Best Tips for How to Book Restaurant Reservations.
Food and the hottest restaurants are the best reasons to travel. Booking the reservations for a table can be the hardest part about planning your trip. Here are insider tricks for how to increase your chances for getting that restaurant reservation:
Plan Ahead
If you are traveling to eat in the hottest restaurants, plan your trip well in advance. Then, as soon as the reservations open up for your trip’s itinerary, make the online booking or phone call! Each restaurant varies according to when they accept reservations – it can be as early as one month to six months or even a year,
Set an Alarm
Speaking of planning ahead and booking as early as possible, these hard-to-get reservations get booked almost immediately. Set an alarm(s) to remind and alert you when the reservation will open up so you can be one of the first to make your booking and guarantee your table.
Off-Peak
Be willing to dine during off-peak days and times. Early-to-mid week is typically less popular compared to the weekend. Similarly, the earliest and latest dinner times are also less desired compared to the 7 or 8pm seatings. Consider dining before 6pm or after 9:30pm on a weekday.
Call the Restaurant
We are so dependent on apps and online reservations. Pick up the phone and call the restaurant. This way you can have a conversation with the receptionist if there are any last-minute cancellations that day, a likely chance for a walk-in table, or availability for dine at the bar.
Best Tip Luxury Travelers: Hotel Concierge
The best tip that can infinitely increase your chances to get a table or seat at the hottest restaurant is to ask the assistance of the hotel concierge.
Many restaurants eagerly accept reservations when luxury hotel concierge staff call in for their guests. Why? Because these are guests paying top dollar at the most luxurious hotel in that city, so naturally they are willing to pay top dollar to dine. These guests are often more aware of what it is like to dine properly. Restaurants will happily accept luxury hotel guests over diners staying at cheap hostels or AirBnBs.
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