Last updated : Thursday, February 18, 2010

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How to Make a Reservation at a HOT Restaurant

Too many men have not learned the art of making a restaurant reservation at THE hot restaurant in town.  Although, I’m a little reluctant to give away my hard-earned secrets, here is the game plan!

Don’t be afraid to make the call and when you call speak with confidence but not arrogance (humility, warmth and kindness work). Remember that no matter how powerful you are, the reservation taker is the gate-keeper; But remember the gate keeper is human.  Introduce yourself.  Try to develop a rapport with the person on the end of the other line.  Part of a fine dining experience is having a genuine relationship with the restaurant and this relationship starts with this person (get their name).  

What if the person has attitude?  Well, my observation from many years of dining out is that the best restaurants never employ people with an attitude.  Moreover, my rule is that attitude makes for a bad dining experience and I don’t want any part of it no matter how hot a restaurant is.  This experience is going to be for you and your guests not to impress a condescending staff. If you get attitude, hang up and move on tothe next hot restaurant on your list.

Assuming there is no attitude, ask if there is any availability that night. A few pointers - even the hottest restaurants have their down time so ask for an earlier reservation rather than a later one.  Restaurant primetime is 7:30, so aim for 5:30 and a Monday. Before you turn your nose up at what you think might be the “early bird”, remember that the early bird gets the worm.  In hot restaurants this means that a) you will get to further develop a rapport with the restaurant staff who have more time on their hands earlier in the night; b) you will get even better service because fewer customers means less distraction; c) you will get to “plant your flag” often with a pick of the tables; and d) at fine restaurants, dinner takes a long time so you’ll still end up being there well into primetime. 

What if they still say: “No, we’re completely booked for the next six months,”?   It’s not over.  Respond this way, “Is there ever a day or time when I might stand a chance to have dinner at your restaurant?”  Then explain why it matters.  Remember, dining is one of the great joys of life and as such it is an extension of the rest of our lives.  What is your story in making the reservation?  Do you want to impress a girl that you are very interested in?  Or is an important client in town? Or an anniversary?  Whatever the story, impress upon the person on the other end of the line that you believe their restaurant needs to be a part of this. 

If all else fails, visit the restaurant personally.  Introduce yourself (preferably to the maitre d' or that person from the first step whose name you got) and express how much you would appreciate any kindnesses that the person could extend in making a reservation become a reality at the next available time and date.  After the maitre d' responds to your request in a positive way, you should communicate your appreciation with the ultimate reienforcer: a twenty dollar bill (twenty is the new five … in some places, a fifty is the new five).  Before you say that this is a bribe, remember that the restaurant staff make the bulk of their earnings in tips and tipping really is the way that a customer shows his appreciation.  By giving the reservationist this tip, you are paving the way for an even more remarkable dining experience and a stronger future relationship. 

I'll get into tipping more in the next post How To Tip Your Way To The Top, but I’ll leave you with this: be yourself, because if you aren’t, no hot restaurant will ever be hot enough and you will never establish a brand that stands alone.  

John Tantillo, PhD, is a marketing and branding expert who in addition to his work in the corporate world focuses the marketing lens on personal branding and lifestyle issues. He is the author of the recently published People Buy Brands, Not Companies.

 

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