Fury over NYC restaurant reservation scalpers making $80k a year by hoarding ... trends now
Some restaurant scalpers have found a way to turn dining into a lucrative business by charging their A-list clients over $1000 for tables at the New York City's most exclusive restaurants
Alex Eisler, a sophomore student at Brown University who studies applied math and computer science, told the New Yorker that he made $70,000 reselling reservations last year.
The student, also known as 'GloriousSeed75' on Appointment Trader, said he uses fake names and phone numbers to secure tables at Michelin-starred establishments and trendy hotspots.
'Sometimes they recognize my voice, so I have to do different accents. I have to act like a girl sometimes,' he said.
For decades, diners in the Big Apple have been willing to open their wallets wide for a taste of high-end dining, and technology and social media only make it faster and easier.
Some restaurant scalpers have found a way to turn dining into a lucrative business by charging their A-list clients over $1000 for tables at the New York City 's most exclusive restaurants. Pictured: Italian eatery Carbone where a reservation reportedly fetches upwards of $1000
Justin and Hailey Bieber, were famously turned away from Carbone after they showed up unannounced and without a reservation in 2022
Some restaurant scalpers maintain close connections with the maître d', chefs, and even servers at top eateries to secure coveted reservations ahead of regular patrons
Another scalper, who goes by the name of PerceptiveWash44 told the New Yorker that he considers restaurant booking a game, which he plays while sitting around watching tv.
'It’s, like, some people play Candy Crush on their phone. I play "Dinner Reservations,"' he explained to the outlet, adding that he had made $80,000 in one year by selling his bookings.
Michael Cecchi-Azzolina, who handled reservations at some of the city's hottest restaurants in the 1980s and 1990s, recalled a man offered him $600 for a table at River Café, a one-star Michelin restaurant in Brooklyn.
'My whole career, that's what you did. And you damn well knew every customer,' he said, adding that he always managed to accommodate celebrities who showed up without reservations.
'There's some kind of alchemy in the restaurant world,' he said. 'Somebody cancels, somebody's late, and you're out of the weeds.'
Ben Leventhal, co-founder of the reservation site Resy, said possible approaches to secure a table at exclusive restaurants include phone calls, e-mail, Instagram DMs, and in-person.
'Before you leave a place, you could make another reservation. It's a great way to get one,' he said.
Some restaurant scalpers maintain close connections with the maître d', chefs, and even servers at top eateries to secure coveted reservations ahead of regular patrons.
At Carbone, an Italian eatery nestled in NYC's Greenwich Village and renowned as one of the city's most elusive dining destinations, a reservation could fetch upwards of a thousand dollars for restaurant scalpers
Eisler said he sold a table at Carbone for $1050 recently on Appointment Trader, an online marketplace where users sell and buy reservations
And in a more recent occasion, Hailey Bieber secured a coveted spot at 4 Charles Prime Rib(pictured) thanks to a private restaurant scalper named Nicky DiMaggio, who charges between $5000 and $1000 per reservation
The steakhouse serving burgers, steaks, and mashed potatoes in NYC's West Village is renowned for its intimate size and modest exterior
At Carbone, an Italian eatery nestled in NYC's Greenwich Village and renowned as one of the city's most elusive dining destinations, a reservation could fetch upwards of a thousand dollars for restaurant scalpers.
Eisler said he sold a table at Carbone for $1050 recently on Appointment Trader, an online marketplace where users sell and buy reservations.
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