From The Straits Times    |

Singapore restaurants opt for no-reservations policy
Extra Virgin Pizza at Asia Square (above) does not take reservations to adhere to its fuss-free dining concept. PHOTOS: EXTRA VIRGIN PIZZA AND UMA UMA RAMEN

Table for four? Join the queue. Leave your number if you want, or come back in an hour or so.

The hungry and restless may not like the sound of these words, but a growing number of restaurants are choosing not to take reservations.

From ramen restaurant Ippudo at Mandarin Gallery and 10-month-old Spanish tapas bar Esquina in Jiak Chuan Road to month-old Mexican taqueria Lucha Loco in Duxton Hill, the message is the same: Walk-ins only, first come, first served.

These, as well as at least 15 other restaurants, including French-style eatery Saveur in Purvis Street, pizza joint Extra Virgin Pizza at Asia Square and steak and fries restaurant L’Entrecote in Duxton Hill, have adopted a wait- your-turn dining concept.

In fact, in the last three months, no fewer than five no-reservations restaurants have opened, including Lolla in Ann Siang Road, Uma Uma Ramen at Forum The Shopping Mall and Keong Saik Snacks in Keong Saik Road.

The scene here is mirroring a trend in other dining cities, including New York, London and Sydney.

Overseas restaurants well-known for their no-reservations rules include David Chang’s Momofuku restaurants in Manhattan, Battersby in Brooklyn, Barrafina in London and Billy Kwong in Sydney.

Some diners like the flat structure, where anyone and everyone has to wait his turn. They say it levels the playing field and people cannot pull strings to get a reservation.

But for others, not having the option of making a reservation is sometimes infuriating, so much so that they tend to avoid such restaurants entirely or go during off-peak times.

Singapore restaurants opt for no-reservations policyGraphic designer Stephen Lee, 33, a frequent restaurant diner, is all for reservations and has yet to try many of these new restaurants.

He says: “Maybe I’m a stick-in-the-mud, but I don’t think I have the patience or energy to wait for a table after a long day at work.

“These restaurants have been hyped up and have lots of reviews, but crowds and having to wait in the heat are a real turn-off for me. And I am not the happiest of people when I am hungry.”

But he is open to dining at these restaurants at off-peak times, provided he does not have to wait too long.

Then again, most Singaporeans are used to waiting for good food, patiently queuing for good char kway teow or nasi lemak.

Take Ms Suzanne Tan, for instance. She does not mind the wait and thinks that it is a small price for a good meal. The account manager, 37, says: “Good food, will wait – that is a motto I go by.”

She waited about 15 minutes for a seat at Uma Uma Ramen and about half an hour for a table at Saveur.

Indeed, there are plenty of customers who are willing to wait, judging by the groups of standing people outside restaurants such as Saveur and Esquina.

At Esquina, SundayLife! has even noticed customers sitting on the grass patch opposite the restaurant while waiting for a table.

The no-reservations concept works well for casual, hip eateries that like the added buzz from waiting customers. Queues are likely to form later in the week, or at weekends when more people dine out.

Diners who patronise these restaurants also tend to be a younger, affluent crowd keen on good food, drinks and a bustling vibe, restaurateurs say.

They say they choose not to take reservations for several reasons. Esquina, for instance, wants to offer customers an “authentic tapas bar experience”. In Spain, tapas and pintxo bars typically do not take reservations.

Its executive chef Andrew Walsh, 30, adds: “It is a casual, no-frills setting where people can walk in with their families and friends without having to go through the hassle of making a reservation. It also creates a bustling atmosphere where there is a constant flow of people going in and out of the restaurant – very much like in cosmopolitan cities of New York and London.”

Other restaurants say they do so because the policy is in line with their restaurants’ fuss-free, fast, casual dining concepts.

Extra Virgin Pizza, for example, does three turns of service at its 70-seater outlet during peak hours, while ramen bars are meant to be quick, slurp-and-go eateries.

Mr Russell Yu, 26, director of Iki Concepts, which owns Uma Uma Ramen, says high turnover is part of the reason for the no-reservations rule.

Restaurateurs who have been played out by diners who make reservations and then do not show up have also decided not to take bookings.

It is a headache, especially for small restaurants, because the seats may not be easily filled and prepped food often goes to waste. No shows or last-minute cancellations can bite smaller restaurants hard.

Most of the no-reservations restaurants here are small – between 19 and 40 seats.

Mr Yu adds: “When people don’t show up or come late, it wreaks havoc for us on the operational front. It is tough to maintain reservations when you are trying to turn tables.”

In fact, instead of having to deal with no shows or those who turn up late, restaurateurs such as Saveur’s chef-owner Joshua Khoo, 28, says he would rather give a table to diners who are already there waiting for one.

For the Deliciae Hospitality Management group behind restaurants such as bistro &Made in Pacific Plaza, the no- reservations policy “allows more freedom”.

The group’s chief executive, Mr Olivier Bendel, says customers can then decide at the last minute where to head for dinner without worrying that they have not made prior reservations.

The walk-ins-only concept works, he says. His four no-reservations restaurants, &Made, 83 on Club Street, and tapas bar Sabio and L’Entrecote in Duxton Hill, are “very crowded every day”.

When diners are waiting, his team also takes the opportunity to chat with them.

Mr Bendel adds: “It is also the right moment to answer questions diners may have about the restaurant and create a relationship between them and our company.”

Where the restaurant is located plays a part too. Diners may be unwilling to trek to far-flung eateries in less accessible areas if they are not guaranteed a seat. This includes restaurants such as those in parks.

Restaurateurs say that while they often field inquiries about reservations, most callers are understanding. Diners proceed to ask for a recommended time to show up so that they do not have to wait too long.

In the end, it comes down to what sort of a dining experience diners want and those whom SundayLife! spoke to seem to be fairly flexible on this front.

Ms W.L. Ong, 29, a bank executive, says: “The no-reservations rule is good because you can change your mind at the last minute without feeling guilty about cancelling.

“If you think the wait is too long, you can always find an alternative – go to a nearby restaurant or somewhere else. But waiting a little while won’t kill you.”

This story was first published in The Straits Times newspaper on October 28, 2012. Read similar stories online in The Straits Times Life! section.