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By: Alistair Gill on Wed May 21, 2008

First, being a smart diner who regularly enjoys top-notch dining experiences is not applicable only in higher-end gourmet establishments. All restaurants that have a wait staff are fundamentally the same, and the difference is only in kind – the size, the style of the restaurant, the training of the staff, but all restaurants operate on similar fundamental business principles and are susceptible to human psychology.

The second most important thing to keep in mind about dining well, is that you’ve got to be willing to work. Whether it’s a friendship or a marriage or a business deal, the more you put into a relationship, the more you’ll get out of it. You’re going to have to be pro-active.

Dining well depends on the small, the thoughtful, and the quotidian. Say please, say thank you, compliment the chef, and you’ve got the basics for a decent dining experience. Over this series of articles, I’ll take you from Reservations to Dessert, and all courses in between, detailing ways that you can ensure a fabulous dining experience.


Making Reservations and Getting a Table

If a restaurant primarily does dinner, why not try dining there for lunch? You’ll receive the same food, and though the ambiance might be different, the price might be more in line with your budget. Hitting up restaurants on off-nights can guarantee you a unique dining experience, too. If, however, you absolutely must dine at that restaurant on that busy night, you’re going to apply a bit more knowledge.

Most restaurants are overbooked. It’s the undeniable truth, and knowing that is your key to hooking a good reservation. Every restaurant straddles a fine line between profit and loss every night, and therefore over-book their rooms, knowing that a significant amount of reservations will cancel or not show up. Getting those empty tables involves persistence – if you’ve been denied a reservation, call up the day before and the day of to inquire if anything’s changed.


Be polite, be confident, and be persistent. Maintaining the delicate balance between flattering the reservations manager, expressing enthusiasm for her or his restaurant, and expressing properly your desire to dine at their establishment is sometimes difficult, but never unrewarding. Convey to the reservations manager through your attitude and bearing that you’re serious about wanting to go to this restaurant, and you’re not going to give up.

Ask questions – when does the restaurant require reservations confirm? At what point does the restaurant receive most of its cancellations? Do they have a waiting list?

It’s easier to get a reservation the day of, thanks to cancellations and no-shows, than it is to get far in advance. Know this, and call! You don’t have anything to lose with a phone call.

And one final piece of advice, if you can’t get a reservation, just show up. Most civilized restaurants will offer you a seat at the bar, and if you’re well-dressed and pleasant enough, you’ll soon ingratiate yourself with the staff and the bartender. Not bad friends to have.

I hope you'll join me for my next article, in which I discuss more tips on dining well, including how you can dine like a regular at your favourite restaurant.