At a certain size, cities seem to tip from "there's always somewhere quality to eat" to "there are more people than places."
And then it's off on the crazy train as to how far down the rabbit hole restaurants want to go.
To be fair, NYC has been doing this a long time (on US timescales).
Nope. There's always somewhere quality to eat. It's just as true in NYC as it is everywhere else.
The reservations described in the article are just there to provide a certain Fine Dining Experience. If you don't want that, go to different restaurants. They are not in short supply.
So it doesn't feel like something inherent to the fine dining enterprise, but rather present or not in certain cities.
At some point, it's mostly fashion, rather than being about the food.
>Frey launched Appointment Trader, an online marketplace for people to buy and sell reservations—everything from private shopping experiences (the Hermès store in Paris), doctors’ appointments (a hot commodity in Miami and Beverly Hills)
- Reservations only
- No reservation needed
Side note, the hosts using the nickname "Eagle" for a bald guy is awesome, never heard that one before.
This is especially true for single people. What used to be a red flag is now a litmus test. Inviting people back to your place to entertain is a prime opportunity to flex. It's not even about the cost. Your home says a lot more about you than ever before.