Diners can now book and pay online in advance, writes Ed Cumming; it suits them and the restaurateurs, too
Nick Kokonas’s maverick streak brought him wide acclaim as a restaurateur. Alinea, his much-praised restaurant in Chicago, is one of only a handful in America to hold three Michelin stars.
But it’s not just his cooking that has won him plaudits. Since 2010, the unusual booking system at Alinea and its sister restaurants has flipped convention on its head. Rather than reserving a table and then paying for everything at the end, diners book tickets online in advance for a meal “experience” which costs between $210 and $295 for 12 to 14 courses. Prices vary according to the popularity of the booking time. Drinks and service are paid for at the end of the meal as usual. You can sell on the booking, or call to rearrange. For the restaurant it’s a no-brainer, saving on staff costs, waste and – crucially – no-shows, which can cost top restaurants thousands of pounds.
Dining out is a cultural practice, not just a business practice, so when you mess with it people take it personally
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