The Hidden World of Restaurant Reservations

Thanks to online booking platforms, the way we make reservations has changed — but a table at a hot restaurant on a Friday night is still a valuable commodity. Zachary Crockett books a four-top for 7 p.m.

• SOURCES:
  • Lisa Blount, director of marketing and public relations at Antoine’s Restaurant.
  • Adam Iscoe, writer.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Why You Can’t Get a Restaurant Reservation," by Adam Iscoe (The New Yorker, 2024).
  • "New York Passes Bill to Make the Restaurant Reservation Black Market Illegal," by Emma Orlow (Eater, 2024).
  • "When Canceling Your Reservation Costs as Much as Dinner," by T.M. Brown (The New York Times, 2024).
  • "65% Of Diners Go Directly To A Restaurant’s Website To Book A Reservation," by Tessa Zuluaga (Toast, 2024).
  • "No-Show Diners by the Numbers," by OpenTable (2021).
  • "Selling Reservations Democratizes the Dining Experience," by Tyler Cowen (The New York Times, 2015).
  • Antoine's Restaurant.

• EXTRAS:
  • "Why You Shouldn’t Open a Restaurant," by Freakonomics Radio (2018).