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Thanks to third-party providers, there is a market for buying and selling restaurant reservations online. The prices have gone down.
Vienna – When you visit a restaurant, even in a small group, you can quickly end up paying a three-digit sum. In particularly popular locations you can sometimes get one or two hundred more. But it’s not just when you look at the plate that it’s said: your eyes eat with you.
But the fact that you have to dig deep into your pockets just to make a reservation could make things worse for some gourmets. In any case, Hans Figlmüller from the traditional Viennese restaurant “Figlmüller” was amazed at the incredible price charged for a table in his premises when the reservation is made via the Appointment Trader platform, which was founded in the USA.
A restaurant table costs 138 euros online: “30 bots want to help with reservations”
As a test, he had bid on the website, again courier reported. The result: a whopping 138 euros were due for a table. That wasn’t the only surprise, as Figlmüller describes: “Then the platform spits out: 30 bots are trying to make a reservation for you.”
It can also be significantly more expensive: a table for two in the “Figlmüller” costs a whopping 230 euros on June 29th from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. as of May 22nd at 3 p.m. At the same time on May 29th, an incredible 65 bots are trying to get an available table, and a price of 193 euros is expected.
Video: Gastronomy in crisis – restaurant closures are imminent
Buy a table in a restaurant online and reserve it: the company makes millions in sales
According to the company, reservations for more than 375,000 restaurants in around 350 metropolitan regions around the world have already been booked via the website, founded by Jonas Frey in July 2021. In other words, reservations have been bought and thus also sold. Appointment Trader’s turnover in 2023 was therefore almost six million US dollars.
Already a year ago reported the New York Times about the business model and mentioned that the company retains a share of 20 to 30 percent of the sales price, depending on the type of reservation. It also says that bids could be made on reservations that don’t yet exist. In this way, restaurant managers could attract influential customers and earn additional money at the same time.
Student earns money by selling restaurant reservations: New York wants to change the law
But private individuals can also benefit. The Washington Post reported about a 19-year-old student who says he earned about $85,000 in 18 months by making reservations at top New York restaurants and then reselling them on websites like Appointment Trader or Cita Marketplace. To do this, he disguises his voice when making calls or speaks with an accent for a few sentences.
According to the article, two New York state lawmakers want to ban third-party restaurants from offering reservations without the restaurant’s permission. This would cause costs to skyrocket and bars would suffer damage because their reservation systems would be less predictable.
Operators of restaurant reservation websites criticized: “We’re just satisfying demand”
Democratic Senator Nathalia Fernandez complains: “This really creates chaos in the restaurants.” On the other hand, operator Frey points out that he would only be satisfying demand; without such offers, similar deals would take place in secret: “Then they sell on the black market. No longer on a website, but under the table.”
He also emphasizes: “Appointment Trader works because people have problems booking a table. They wouldn’t buy a reservation if they could get one more easily.” His competitor Arya Toufanian, who launched Cita Marketplace about a year ago, agrees: “We are basically good players with understanding and empathy for the restaurants.”
Restaurant owner criticizes restaurant reservation websites’ approach
Figlmüller can apparently happily do without this. He moves in courier this comparison: “If the new iPhone is sold out and I find it on the “want to have” basis, it might be offered there for 3,000 euros instead of 1,000. There are always a few crazy people who can and want to spend the money anyway. But that’s not our business model.”
A restaurant in Austria runs a penalty feeif a reserved table is not taken. A Munich restaurant also knows this problem, which is why incurs a no-show fee. This was particularly annoying for one restaurant a blocked table for 18 peoplewhich ultimately didn’t come at all. (mg)
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