Consumables Depot
Join us as we traverse the world with a fork and a glass, tracking developments in the world of food and drink.
A host of restaurants in New York City, both new and old, are refusing to take reservations for tables. In other words, a populist first come-first dine ethos rules. Freewheeling foodies who love the casual feel of walk-in-only restaurants, love the new way of life. For others-particularly those who value time over money and like to plan their leisure activities down to the last detail-it is infuriating, often to the point of their shunning these restaurants totally.
It's also put paid to official entertainment at these places. After all, you can't have a client wait an hour for a table. Rick Camac, whose restaurant Fatty 'Cue has a no-reservation policy, says: "The rise of wait-your-turn dining may simply be a function of the economy. The downturn has dictated more casual restaurants, where people are looking not for uptight service or high price points -and often that means no reservations." He may be right. Around NYC, check averages in restaurants have shrunk. But now, with no-reservations customers invariably being younger and less affluent, the slide may just get more acute.
A host of restaurants in New York City, both new and old, are refusing to take reservations for tables. In other words, a populist first come-first dine ethos rules. Freewheeling foodies who love the casual feel of walk-in-only restaurants, love the new way of life. For others-particularly those who value time over money and like to plan their leisure activities down to the last detail-it is infuriating, often to the point of their shunning these restaurants totally.
It's also put paid to official entertainment at these places. After all, you can't have a client wait an hour for a table. Rick Camac, whose restaurant Fatty 'Cue has a no-reservation policy, says: "The rise of wait-your-turn dining may simply be a function of the economy. The downturn has dictated more casual restaurants, where people are looking not for uptight service or high price points -and often that means no reservations." He may be right. Around NYC, check averages in restaurants have shrunk. But now, with no-reservations customers invariably being younger and less affluent, the slide may just get more acute.