inquiring early in the day about dinner reservations that evening, I use Open Table to insure their spot.”
Fran’s mindset and mine is the same: When a roadblock occurs, just drive around it.
3. Know the Lay of the Land
One day I’ll create the perfect reserva- tion-making online application,and when I do, it’s going to have a link to the floor plans for each restaurant I’m featur- ing. (You can steal this idea if you prom- ise to make me a partner).Because as I’ve learned:Knowing the layout of a restaurant prior is paramount to securing its best tables.
When I call to make a reservation I almost always say to the reservationist – “Do you mind seating them at the table that you’d want to be seated at?”And, usually, that’s exactly what they will do!
At super-popular Amada, the ultra-popu- lar tapas restaurant in Philadelphia run by“Iron Chef”Jose Garces, I know to request the table by the
window.At Rob Wasserman’s adorable bistro,Rouge, I strive for the front seat view of storied Rittenhouse
Square.There isn’t a guaran- tee either will secure those seats but all I can do is ask, right?
Lay of the Land Divulge:Guess what? At Talula’s Table there’s another table! It’s located in the kitchen and it seats up to ten
patrons.Shhh! Our secret,okay?
4. Work the Cancellation List
Many restaurants keep a cancellation list. I’ve found those gatekeepers I work with will even put my client at the top of their cancellation list, if I’m nice about it.“Give us a number where we can reach you directly when a cancellation happens” suggests Aimee Olexi.You never know…
Disclaimer:A high percentage of my hardest-to-score reservations have fallen flat during my first go-round. It’s the can- cellation list that becomes my saving grace time and again.
5. The Table Touch
Along with asking for the A-table when calling in a reservation, I will usually request a manager’s“table touch”- The act of a manager visiting my guests and giving them a personal,heartfelt greeting. While this should be a standard practice at most better-run restaurants, it doesn’t always happen,which is why this small nicety is such an important one.
Fact:The table touch can quickly become something much more tangible and tasty. In many cases my manager contacts will then send over“a little something”(an appetizer,a dessert,or maybe a round of drinks).This business is built on heightened service and increasing expectations and it flourishes with the creation of personalized experi- ences, which can ultimately turn a one- time guest into an everlasting one.
6. Park It
Another trick to my trade is to break out of the four-walled con- fines of any restaurant by making another recommenda- tion all togeth- er:Whenever possible, I try to suggest the best places for my clients on where to park their cars.
Remember that magic app I had referred to - the one I’m going to (maybe) devel- op? Along with layouts of all of the best restaurants I also will include all of the nearby parking options - lots,garages, street parking and the costs,and their dis- tances to the
restaurant.This aspect of the dining experience is not as trivial as some might think and here’s why –
True Story:A client who was taking her parents and in-laws out to Sunday brunch asked me to secure a table at a particular Italian restaurant located with- in a very hilly suburban Philly borough. Knowing the restaurant’s lot only has a
mere nineteen parking spaces,and understanding that my client’s mother-in- law can only walk very short distances, I asked the manager to cone-off a spot specifically for her.Otherwise, if the one handicapped space had been taken she would have had one heck of a walk from one of the street spots down the road.
By instructing those I’m working with on the best parking available - or how much valet parking is going to run them - they won’t have pre or post-dining blues from dealing with otherwise untenable driving situations which can invariably occur when trying to get to the restaurant in the first place.
7. Kiss Your Concierge - Or at least give us a try!
Whenever you’re traveling and there’s a concierge on-property,consider utilizing his or her services. There’s no app in the world better than a live and caring human being.
The Sonesta’s Fran Nachman agrees,“I have a wonderful network of concierges throughout the city,as well as the country and internationally. I would not hesitate to reach out to a colleague to request their assistance in securing a hard-to- obtain reservation as they have their own personal contacts.”
There are many other tried and true aspects to under- standing and adhering to
the Art of the Restaurant Reservation. But those
secrets will need to stay with me, with Fran and the rest of our concierge colleagues.
After all, time and space may rely on it!
Ken Alan is a corporate concierge for CBRE.He is the founding member of the Philadelphia Area Concierge Association and serves as the organiza-
tion’s events
director.Ken is also a contributor to sev- eral regional publications.
ken.alan@
cbre.com
Mid-Atlantic EVENTS Magazine 77
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84