11 Comments
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Jenniferkstack's avatar

I thought perhaps this was going to be about a new app that only showed your restaurants that took walk ins and estimated wait times… time for another ☕️

Zach Wong's avatar

Thanks for a wonderful piece! Walking in is a virtuous circle -- the more people who walk in, the easier it is for restaurants to save space, which makes it easier to walk in.

Also on my mind is "grouping" -- having a few places in the same area that I can target, or trying for availability within a single restaurant company.

Angelica Compagno's avatar

I will say this and I will call out Ken Friedman and Spotted Pig - In the hey of the day I had old college friends, clients… a mix. I know it was a lot, but I was not a stranger. It was a table of 8 and I spiffed them $140 and… *nothing*. I waited over an hour. Glad they closed, still love April.

Lynn Della's avatar

I haven't yet made it to NYC (I live in Oregon) and, as much as I'd still like to, having to spend too much of my limited time there searching for a reasonably priced eatery is not part of a trip I'd want to spend my time on.

Erin Cunningham's avatar

Lynn! It's certainly the Wild West out here when it comes to dining out, but there are plenty of affordable gems/neighborhood haunts that would be more than thrilled to welcome you!

Lynn Della's avatar

Thanks, Erin! I'm sure there are (I love "neighborhood" restaurants). It's just daunting--considering that I know no one in the (very large) city--or its neighborhoods, other than by name or reputation--to contemplate the time and amount of research I'd need to do to find places that would give me the real thing.

Karen Brashears's avatar

How can you become a regular if you can’t get your foot in the door in the first place?

Erin Cunningham's avatar

Very chicken 🤝 egg

John McDonald's avatar

The best experience is often the one that was not planned.

Christene Barberich's avatar

There really is no greater thrill than seeing where a night sans reservation will take you. My greatest meal in NYC in the last five years was at Borgo, dropping in after thrifting at Vintage Thrift, and getting a magical table for two with my friend Cybele for an early supper. I could not have planned it better...and THAT is the point:)