How to Get a Table at a Hotel on a Busy Night

Some people try a last minute approach. They simply walk up to the metroidy at an overbooked restaurant, point to any name on the reservation book and say, that's us. A loud-mouthed man in front of me in line shouted at the desk clerk, what do you mean no room? If you don't have a room I'm sleeping right here on the floor. He got a room.