Many Restaurateurs Expect Strike To Force Cancellations
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For a prime-time reservation at Babbo near Washington Square Park, diners usually start calling two months in advance. Thanks to the New York transit strike, your chance of tasting warm lamb tongue with an aged balsamic dressing tonight just got a whole lot better.
Mario Batali, the celebrity chef and restaurateur who lives within walking distance of all his restaurants (Babbo, Otto, Lupa, Esca, and Del Posto), said yesterday morning that all his places were booked for the evening, and no one had called to cancel. But he expected that to change.
“I’d guess 30% to 40% of our reservations, especially at Babbo, are from people who won’t be able to get into town tonight, so that means there will be a lot of holes,” he said. “If people show up, we’ll do the best to get them in.”
Many of New York’s most popular restaurants may have openings tonight because of the transit strike that shut down bus and subway service for 7 million people.
Even at places such as Per Se at the Time Warner Center, where you can wait three months to get a prime table, there may be seats available at the last minute because of canceled reservations.
“I’m sure if you show up and are properly dressed and have a glass of champagne at our bar, we can find a space for you,” Per Se’s head of reservations, who asked not to be identified, said.
The week leading up to Christmas is usually one of the busiest of the year for New York restaurants. But the strike could severely reduce holiday revenue by scaring away tourists and convincing commuters to stay home.
“This week would have been our best since 2000 in terms of volume and profit,” said Steve Hanson, whose 13 New York restaurants employ 1,500 people. “Now we won’t make the money we were supposed to.”
Mr. Hanson, a former commodities trader whose eateries include Blue Fin, Ruby Foo’s, and Blue Water Grill, said the strike has already taken a toll on his private-party business, which makes up about a third of his holiday revenue.
“I’d say one-third of (yesterday’s) parties have canceled,” he said.
For places that attract a mostly local clientele, like the Spotted Pig and the Fatty Crab in the West Village, the strike may have a minimal effect.
“Neighborhood places won’t see much change in their business,” the chef at Barbuto in the West Village, Jonathan Waxman, said. “Going down our reservation list, I don’t see a person that doesn’t live locally.”
Some people with dinner reservations may just switch from one restaurant to another in order to stay close to home or nearer to their commuter stations.
Penny Glazier, who owns the popular steakhouse Michael Jordan’s at Grand Central train station, said she was getting swamped with requests for reservations from commuters who had changed their plans to have dinner elsewhere in the city.
“My phone is ringing off the hook with people who want to be close to the station,” she said. “I’ve told our manager to squeeze as many in as they can.”
The strike is also presenting a challenge to get restaurant employees to work. The director of operations for Jean Georges Vongerichten’s eight New York restaurants, Lois Freedman, picked up employees along the FDR Drive yesterday and shuttled them to work.
“We’ll have a couple of staff that won’t be able to make it, but we have enough staff for service,” she said. “They’re real troupers.”
Sirio Maccioni, whose new Le Cirque is scheduled to open this spring, said he’s hired a driver to take dishwashers to work at his Circo restaurant on West 55th Street.
“They get more money, and a driver to take them in,” Mr. Maccioni said. “I just hope they won’t get used to it.”
Mr. Hanson is giving employees cash bonuses, free gas, and other goodies. He’s also offering incentives to out-oftown customers who decide to stay over at a friend’s apartment.
“We’re offering free showers and use of the Gym on 26th Street, near Credit Suisse First Boston,” he said.
“It won’t make up for the lost business, but it creates a lot of goodwill.”
The operations manager for Nobu, Richard Notar, plans to scoot between his TriBeCa and Midtown locations on his celadon-colored Vespa.
“No restaurateur is thrilled that our workers can’t get to work,” he said. “Many won’t be able to get here and yes, it is a nightmare, but we muddle through. If people are patient, we’ll get them fed.”