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Restaurants Adapting to Recession With Tricks, Deals
By
John Del Signore
Published Sep 3, 2008
Modified Sep 3, 2008
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By
John Del Signore
Published Sep 3, 2008
Modified Sep 3, 2008
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The Times published their fat fall restaurant preview today, and it features a long report from Frank Bruni on how the weak economy is changing the city's dining experience. The good news? It's easier to book a reservation during the popular 7 p.m. time slot; the bad news is that restaurateurs like Donatella Arpaia are overbooking to make sure they don't have empty tables due to no-shows. “I’d rather have people wait at the bar and buy them a free drink than not get them in the door," she tells Bruni. Other restaurants demand credit card info when you make a reservation and threaten a cancellation fee. Bruni says the key to getting a table these days is to affect a French or Italian accent when calling in, which is sure to "brand you as a potentially bigger spender." (And worse tipper.)
Tagged
economy
frank bruni
new york times
recession
restaurant
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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