New "table scalping" service

[Monk]

Have you heard about this? New York Magazine's online food column has been all over it. A new service, called PrimeTimeTables.com will sell you last minute reservations at hard to book restaurants. It works the same way many of those online ticket scalping services do. As you can imagine, it's quite controversial -- the restaurants hate it for a variety of reasons. First of all, in order to make it work, the service reserves tables under false names, blocking out legitimate reservations. And secondly, the restaurants aren't making any money off of the transaction (unless they're actually selling the service reservations -- but no one's admitted to doing that yet).

Soon, you may not only have to pay outrageous prices to eat at some of the city's hottest restaurants; you may have to add 20% (50%?!?) to the bill just to get in the front door!

 

[stevana]

Fuck that.

 

[Lou Grant]

A similar type of service was started around 2000. (forget the name) It charged a nominal fee for seats at hot restaurants that may otherwise be booked, at around 25$ a pop. This was before the advent of Opentable and people could go on and make their own res. for free. That is until the restaurants started blocking out tables themselves.

This too shall pass.

 

[Duster3]

My guess is...

...that this kind of service would fail in most cities but win in NYC. Individuals might not use the service but companies will pay whatever is necessary to get the best of everything. My company's NJ Nets tix are $200 a copy! When corporations stop buying the tickets, the NBA will fold.

 

[Monk]

Would it have to succeed anywhere outside of NYC to be a financial success?

 

[Slinky Bender]

Anybody remember what happened to the mainstream strip club business when the tax law changed regarding writing off entertaining client expenses? (actually, it also happened to the ticket brokerage business as well).

 

[Slinky Bender]

unless they're actually selling the service reservations -- but no one's admitted to doing that yet

I know of at least a few hot spots over the years where the MD would block off a few tables so he could "sell" them (i.e. take tips for seating wannabe big shots who didn't have a reservation), and if they didn't get filled, would chalk it up to "no show". Remember a few years ago when a few places instituted a policy of requiring a credit card number to reserve a table and charging you if you no show/no called them? Well, I know at least one of the places did that because the suspected this was going on. Are there still places which are doing this?

 

[justlooking]

If you mean requiring a credit card number to reserve tables, yes.

 

[Slinky Bender]

I meant actually charging your card a penalty if you don't show up. The taking of CC info I think is to avoid the instant situation.

 

[Lou Grant]

It's not officially practiced in the restaurant industry because too many people have fought the charges as being unauthorized. The basis of the claim was that there was no signed receipt (I know, before you jump down my throat and mention internet and telephone orders, etc) and won. CC companies reversed the charges and stuck the restaurant with the bill. That is why when you try to make reservations on special days like Val and Mother's and New Years, restuarants send you a cc authorization form to sign and send back agreeing that if you don't cancel the res. by a certain time, you would be charged. No signed form, no reservation. (This from experience, managing and running a few of the more-or-less "name" restaurants in NYC for the better part of the late 90's. early 2000's).

Again, not saying some don't try, but it is a practice that is not looked upon kindly with the NY Restaurant Association.

 

[Monk]

I know of at least a few hot spots over the years where the MD would block off a few tables so he could "sell" them (i.e. take tips for seating wannabe big shots who didn't have a reservation), and if they didn't get filled, would chalk it up to "no show".

Palming the MD for a table is an old and honored New York tradition. (Especially if you want a window table at the River Cafe.)

 

[UG Staff]

Palming the MD to get an empty table doesn't cost the owner anything. The MD keeping tables empty in case someone comes along who will palm him does.

 

[nycresponder]

Most places in New York are busy enough, and have enough of a walk in trade, that keeping a table or two empty for the prime seating time isn't likely to present a big problem. Basically, MD holds a four top for 7/7:30/8 o'clock and gives it away 15 minutes after the prime time to whomever is waiting at the bar if no one comes in.

 

[nychelsea]

Most places in NYC that are open for lunch are pretty easy to snag last minute reservations. Also, if you call the day before and have some flexibility on times, even the real high end places will have availability.

Eat on!

Chels