Putting a ($5,000) Price on a Dinner Reservation at Rao's

Rao's, the famed Harlem red sauce Italian joint, is undoubtedly the hardest restaurant for civilians to get into in New York. Regulars, who pretty much own their tables for life, can choose to cede them to commoners, but for those who don't know the right people, getting in is just not going to happen.

Unless you have $5,000 to spare.

In an attempt to raise money for the National Italian American Foundation, its organizers have put up an auction on eBay in the hopes that they can put a price on exclusivity. An organizer tells Eater that seats at the bar regularly go for thousands at auction, so they're confident someone will go for their opening bid for a dinner for four, saying, "This is really a once-in-a-lifetime chance for many outside the small circle of Rao's regulars. I seriously doubt this opportunity will open up to the general public again." Again, that's $5,000. Or you can click the Buy It Now option for a mere $20,000.
· Rao's New York Dinner Reservation [eBay]