Felonius

chefboy, I agree with you about the whole contrived manner of speaking thing. It's at best distracting and at worst ridiculous. I'll never forget an interaction I had many years ago with a waiter who was trying WAY too hard with his shtick. I happened to know the sommelier at the restaurant, and had a friendly conversation with him about various things, including some cases of Burgundy I had just bought at auction. The waiter must have overheard this, and when he was refilling my glass a bit later he tried to continue the conversation. He asked if I collected wine. Somewhat embarassed, I said in a friendly way that I was more of a drinker than a collector, but that I did keep a number of things cellared until they were ready to drink. To which he replied "Sir, may I enquire as to the depth of your cellar?" (This is absolutely verbatim, and I have never forgotten it!) I almost fell out of my seat. ENQUIRE AS TO THE DEPTH OF MY CELLAR??? I wanted to say "Oh about 12 feet", but instead I politely said something like "oh not very large". When the meal was finished and the check brought, the waiter said "Sir, it was my infinite pleasure to serve you today." At that point it was all I could do not to burst into a fit of laughter. My date and I tried so hard not to giggle, but alas we both had to cover our mouths. The waiter realized this and retreated with the look of a scolded puppy. I felt bad for seeming rude, but really, "infinite pleasure"?????? I felt like I was in comedy sketch.

My Dad did this sort of thing for more than one reason. Firstly, hospitality and service was really his life's passion. He once told me that providing truly high end/fine dining was a lot like being in a Broadway show. The cast may do the same play over and over, but to each theater goer the experience was likely a special occasion. Therefore, everyone in service had to put their heart into it to rise to that level of customer expectations. This belief guided his hiring decisions. He said that great staff had to share that love of pleasing people, something he felt was innate and couldn't be taught. Employees were hired based more on personality and enthusiasm, and then trained to the level of technical service required. Secondly, it was a calculated business strategy. He believed that word of mouth was the single most important factor in establishing and growing a long term client base. All the advertising in the world couldn't overcome the damage done if a customer had a poor dining/service experience and proceeded to badmouth the restaurant to their friends and colleagues. He would go to great lengths to make sure that eveyone left with a good taste in their mouth, even if that customer was a huge pain or someone who he really didn't care to have as a customer. Ironically, it was almost a sort of perverse challenge at times. If he could please a difficult customer, he felt he and his staff had really earned their pay that day. The only exception were people who were blatantly disrespectful to staff, in which case he would intervene and take the flack. He had little tolerance for that small group of people who actually derived pleasure from mistreating the servers for no reason.

I have eaten at most of the top NYC (as well as San Francisco, Atlanta, DC, Philly) restaurants multiple times, Per Se being the notable exception. Still, my top ten/most memorable meals of all time were nearly all in France, and one in Spain. Some in France were not even at 3 star or the highest rated restaurants. Only three were in America, and of those two were by French chefs - ADNY and many years ago at Jean Louis Palladin's place in DC. The other was privately arranged tasting menu/wine dinner by Andrew Carmellini at Cafe Boulud. Why this is, I don't know, but I know it.

Ditto. Steven, as usual, has called the play accurately. Go for Per Se if you want the whole nine yards and don't mind paying for it. Le Bernardin is still one of the best restaurants in America, no small feat given how long they've been at it on the competitive restaurant scene in NYC. However, the setting is mediocre and the service, while entirely professional, is not at the Michelin 3 star level. I haven't been to Per Se (though have been to French Laundry several times), but have heard through trusted sources that they are the only NYC restaurant offering a show on par with what Ducasse was doing at the Essex House. In my opinion, that was a dining experience unrivalled in NYC by Daniel, Jean-Georges, etc. It took things to another level, that I have only encountered in a few restaurants in Europe. I could wax poetic about why ADNY was great, but in the end it was a sensory experience that defies description. It reminds me of the Senator who tried with little success to legally define pornography during a Senate hearing and in frustration finally said "I can't define it, but I know it when I see it." Same thing for Ducasse, and I would expect at Per Se.

Thanks to a friend on eGullet, I was introduced to the Beacon burger lunch special last week. Great burger, great sides, great service. I don't think there's a better bang for the buck in NYC. I'm looking forward to trying the Sunday dinner and other meals there as well.

Steven, you hit on several very important points. The debt load on any business is arguably the #1 factor in the survival equation. That debt is generally a fixed cost (not counting a bank workout or bankruptcy), and the only thing keeping many businesses (including mine) from going under right now is the fact that the Fed has brought interest rates as low as possible. There are a lot of businesses that can't lose 20-30% of their revenue and still break even, no matter how they slash variable costs for food and labor. I'd guess that there are many restaurants in NYC right now that are off by that much or soon will be, through a combination of decreased customer volume and a lower average ticket as customers choose less pricy wine and menu options. As Steven mentioned (and I've heard the same through industry contacts), even though many places are still busy, their customers have significantly decreased their average spend. They are splitting entrees at cheaper places, foregoing expensive wine at the high end ones, and ordering fewer cocktails. When I look at how expensive many NYC restaurant buildouts are, then add in the lease prices, I wonder how these places can survive right now. For example, I have heard that a new local deli in my neighborhood spent $1.5 million to upgrade a former restaurant space for their needs, and have a $55,000 per month lease. Depending on their loan terms, that's $65-70K per month they'll have to earn BEFORE they even get to payroll, food cost, utilities, insurance, taxes etc. I'm guessing that they'll have to do at least 300 covers per day just to break even. That's just a neighborhood deli, I can't imagine the fixed costs for newer high end places like Del Posto, Buddakan, Morimoto, etc. Older businesses who have paid down some debt or have cheaper long term leases will have a better chance at survival. I think that many of the newer restaurants, those opened during the end/height of the financial bubble in 2007, wll be the first to go. Their business models were built on expectations of an economy that has largely evaporated in the past 5 months. As I mentioned before, unforunately the real crunch is just now starting. The holidays are over, the reality of a long term recession is sinking in, and the layoffs are just now beginning to cycle through the system. In addition, it takes a while for the losses at any business to add up, for cash reserves to be depleted, and for banks and landlords to begin the foreclosure process. The real impact of the Fall meltdown won't likely hit in full force until Spring/Summer 2009.

I think we will see a lot of restaurants closing if the economy continues on its current course through 2009 (which appears all but certain at this point). It won't be places like Lupa, Momofuku, Spotted Pig, or Jean-Georges. There are 8 million people in this city, and there will always be enough people flush with cash to continue to keep the top echelon of popular restaurants busy. My guess is a lot of the mediocre upscale neighborhood restaurants, as well as some of the really high end/expensive ones that aren't favored by the press will go first. It will be a flight to quality (or at least quality as perceived by Joe Public). While I don't have a crystal ball, it's not hard to forecast that things in NYC are going to get substantially worse in 2009. The financial sector drives much of the NYC economy, and the pain is just beginning there. There is always a lag effect, and the financial crash of Fall '08 is just now beginning to hit New York in terms of layoffs and unpaid bonuses. I think many people were hoping things would turn around, or were simply enjoying a last hurrah before allowing reality to set in. My friends in finance who were still eating expensive steak dinners in December are now staying home in droves, or choosing inexpensive options for dinner. That's not even counting the 20% who lost their jobs in the past month and are probably going to have to leave NYC to find work. On top of the Wall Street/finance debacle, we now have a recession that has spread globally, which may eliminate the droves of international tourists seen in 2008 chasing the weak dollar and dining out in NYC. Finally, with corporations in nearly every industry under cash flow pressure, the expense accounts and client dinners will be drying up. I've had conversations with owners/managers of a few of my favorite haunts, and all of them have seen a significant downturn in business in January. I also noticed, as I walked up Amsterdam in the 80's on Friday night at around 8:30, that a good number of restaurants were practically empty (maybe 20-30% of capacity). There aren't many restaurants paying NYC lease prices who can survive for long with empty tables prime-time on Friday night. For many places, I suspect their only hope will be concessions from landlords who realize that an underpaying tenant may be better than no tenant. This was what recently saved the "Emerald Inn" from extinction. I hope my prediction is wrong, but I just can't see how you can pull $20-30 Billion of income out of NYC payrolls without serious consequences for restaurants and consumer spending.

I'd amend that first part to say that the best Benoit charcuterie items are superior to what's being served at Bar Boulud. I haven't tried 100% of the BB charcuterie items but I've had the BB grand assortment and there's nothing in that assortment to rival the Lucullus-style tongue or the pate en croute at Benoit. And even hard-line anti-preferentialists will have to admit that the chef can't just go in the back and whip up superior charcuterie for a VIP -- so I do believe I've tasted the same things as everybody else (as well as Frank Bruni for whom being recognized on every visit didn't seem to matter). With respect to the other savory dishes, I just don't think Bar Boulud is all that good. Benoit, which is certainly uneven, at least shines (big time) in places. BB doesn't seem to shine at all -- though I haven't done as comprehensive a tasting as I'd like to do. And on the dessert front any comparison would be kind of a joke. Benoit is operating in a whole different, superior category. ← I have dined at each restaurant more than a half dozen times now and agree with Steven completely on this. I'm a big fan of Daniel Boulud's restaurants in general, and more specifically, Cafe Boulud was my favorite NYC restaurant when under the helm of Andrew Carmellini. However, I have found Bar Boulud to be completely uninspiring. Competent yes, but not exceptional for that price point in NYC. I really expected more from Chef Daniel. Plus, I dislike the noisy, cramped space. I don't see any reason to go to Bar Boulud unless you live in the neighborhood or need a pre Lincoln Center spot. On the other hand, the meals at Benoit keep getting better, and the quality to price ratio cannot be beaten in NYC in my opinion. They offer a three course lunch for $28 - which is the same or less as any number of completely lame brasserie type restaurants around Manhattan. It is at the same or lower price point as nearby Brasserie Cognac, and Benoit is operating light years ahead by any standard. I can understand someone not liking classic brasserie French food, but I cannot understand how anyone could realistically criticize Benoit for what it provides at its price point. On another note, while it was nearly impossible to get a table on short notice at Benoit a few months ago, it has been relatively easy as of late. I was a walk in tonight at 8:30 and the place was half full. Same thing at 1:00 for lunch earlier this week. Maybe it's the fallout from the stock market mess, or perhaps Alain Ducasse's long-running NYC curse continues. I just hope Benoit survives, as I love it and think it is a great addition to the Manhattan dining scene.

And FWIW, it's only available on the $175 per person tasting menu. Their other tenderloin for two (with potato crisps, butter lettuce and Spring onion) is $135. I don't mind throwing down some serious cash for really great food (i.e. the former ADNY) but I'm getting a bit tired of what seems to be a recent trend in NYC towards stratospheric pricing at more than a few places. I guess there are enough hedge fund managers to keep these places full no matter how ridiculous the pricing gets. Del Posto is also charging $17 for a "snipped greens salad" with vinaigrette dressing. I think in comparison, Benoit provides a lot of bang for the buck.

It's probably been two years now since I last dined at ADNY. Can you describe from memory the difference between the that Baba (or the the one at ADPA or Louis XV) and the one at Benoit? I'm curious to know if I'm on the mark or just have a faulty memory. Maybe I was just more tipsy after a long meal at ADNY and in a better mood by the time dessert came along. ← Can do better since I had the Benoit Baba last week and the Baba at Louis XV yesterday. Your memory is accurate. THe Benoit Baba was stale, the rum poured over the baba, no choice of rum was offered. The Baba's at ADNY, ADPA, and Louis XV were fresh and wonderful. 5 or 6 different rums were offered at all three restaurants. In Monte Carlo, you are left to add the whipped cream to the rum soaked baba. At ADNY, it was all done for you by the captain, the same at ADPA. Hope this helps. ← That is helpful. I just remember loving the Baba, as simple a dessert as it may be, enough that I had it on every visit to ADNY. I was thus surprised when it didn't do anything for me at Benoit. I do remember the cart with the choice of all the different rums. The staff at Benoit also said that they didn't think they had the right rum. Given, for $9 at Benoit, I'm not sure they could offer the sort of premium rums they might be offering at the more expensive AD restaurants. Then again, it's not like the dessert calls for much rum, so maybe they could use something similar. I remember a rum at ADNY that I particularly liked, that had an orange-like flavor. I think it may have been Rum Clement VSOP from Martinique. If the Babas as Benoit are "stale" as you say, perhaps they are cooking them well in advance and it doesn't work well this way. I'm not sure how long it takes to cook a Baba. Is it possible that at ADNY the Baba was cooked (or at least finished in the oven) to order? I know that there is a huge difference in the Madeleines at a place like Cafe Boulud, when you receive them fresh out of the oven as opposed to cold ones. Sorry if I'm going overboard on this, but I just want my ADNY Baba back!

It's probably been two years now since I last dined at ADNY. Can you describe from memory the difference between the that Baba (or the the one at ADPA or Louis XV) and the one at Benoit? I'm curious to know if I'm on the mark or just have a faulty memory. Maybe I was just more tipsy after a long meal at ADNY and in a better mood by the time dessert came along.

I couldn't resist sneaking in a second visit while they were still BYOB. Here's what I tried: Onion soup - Perhaps the best I've ever had. Very rich broth, perfectly browned cheese crust, very rich and decadent. It was great to finally have an excellent onion soup gratinee, as so many places these days do a really poor one. Steak au poivre - Excellent peppercorn crust and sauce. The quality of the meat was nothing special, same as what you'd find in many bistros. For $27 (or was it $29), I'm not sure how much more one could expect in NYC. Baba au Rhum - I tried this a second time, after a discussion with the manager and the waiter about my disappointment with the Baba on my first visit. The Baba at ADNY was a personal favorite. The Benoit Baba was still disappointing. The cake just seems too dry, tough and chewy (more bread-like), whereas at ADNY it was dense yet spongy and delicate (more cake-like). The manager and waiter said I wasn't the first to notice this and comment. They also said that Ducasse was going to be in the kitchen in a week or so, and that this was on their list of things to sort out. They thought it might be due to having the wrong baking molds/tins or something of that nature. I wonder if like the souffle, they are prepping the Baba differently. I am also trying to remember if they heated the rum tableside before pouring at ADNY. I remember the dessert being slightly warm. Anyway, they said that the Baba recipe was the same at all ADNY restaurants, and that this one wasn't yet up to snuff. They were kind enough to insist taking the Baba off of my bill. Overall, another great experience. I just love the menu, and everything I've had so far has been excellent other than the Baba. My only fear is that soon it will be impossible to get a table and/or the prices are going to be pushed up.

Maybe because DB Bistro Moderne has a lot of Daniel in it, and Georges Perrier's bistro fare at Le Bar-Lyonnais (Philadelphia) is sublime. I know, Ducasse is not a Chef, but I was hoping for a little of ADNY's magic to filter down to this humble bistro. I have to say my one meal at Benoit wasn't as good as any I have had at DB or Le Bar-Lyonnais, but it wasn't bad. ← I would say that Benoit and DB bistro is sort of apples to oranges. DB is at a higher price point, and their famous burger notwithstanding, generally attempts a more complex type of cuisine than at Benoit.

I wouldn't get too wrapped around the axle comparing it to Benoit in Paris. There's just no way you could recreate that atmosphere and patina. Developers spent something like a billion dollars on the Venetian in Las Vegas and it sure isn't Venice. Benoit NYC does have quite a beautiful room I think. I would have preferred darker panelling (a la Benoit Paris), but I'm guessing they thought it might seem to dark for the space.

I find it interesting that I had the same exact meal (minus the charcuterie plate and add escargots), and your thoughts are nearly identical to mine. I'd have liked the duck skin to be a bit more cooked down/crisped and less fatty. The lamb was ordered medium rare and the chop was slightly overcooked. The service was friendly but a tad disorganized. Finally the Baba was not nearly as good as at ADNY. I know the price point is much lower, but one would think that a Baba is a Baba. If Ducasse can do it at ADNY, why couldn't he provide a similar one at Benoit? Is it a matter of some more intense labor or preparation at ADNY?

I think there was a combination of: A) People who think all French bistros are the old same boring story B) People who think era of French classics is over, and is never coming back again C) People who figure that Ducasse will never get a NYC restaurant right ← My thoughts on the above: A) Well, most of them are. I happen to think L'Absinthe and Benoit are not. B) I believe there will always be a place and a market for the French classics. A perfect roast chicken, foie gras en croute, or tarte tatin is a thing of beauty. Some things are timeless and do not need to be updated just for the sake of novelty. C) I happened to like both ADNY and Mix, so I'm not the best one to judge. They were much more expensive restaurants though, and I think Benoit has a better shot given that its seems to be a relative bargain by NYC standards.

I find it rather amusing that people were critiquing the this restaurant before it even opened. Go try it out and see what you think. I did last night, and I loved it. My date and I had the escargot, duck a l'orange with vegetables, roast lamb (both a chop and what appeared to be tenderloin) with pommes Dauphinoise, a side of Ducasse's signature elbow mac and cheese with ham, and a Baba au Rhum for dessert. All were superb renditions of these classics. The Baba cake itself was not quite as delicate as I remember from the version at ADNY, but it was still very good. The service was very friendly, although it was apparent that they were still training the staff and ironing out some minor glitches. The assistant GM, Estelle Lamotte, went out of her way to make us feel welcome, to explain the menu, and to ensure the wine I brought was properly decanted. It's only a first impression, but I am as excited about Benoit as I've been about any restaurant in NYC for some time. I happen to love French brasserie food, and I think Alain Ducasse is going to set the standard in NYC for this genre. I disagree with some of the other posts here stating that we don't need yet another French Bistro/brasserie in NYC. Sure there are lots of them, but most are Americanized and mediocre. Balthazar and Pastis probably set the current standard, and even they are somewhat of an American take on the brasserie. My favorite is usually L'Absinthe, but the prices there awfully high for brasserie food. Les Halles isn't bad either, but it's so packed and loud that you can't hold a conversation. Benoit offers classic brasserie fare, in a beautiful room, at a competitive price point (our meal for two without wine was less than $100), with the knowledge and attention to detail of Alain Ducasse behind it. Maybe Ducasse has again misjudged the NYC market, and Benoit will be lost amidst the more generic competition. I hope it succeeds, but selfishly, I secretly hope a lot of people don't "get it". If the quality of last night's meal holds, I expect I'll be dining at Benoit regularly, and I'd rather not have to book my table weeks in advance. If only the BYOB policy could remain, I think I might just live in this place. There's nothing like quaffing down a magnificent bottle of mature Burgundy with your duck a l'orange, without having to take out a second mortgage to do so. So yes, maybe it is just another brasserie and you shouldn't go out of your way to try it.

I couldn't agree more. I don't go to a bistro or brasserie (whether in NYC or Paris) for inventive food, any more than I go to Sparks or Peter Lugars for the chicken sandwich. I go to a brasserie for what I'd call classic French comfort food. There are times when I'm in the mood for a Jean-Georges, Daniel or Bouley restaurant, and others when what I'm really craving is a great roast chicken, a steak au poivre or some profiteroles. That's what I think Benoit is all about, and I for one am grateful to have it as a new dining option in NYC.

I used to dine at Cafe Boulud regularly, but now that I'm spending most of my time working in places other than NYC, I'm out of the loop. Has anyone been there recently? From what I've heard, they've had a lot of staff turnover in the past six months. Several sommeliers cycled through, the former manager is now at Aureole, the chef de cuisine (Bertrand Chemel) has left. Then I saw something online the other day about a new chef chef de cuisine who was a contestant on some Iron Chef TV show. What the heck is that about? Anyway, I'd be interested to hear recent reports on Cafe Boulud. Maybe I'll truck on over there today to see for mysef, but then again, I might have to try Bar Boulud instead.

If he's re-opening with Liebrandt, it's safe to guess that Nieporent realizes all this. Good or bad, Liebrandt won't be boring. The question is how much of the old Montrachet (the decor, the wine program) will survive the makeover.By the way, there are many extremely fine restaurants that receive very few eGullet posts. We are a somewhat insular bunch. (See the recent thread about under-appreciated restaurants.) Well, in terms of luxury, TriBeCa still has Chanterelle, Danube and Bouley, and all three continue to do very strong business, so I'm not sure the premise is accurate. I do agree that of the four (Bouley, Chanterelle, Danube, Montrachet), Montrachet was the least exciting, but the continuing success of the others shows that the market for that type of restaurant hasn't dried up. If Paul Liebrandt can generate the kind of excitement in that space that David Bouley originally did, Montrachet will be fine.I also think the "TriBeCa cognoscenti" are a non-existent entity. That neighborhood couldn't sustain 1/4th of the restaurants it has, if there were a local cognoscenti keeping them going. ← In terms of "tribeca cognoscenti", I was referring to the neighborhood locals. In my experience they are mostly people in the late thirties to early fifties age range who have achieved considerable financial success and dine out several nights a week. They also tend to gravitate towards less formal dining options (in terms of ambience, not quality or sophistication of cuisine). None of them dine very often (if at all) at Montrachet and Chanterelle. Instead, they are regulars at places like Bouley Upstairs and Landmark. I got the feeling that Montrachet was more of a destination restaurant for tourists or New Yorkers from other neighborhoods out for a special occasion. I may be wrong on this, but I think it's difficult to be really successful as a "destination" or "special occasion" restaurant unless you're towards the top of the food chain (i.e. Babbo, Jean-Georges, Bouley, Daniel, etc.). You may be able to fill tables on Friday and Saturday night, but it's tough to draw a crowd on weeknights without the support of well-heeled locals. Cafe Boulud is a prime example of this. Their weekends are booked with special occasion diners, but they are packed Monday through Wednesday, and at lunch, with regulars from the neighborhood. Montrachet could indeed reestablish itself as a destination spot, but they would have to seriously up the ante in quality of food and atmosphere to do so. There is a lot more competition at the high end of the market in present day NYC than there was 10 years ago.

One thing Drew Nieporent doesn't have to worry about is start-up capital. I won't say more than this, as I'd be betraying a confidence, but he has been literally printing money at Nobu since the place started. It is one of the all-time greatest cash cows in NYC. ← I'm sure DN has much money to spend but at that kind of buckage it seems that anybody would swallow hard? I'm trying to remember that Cigar place/ rest. Nieporent had in that Tribeca-ish area, City Cigar or something?? I had some good meals there and apps in the bar there and was seriously bummed when it closed. I also remember a friend who had claimed to have some seriously great meals at Montrechet. ← The last time I dined at Montrachet was in 2004, and the two meals I had there were at best mediocre in terms of food. I also thought the dining room was looking tired and in need of a rehab. The service was excellent though, and the wine list of course was exceptional (albeit expensive).

One thing Drew Nieporent doesn't have to worry about is start-up capital. I won't say more than this, as I'd be betraying a confidence, but he has been literally printing money at Nobu since the place started. It is one of the all-time greatest cash cows in NYC.

The NYC dining world has changed considerably in the past 5 years, let alone the 20 or so years since Montrachet was in its heyday. The bar has been raised so many times that many once standard-setting restaurants are woefully obsolete in the current market. Of those still in business (RIP La Cote Basque, Lutece, etc.) I think that Montrachet and Chanterelle are leading the list of barely surviving dinosaurs. The fact that no one on this forum has entered a single post on Montrachet since 2004 speaks volumes.... If Montrachet intends to reopen and draw a crowd, their team should be at Bouley Upstairs taking notes as we speak. If the restaurant was on the Upper East Side it might have been thriving still (Aureole anyone?), but the Tribeca cognoscenti have moved on. Not many people in that crowd want an old school fine dining experience, with all the baggage that goes along with it. The new Montrachet could be a hit, if they can bring the food up to current standards in an environment that appeals to the new generation. Drew Nieporent is a smart cookie, and it will be interesting to see what he comes up with this time around.

Firstly, I agree with pretty much everything Fat Guy has posted on this topic. Secondly, the unfortunate reality of New York in 2007 is that it is extremely difficult to secure a prime time reservation at a top restaurant in NYC. Many of us don't have the luxury of time to spend weeks by the phone on speed-dial trying to get a reservationist, nor due to work schedules do we have the luxury of flexibility in booking reservations weeks or months in advance. My personal solution to this problem has been to cultivate relationships with my favorite places, so that I can have access to the blocks of tables permanently set aside for "VIPs". Unless you are a celebrity, this means months or even years of regular patronage - plus tipping extremely well, buying premium bottles of wine, and making sure the front of the house gets an extra tip or gift now and then. Is this "right" or democratic? Not at all. Is it ridiculous? Of course. But that is the reality of high end dining in this city. So in the end, the fees charged by this "prime time" service are actually pretty cheap compared to the cost of getting access to the VIP reservations system that exists (albeit very quietly) at nearly every high end establishment in NYC. I have no desire to use this service and show up under an assumed name. You're paying a premium for the table but you're not going to get any special perks in terms of food or service. I'd rather pay my dues and get premium tables and service the old fashioned way. However, I have no problem with the concept. If it works for you geat, if not, set your phone's speed dial to the numbers for Babbo, Daniel, etc. and fight it out for those precious few prime time tables on the open reservations system. To me the most interesting part of all this will be to see if the restaurants eventually respond with tiered pricing. Theoretically, they are leaving cash on the table. These restaurants could charge a premium for prime time reservations themselves. The amount of backlash this would generate with the public will probably keep this from ever happening, but who knows?