Ok, folks, we're going to wrap up our PTT coverage now, with a handful of additional reactions from the restaurant community and beyond. Final review, for the sake of good form: PrimeTimeTables is a 'service' that charges customers not for reservations, but for the service of making them. It's owned by Pascal Riffaud, who is married to Karine Bakhoum, the owner of restaurant public relations firm KB Network News. Pascal also runs a concierge business, but said business isn't at all related to other said business.
With that said, on we go to the reacts.
The one, the only, ladies and gentlemen put your hands together for Jennifer Baum, Bullfrog & Baum: "I am outraged by the PTT info on eater today."
Anonymous High-Level Staffer at Major NY Publication: "In theory, it's just democratizing something that already exists. People with connections, or famous names, are always able to get last-minute tables. Why shouldn't a regular Joe with fifty bucks be able to do it, too? But now I wonder what else lies behind this."
Frank Vivolo, owner of bruschetteria and others: "Primetimetables.com?taking hospitality out of the restaurant business one reservation at a time. This service can ONLY lead to dissatisfied and disappointed customers. The really unfair part about this whole thing, is that in the end it will be the restaurant’s responsibility to clean up the messes this service creates, and as we are all about hospitality, we will gladly do it."
Anonymous NY Avid Eater: "I know Pierre, I’ve sold him tickets for his concierge service previously. He either has people who are members who are willing to pay extraordinary amounts of money for tickets that aren’t available to the public, or promises his members the world and then delivers. So regardless of how you and/or I feel about PTT, the man keeps his word and does right by his people."
A reader, re The KB connection: The guy called me to verify I was "real", I googled the number, its from http://www.kbnetworknews.com/main.html, coincidence?
· PrimeTimeTables: What Do We Make of This? [~E~]
· PrimeTimeTables: Just Some Basic Facts [~E~]
· PrimeTimeTables: 'We Are NOT Selling Tables at Restaurants' [~E~]
· PrimeTimeTables: Let the Takedown Begin [~E~]
· PrimeTimeTables: WTF? [~E~]