The world of fine dining is moving increasingly towards the concept of advance ticketing, in which diners have to book and pre-pay for their dinner much like a sporting event or theater show.
Pioneered by Chicago’s triple Michelin-starred restaurant Alinea, it was announced that chef Thomas Keller will be adopting the system at his restaurants Per Se in New York and The French Laundry in Napa Valley as of next year, reports The New York Times.
Likewise, San Francisco chef Daniel Patterson of Coi and Aster will also be converting to the ticketing system in 2015.
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Developed by Alinea co-owner Nick Kokonas, the system requires that diners book their tables and pay for their meal online in advance.
While the system has found favor among chefs and restaurateurs for eliminating the frustration of no-shows and cancellations, diners have more to lose as tickets are non-refundable regardless of the reason, be it illness, traffic or last-minute babysitter cancellations.