party brokers.
If you’ve ever struggled to snag tickets for a Taylor Swift concert on Ticketmaster, just try securing a spot at The Polo Bar on a weekend. Brittany Fried, a 34-year-old food lover from the Upper East Side, has heard the words “fully booked” more times than she can count, despite her diligent habit of logging in at the exact moment her favorite restaurants announce new reservation slots.
“It really kills the joy of enjoying a meal,” she shared. “At this point, you’d be lucky to find a spot at the bar.”
The unpredictability of a spontaneous night out, once a beloved aspect of city life, has become almost nonexistent. Amanda Lavino, 32, can relate all too well. She’s faced similar challenges at various trendy spots, like Olesh and 4 Charles Prime Rib, and even popular Indian restaurants that often turn visitors away due to overwhelming demand.
Lavino was so desperate to dine at The Corner Store—a hotspot famous for its pricey martinis and unique dishes—that she set a notification on her phone every night for a month. Ultimately, her efforts were futile.
“Saying it’s difficult feels like an understatement,” Lavino said. “These places are nearly impossible to get into.”
According to her, the frenzy surrounding restaurant reservations has only intensified in recent years. New Yorkers are clamoring for dishes priced at $38 or even extravagant desserts, resembling a tech-driven competition. Once a restaurant gains traction on social media, it goes from being hard to access to out of reach entirely. “It’s not just dinner anymore; it feels like a social badge,” she observed.
These days, Lavino often finds herself wandering the streets of Manhattan on Friday nights, ultimately settling for any venue that has room. The growing use of reservation bots is particularly frustrating. Third-party sellers are known to deploy automated systems that secure tables the moment they become available, often reselling them at a premium.
“Humans can’t compete with machines,” Lavino sighed, likening the experience to the challenges of snagging limited-edition sneakers or merchandise.
The situation has prompted actions from lawmakers. New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a bill—effective in early 2025—aimed at curbing this type of reservation piracy. The new law prohibits third-party platforms from posting or selling restaurant reservations without explicit permission from the establishments. While it clamped down on bots, some dubious services still find ways to use technology to get around these rules.
Carla Forgione, manager at Peasant, suggested that social media plays a big role in the current reservation struggles. She noted that while it’s always been tough to book a table at popular spots, the competition has escalated.
“We have guests trying to book nearly a year in advance, but that usually doesn’t pan out since most reservations open just 30 days ahead,” she explained. Restaurants also have to consider walk-ins, owner requests, and spacing out reservations to keep service flowing smoothly.
The most sought-after time slot? Unsurprisingly, it’s still 7 PM.
Forgione recommends that diners sometimes just pick up the phone or visit the restaurant in person to enhance their chances. “A little human interaction can go a long way,” she advised.
Vicki Freeman, a restaurateur with multiple eateries in Chelsea, shared that she often receives messages from patrons seeking assistance. Occasionally, these inquiries come from old friends or sentimental requests. “Someone once told me her mother’s last wish was to have brunch at my restaurant,” she recalled.
Before the pandemic, prime dinner reservations were typically between 8 PM and 9 PM, but now the peak is shifting earlier to around 6 PM to 8:30 PM. It seems diners still want to enjoy their outings but also prefer to be home at a reasonable hour.
Freeman also mentioned that people have become more aware of tools that offer advantages like early reservation access. This has introduced a kind of competitive pressure in the dining culture.
For Max Chodorow, an owner of the upscale Jean’s, the flood of requests for reservations, particularly large parties, is overwhelming. To manage this, his restaurant now insists on approval for groups over six and maintains tight control over online availability.
Moreover, there’s an issue with “hoarding” where customers make multiple reservations for the same time, then choose last minute which one to keep, leaving restaurants scrambling to fill those coveted seats.
“None of us want to enforce cancellation fees,” Chodorow commented, “but it’s becoming necessary.”
