

How to get into the Hottest Restaurants in Town - antiform
http://www.gourmet.com/magazine/2000s/2000/10/pocketful

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iigs
Thanks for posting this, I found it really interesting.

As a 20-something geek I was surprised to read how virtually every place
accepted the bribe in one way or another. It really contradicts my low
confidence + true/false mentality.

His attitude appears to have been the magic for making those deals... had he
been holding the money timidly he implies they certainly would have turned him
away. I will take away from the article the reminder that more self confidence
(to a point) reaps benefits in ways I wouldn't always expect.

~~~
bootload
_"... As a 20-something geek I was surprised to read how virtually every place
accepted the bribe in one way or another. It really contradicts my low
confidence + true/false mentality ..."_

The downside of this approach is the associated psychology. If you give out
bribes there is possibility bribery can also be used against you. So be
careful how you deal with this kind of activity. Don't be surprised if the
people you bribe try it back on yourself.

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neilc
Wow, I'm jealous. I think the real question is how you can get a job writing
about your experience bribing maître d's and eating free meals at some of the
best restaurants in New York.

~~~
litewulf
For one... the meals weren't free. I'm sure he was tipping generously those
nights though.

The one thing that really strikes me is I wonder if this bribing is relatively
rare, and the novelty is what made it work.

~~~
drusenko
From my experience in new york, you can get into almost any "hot" or sought
after club with the same tactics -- ones that have 200 people lines at
midnight. Bypassing a 200 person line is pretty exhilarating.

He seems to wrap it up well in his tips -- the most important is that it seems
natural, that you dress well and seem meant to be there, and not be awkward
about the tip.

Walking straight up to the bouncer at the front of a line, asking to get in,
and (after you are denied and told to get to the back of the line) saying
"Isn't there some way we can work this out?" while slipping him a twenty works
every time.

~~~
akd
too bad that the 200 person line clubs are rarely worth going to anyways,
unless you derive your utility from the actual act of getting in where they
cannot (it seems as though you do)

~~~
unalone
That's irrelevant to what he's saying. His point is that if you WANT to, you
CAN do it.

And frankly, there IS something exhilarating in getting to go where other
people can't be. Perhaps it's not the cleanest thrill, but it's stupid to say
that you derive no pleasure whatsoever from it.

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mattmaroon
I've always done the whole "If you could squeeze me in, I'd be VERY grateful"
bit, followed by a tip later. The meaning is implied so clearly that it might
as well have been stated explicitly, plus the host doesn't risk losing his
job. Works like a charm.

------
opal
I'm still stuck on the get hot girl to accompany me step. I hear that's where
the expense lies.

~~~
fallentimes
If it doesn't help, at least you'll be entertained:

[http://www.amazon.com/Game-Penetrating-Secret-Society-
Artist...](http://www.amazon.com/Game-Penetrating-Secret-Society-
Artists/dp/0060554738)

~~~
pkaler
Please, no. That is a well-written book for the most part, but don't take the
antics as actual advice.

~~~
fallentimes
Yeah, it was said tongue in cheek. It truly is a hilarious read though.

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jcromartie
I'd rather get into the _best_ restaurants.

~~~
konsl
eh? Daniel and Le Bernardin are pretty damn good -- both have more than one
michelin star

~~~
agotterer
He should have gone to Babbo as well. That place is fantastic!

~~~
wallflower
I don't think it would work for Ferran Adria's El Bulli.

<http://www.elbulli.com/reservas/index.php?lang=en>

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waynep
Money talks.... nothing new :)

~~~
rudyfink
Exactly, cash is king.

------
run4yourlives
_one part Decline of the Roman Empire_

That line pretty much sums up the idea of "trendy restaurants".

If you want a good night out, avoid this shit and find an old money haunt:
better food, better service, and better diners. No, you won't see any
celebrities (another plus).

------
bigthboy
I liked the article and found it extremely interesting how easy it was for him
to circumvent the lines and policies of these places and get service that
could in many ways be considered "above the rest."

However, in the mind of an entrepreneur I have to say that it seems as
generally a waste of money to do such things, at least on a regular basis.
Even if you had the money to do it, it would be extremely unwise. This would
be the kind of thing you do and the kind of restaraunts you should eat at when
it IS a special occassion... not because you're hungry.

~~~
eru
There may be a need to create impressions in some lines of business.

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rglovejoy
I am sure we will be seeing less of this, as the world of high finance falls
on hard times.

~~~
iron_ball
Or more of it, as the titans (and affiliated hecatoncheires etc) of finance
quit being able to out-tip those of us with still-marketable skills.

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vaksel
just make a fake press pass and tell them you want to review them for your
newspaper.

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NonEUCitizen
this is a forum for engineering, not marketing.

~~~
danielh
It's called Hacker News. Didn't he hack his way into the restaurants?

~~~
andyn
It was an entertaining article, granted, but I disagree that greasing palms to
get a table at a restaurant is a hack.

Maybe I'm just bitter at the overuse of the word nowadays.

"Dude! I totally hacked that cereal into my mouth with a spoon!"

~~~
danielh
I agree, the word "hack" is overused. But if you go by the jargon file
definition, you can apply it to almost anything.

"hack [very common]

1\. n. Originally, a quick job that produces what is needed, but not well.

2\. n. An incredibly good, and perhaps very time-consuming, piece of work that
produces exactly what is needed."

He got into the restaurant. Whether greasing palms is "not well" or
"incredibly well" is up you ;)

