This really is a fascinating problem of the distribution of resources in the face of far greater demand than supply. Raising ticket prices has the effect of lowering demand to meet supply. Having the menus open-ended in terms of time creates more supply. But if neither of these solutions are desirable (and they seem not to be), the question is one of equitable distribution. The current system privileges those with time to monitor the restaurant's ticket availability, which privileges those with more flexible schedules (one is almost tempted to suggest that no one who dines at Next has a "real job" - it certainly eliminates construction workers as ticket buyers! Or cooks! Anyone who cannot fix their own schedule and anyone who does not have a fast computer link).
I think that we would all agree that this is not a good system, but the question is whether it is the best system available. It is the cost of success. I would prefer something akin to a lottery system, held each day for tables two weeks hence (people would give their credit cards and they would be informed that either they had a table or not), but that, of course, fits my schedule better. At the end of each lottery day, people who were not selected could sign up for the next day (or wait until the day that they could dine). With two seating, people could either take early or late - and then they could be awarded specific times (6, 6:30, 7:00) by the restaurant, but this too has its disadvantages, especially for the restaurant staff who would have to organize the lotteries on a daily basis.
Actually the best solution
would be for Next to start serving bad food with a poor attitude. There are a number of restauranteurs who can show Grant how that works!
That might fix the demand side of things (although perhaps not!)
Last edited by
GAF on July 12th, 2011, 11:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
Toast, as every breakfaster knows, isn't really about the quality of the bread or how it's sliced or even the toaster. For man cannot live by toast alone. It's all about the butter. -- Adam Gopnik