Democratizing Restaurant Reservations
It’s only got 12 seats at a bar and the chefs are also your waiters, but Momofuku Ko, a new restaurant that opened last week in New York, is THE hottest restaurant in town. So you would expect to see those few highly desired seats taken by the Olsen twins, Tom and Giselle, the Beckhams and probably a few hedge fund managers, but this restaurant has approached the sometimes shady process of reservations in an new way.
Owner David Chang has established an online-only reservation policy through his new reservation site that gives a hipster in Williamsburg the same chance of getting a couple of seats at the bar as Mayor Bloomberg. Chang has democratized how people get reservations. While most restaurants of this caliber have reservationists that hold the power to grant (or not grant) tables, Momofuku Ko has tapped the internet to level the playing field.
Even the editor-in-chief of Gourmet Magazine, Ruth Reichl, who raved about the divinity of the restaurant’s fare, was told by Chang at her meal at Momofuku Ko, “No phones, no favorites, no exceptions. Online only. I mean it.”
We often hear about how the web is democratizing so many traditionally undemocratic institutions such as software and education, and Momofuku Ko has added restaurant reservations to that list. The seats will fill, that’s not an issue, but how to fill those seats and who to fill them with is a big decision for any restaurant owner. David Chang has taken an innovative approach to the “how” question. As for “who?” He doesn’t know, and doesn’t seem to care, just be sure to be online at 10 a.m. sharp!
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