Why do celebrities always go to the same restaurants?

Have you ever noticed? When it comes to going out at night, it seems that celebrities lack imagination, or they grow attached to the trendiest spots of the moment. But what are the common factors that attract our favorite stars and draw them to the same places? On a basic level, the answer is not too different from what all customers seek—not just those who rely on personal assistants: excellent service, reputation, ambiance, and a human presence that makes them feel at home. Often, the owner, the maître d’, or the chef becomes part of their weekly routine. Not to mention the importance of being able to find a table at the last minute on a Friday night. On this note, a recent debate has emerged in New York regarding restaurant reservations, especially last-minute bookings: the fake reservation business has become highly profitable, with people booking tables and reselling them at exorbitant prices on third-party sites like Appointment Trader and Cita.

Last-Minute Reservations and the Speculation Business

On one hand, automated services like chatbots provide a simplified and immediate booking experience for both customers and restaurant owners, speeding up the reservation process. On the other hand, a real predatory market has emerged: platforms like Resy confirm reservations that are then resold to people willing to pay thousands of dollars just to avoid staying home on a Saturday night. As Senator Nathalia Fernandez told Food & Wine: "Technology is advancing, and our laws must keep up", adding: "Bad actors are using AI to their advantage, developing bots and tools that snatch highly sought-after reservations only to resell them for profit. This is unfair to both consumers and restaurants." As a result, the number of no-shows has increased, causing restaurants to lose profits as they are forced to turn away real customers due to double bookings, with no way to recover their commission losses.

A New Law to Stop Restaurant Table Scalping

However, it looks like the era of restaurant reservation speculation is coming to an end. In New York, starting this February, the Restaurant Reservation Anti-Piracy Act, approved by Governor Kathy Hochul, will come into effect. According to Eater NY, the law states that third parties cannot promote, advertise, or sell reservations without a written agreement with the restaurant. Transparent services like Dorsia will remain active, allowing customers to book tables as usual. The issue also affects celebrities who frequent fine dining establishments in New York, such as Carbone and Lodi, where getting a table from one week to the next is nearly impossible—unless you’re Rihanna. As journalists Becky Hughes and Priya Krishna wrote in the New York Times: "It seems there are only two types of restaurants in New York: those where celebrities eat, and all the others."

Where Do the Stars Dine in New York?

Ça va sans dire: while all customers look for a certain type of hospitality and atmosphere, for celebrities, discretion and privacy are just as important as the quality of the food. Institutions like Sistina and Caravaggio in New York have built loyalty with stars like Robert De Niro and Paul McCartney not only for their timeless truffle pasta but also for the privacy the venue ensures.

Discretion and Privacy: A Must for Celebrities

The "rule of silence" is especially relevant for sports stars and TV personalities who often enter through the back door, like the cast of Saturday Night Live at Le Rock. But not all celebrities dine out for a quiet and undisturbed experience. Show-off culture is alive and well, and some stars make sure to be seen, increasing the hype around a restaurant. For example, a reservation at Sant’Ambroeus in New York can turn into an exclusive and highly coveted experience, much like the now-famous lunch between Timothée Chalamet and Larry David, which propelled the historic venue to must-visit status among young fans.

Tailor-Made Service: The Secret to VIP Loyalty

While many high-profile guests have personal staff or bodyguards, sometimes it is the restaurant staff themselves who ensure privacy and security. At the new Corner Store in Soho, waiters acted quickly to prevent paparazzi from secretly photographing Taylor Swift. But that’s not all. To earn a spot among celebrity-favorite restaurants, an establishment must not only have a chef capable of accommodating the most demanding dietary needs—offering vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and lactose-free options—but also provide a tailor-made experience. The waitstaff must be prepared for even the most unusual requests, such as Victoria Beckham, who only eats foods with a pH above 7, or Angelina Jolie, who is a fan of grilled insects.

Luxury Restaurant Chains: A Guarantee of Quality and Discretion

It is the power of word-of-mouth and the international reputation of chains like Zuma, a high-end Japanese fine dining brand, that ensures celebrity loyalty wherever they go. With the same format in every location, booking manager Kejli Radovani told the New York Times: "Restaurant chains prioritize consistency, which can be particularly valuable for a famous person who might not want to take risks with an independent restaurant that lacks experience in handling celebrity guests discreetly." In fact, in exchange for excellent treatment, stars often prioritize the same restaurant in different cities, choosing familiarity and certainty. Additionally, many high-end spots merge fine dining with nightlife experiences, eliminating the need for guests to move elsewhere for the rest of the evening. Places like Amazonico, Maxim’s in Paris, and The Wilde in Milan offer speakeasies, nightclubs, or bars within the same venue. But one question remains: Are the most hyped celebrity-favorite restaurants truly worthy of their reputation?