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Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
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8 tips for scoring reservations at the world's most popular restaurants
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Quick summary
Securing reservations at top restaurants often requires a mix of strategic planning, use of reservation platforms and personal outreach.
Popular apps and websites can help, but many exclusive venues rely on waitlists, direct emails or social media updates for last-minute openings.
Some premium cardholders may access concierge services that assist with hard-to-get bookings at select establishments.
Building rapport with restaurant staff and maintaining good manners can improve your chances for future reservations.
What to consider
Reservation windows for renowned restaurants can open months in advance and fill up within minutes, requiring precise timing.
Waitlists and last-minute cancellations are common, so flexibility and prompt responses can increase your chances.
Personalized communication—such as creative emails or positive social media engagement—may help your request stand out.
What you'll miss from the article
Detailed tactics for leveraging apps, concierges, waitlists and personal connections to secure tables at sought-after restaurants.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Some lovers of fine dining book notoriously hard-to-reserve tables almost a year in advance, before even contemplating where to stay and how to get there. So how do you secure a reservation at the likes of Husk or Central — both featured on Netflix's popular show "Chef's Table" — if your boss sends you on a last-minute work trip?
While it might sound like an impossible challenge, smart planning and some insider intel could have you eating at the hottest table in town.
Try an app or website
While there is no single app that resolves bookings at the world’s Michelin-starred or 50 best-ranked establishments in one fell swoop, savvy diners look to Tock and Resy. With a largely U.S. focus, Tock covers all major American cities while also dabbling in London, Hong Kong, Sydney and Tulum, among a hundred other destinations. First tempting users with “unique culinary experiences,” Tock then seals the deal with a one-click reservation at, say, Eleven Madison Park. Resy is a similar concept — and even has the beginnings of a loyalty program.
Use the right credit card
Credit cards have also gotten in on the reservation action, acting as a nexus for premium cardholders. Following the success of its Global Dining Collection, which features culinary stars such as Dominique Crenn of San Francisco’s Atelier Crenn, American Express acquired Resy in 2019 to offer cardholders exclusive booking options.
If you have a card with Visa Infinite benefits, you'll also have access to a concierge to help you score coveted restaurant reservations. The same is true for Citi Prestige® cardholders, who also have access to premium concierge services. The information for the Citi Prestige® Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
But how do you get a seat at top tables that don’t figure on apps or credit cards? At Gustu in La Paz, Bolivia’s altitudinous capital, head sommelier and manager Bertil Levin Tøttenborg suggests diners turn up regardless, given that those who haven’t acclimatized to its 11,000-foot location are likely no shows.
He said, “If we don’t immediately have a table, we’ll seat you at the bar. We do work with a waiting list, but my advice is to arrive early and take a chance: Getting seated basically depends on who turns up first. [And] accept what you’re being offered; that way, the restaurant will think of you first.”
(Photo courtesy of Gustu)
With a huge following thanks to "Chef’s Table," Virgilio Martínez’s Central in Lima has some of the most sought-after reservations in Latin America. Martínez told TPG that hopeful diners should invest their hope in the waiting list.
“Clients must keep an eye on their reservation status, because it might change quickly due to cancellations or no shows. If you’re after a table, get on the waiting list and be prepared to go that same night if a reservation pops up. There’s a lot of probability that it will work for you, given the number of cancellations and no shows that happen, and that has become a new phenomenon.”
Set an alarm
Michelin-starred Osteria Francescana and El Celler de Can Roca operate their own online reservations systems, which open 4 and 11 months in advance, respectively — so you’ll need a credit card and an alarm to secure a seat.
To get in to Girona’s El Celler, the Roca brothers’ website clearly states: “A new month will become available at midnight on the first day of every month.” That’s midnight in Spain, not New York City or Los Angeles. A simple way around this is to set your alarm in order to secure your reservation. And certainly don’t waste valuable booking minutes fumbling around for your Chase Sapphire Reserve card; this is a precise operation where every second counts.
Send an email
Not all top establishments use online reservation systems, however, which presents another opportunity to bag a hot table, according to Vladimir Kojic, head sommelier at Gaggan in Bangkok. “We receive 300 emails a day requesting reservations, so my advice is to make yours stand out. Be funny or cheeky or interesting; you’ll likely get picked out because you’re someone restaurant staff will talk about and will want to see.”
Reach out on social media
Another recommended strategy is using social media to secure a table. Restaurants such as Hiša Franko in Slovenia update table availability on Instagram, and cooks, waitstaff and somms appreciate positive tags.
“At Hiša Franko, we’re booked two months in advance," chef Ana Roš told TPG. "But as long as we don’t take prepayments and allow cancellations up to 24 hours before, we often have last-minute tables available. Keep an eye on our social media for availability each week, or email us; we answer every email personally and can advise on reservations.”
Get VIP treatment
So you struck gold with the waiting list, your wit has charmed reception and you’re about to indulge in the greatest meal of your life: Don’t let this opportunity go to waste. Cozy up to the host, thank staff for squeezing you in, compliment the sommelier on his or her pairings and make yourself memorable.
An Instagram tag can also be a useful tool for special attention, according to Marko Kovac, chef Gaggan Anand’s restaurant publicist. “Once you’re in, making friends with key staff on social media helps, as you’re connecting directly with the people who work in these restaurants. Take a selfie and send it to them: Connections are important,” he said. “And always share food photos. Restaurants really appreciate that and it can pay off. Remember that most top chefs such as Massimo Bottura at Osteria Francescana keep back one table for chef friends or family who happen to be in town: you, too, could be dining at it.”
Guarantee a future table
Scoring a reservation at these famous restaurants can be tricky business. But do it once, and you can make the effort count for future visits. “If you bring a bottle of wine as a gift for the sommelier, for example, it might not be the best vintage ever, but you’ll certainly be remembered for the next time you want a table!” Kojic said.
Good manners are also key. Tøttenborg said, “Please don’t be rude! Staff will be your best friend if we can get you a table — but we won’t if you’re mean to us.”
Planning, organization, a good attitude and flexibility all matter when it comes to obtaining a place at the world’s hottest tables. Just don’t forget to share every bite and sip with Gaggan, Virgilio, Ana and others on Instagram.
Additional reporting by Carissa Rawson
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
