The art of the difficult reservation
Patience, timing and a little local knowledge.
Some restaurants are hard to book because they are small. Others are hard to book because they are famous. The most coveted are both. There is no secret key, but there are habits that make a table far more likely.
Learn how the restaurant releases tables
Every restaurant handles bookings differently. Some open reservations on a fixed day each month, some release tables a set number of days ahead, and some keep a portion back for regulars or for walk-ins. Find out the pattern from the restaurant's own website and be ready at the moment the book opens.
Be flexible
Saturday evenings are the hardest to secure everywhere. Lunch is often easier than dinner, midweek easier than weekends, and an early or late sitting easier than the peak. Many of the best kitchens cook just as well at lunch, and some offer a menu that is better value.
Join the waiting list
Cancellations happen, particularly as the date approaches. Use the restaurant's waiting list where it has one, and check again a day or two before. A polite telephone call on the day can sometimes find a table that an online system does not show.
Smaller parties are easier
A table for two is far easier to find than a table for six. If you are travelling as a group, consider whether a private room or a set menu for the party might be possible, and ask well in advance.
Use the hotel concierge wisely
A good concierge has relationships with local restaurants and can sometimes help. Ask early, be clear about your flexibility, and accept graciously if the answer is no.
Avoid the shortcuts
Be wary of third parties offering guaranteed tables at a price. Many restaurants prohibit the resale of reservations and may cancel bookings made that way. Booking directly protects you and respects the restaurant.
Be a good guest
Arrive on time, honour your booking or cancel well in advance, and let the restaurant know about allergies and occasions beforehand. Restaurants remember guests who make their evening easier, and the next booking tends to follow.
Special occasions
If the evening marks a birthday, an anniversary or a celebration, say so when you book. Most restaurants are glad to know, and a quiet word can make the meal more memorable without fuss. Do not, however, invent an occasion in the hope of preferential treatment; kitchens notice, and goodwill is finite.