Reservation Apps Have Come for the Cocktail Bar HEAD TOPICS

Reservation Apps Have Come for the Cocktail Bar

10/23/2022 2:45:00 AM

More and more cocktail bars are joining reservation apps like Resy and OpenTable Is this the end of spontaneously grabbing a drink

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As more bars turn to app-based reservations to manage crowds, it’s getting harder to simply 'drop in for a drink'—but not everyone thinks that's a bad thing: More and more cocktail bars are joining reservation apps like Resy and OpenTable Is this the end of spontaneously grabbing a drink byCaitlin Raux Gunther PUBLISHED Sep 22, 2022 5:07 PMCultureShareIn a world where so many things are available on-demand, from television shows to late-night hookups, the cocktail bar seemed like one realm where the romance—a well-stirred mix of spontaneity and serendipity—was intact. After all, it takes a bit of luck to nab a seat at a swanky, walk-in-only watering hole. Now, the nature of the cocktail bar may be shifting, as establishments increasingly turn to Resy and OpenTable to improve customer turnover. Just as video killed the radio star, are algorithms coming for the spirit of the cocktail bar?  Read more:
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Read more >> Starting this coming Tuesday, you can expect to see more ads in the Apple App StoreStarting this coming Tuesday, October 25th, Apple will be showing ads in the App Store's Today tab and in the 'You Might Also Like' section of individual app listings. 5 Taylor Swift-Themed Events Around DCToast her latest album, which drops at midnight, with a 'Wildest Dreams' cocktail. A Beach-Themed Rooftop Bar and Restaurant Breezes Into Dupont CircleVagabond, a beach-themed rooftop bar and restaurant, officially opens tonight in Dupont Circle. 🏄‍ Clippers bring Kawhi Leonard off bench in season openerCoach Tyronn Lue says having the two-time Finals MVP, who missed all of last season with an ACL injury, is so they can avoid having him sit for long stretches. It’s getting harder to drop in for a drink.Apple is allowing ads to be placed in the Today tab.ticket to “Shake It Off” at the Howard Theatre dance party on Friday, December 9 .Vagabond, a new coastal bar and restaurant in Dupont Circle. Is that a bad thing? byCaitlin Raux Gunther PUBLISHED Sep 22, 2022 5:07 PMCultureShareIn a world where so many things are available on-demand, from television shows to late-night hookups, the cocktail bar seemed like one realm where the romance—a well-stirred mix of spontaneity and serendipity—was intact. After all, it takes a bit of luck to nab a seat at a swanky, walk-in-only watering hole. After all, the"You Might Also Like" section appears at the bottom of individual app listings in the App Store. Now, the nature of the cocktail bar may be shifting, as establishments increasingly turn to Resy and OpenTable to improve customer turnover.) The Taylor Party: Taylor Swift Night 815 V St. Just as video killed the radio star, are algorithms coming for the spirit of the cocktail bar?  While some may see the idea of planning a fancy drinks outing in advance as the demise of spontaneity, others aren’t so sure."With a Today tab ad, your app can appear prominently on the front page of the App Store — making it some of the first content users see when they begin their App Store visit," says the company. Bar expert and Drink What You Want cocktail guidebook author John deBary thinks that, while using reservation apps may be “less sexy,” they are a positive force overall. Heidenberger and his partners transformed the former Rebellion space, replacing the dark whiskey tavern decor with ocean tones, greenery, and beach umbrellas on the front patio. deBary, who previously tended bar at famed New York City speakeasy Please Don’t Tell (better known as PDT), remembers the culture of exclusivity that once surrounded cocktail bars. Note that Today tab ads aren’t currently available on the App Store in mainland China. Even at establishments where reservations were already the standard, they were almost impossible to come by; PDT, for example, accommodated no more than 24 guests, which “really limited how many people we could bring in,” said deBary. Moreover, across the cocktail bar scene in general, there was a lot of “insider-y texting,” he recalled, resulting in systems that favored people in the business or customers who were personal friends of the bartender or owner. Not only does he write in a tweet that"It's another means of increasing the effective app tax rate," but he also says that this forces developers to buy ads on their own app pages. Apps, on the other hand, have a democratizing effect. “It strikes me as more accessible and hospitable because it's very transparent,” he said. Previously, Apple only allowed App Store ads on keyword-based search results and in the"Suggested" section of the App Store Search tab. The movies “encompass the vibe of the surfer and traveler,” says Heidenberger, a huge Swayze fan. Anyone can search for available bar seats and make a reservation—the only barrier to entry is a valid email address or phone number.  The apps aren’t necessarily inimical to spontaneity either. In August, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that Apple wants to triple its ad revenue to at least $10 billion per year and is considering other apps besides the App Store to do this with. Say your friend is running late for dinner and you’re deciding whether to nudge the reservation back an hour. “With that time, you can check Resy, find an opening at a nearby bar, and grab it,” said deBary. Last year it was noted that Apple's App Tracking Transparency feature blocked app and website trackers from following iPhone users around. Rather than fuming at your perpetually tardy friend, you can kill an hour with a cocktail and maybe even add a new heart to your pinned list on Google Maps. Patrons can also drop in to the bar for coastal cocktails like rum punch or house-made pineapple vodka martinis, alongside snacks such as slow-braised quesabirria tacos or tinned Portuguese sardines and crackers.    Elva Ramirez, drinks writer and author of Zero Proof: 90 Non-Alcoholic Recipes for Mindful Drinking, is likewise supportive of cocktail bar reservations, especially in more intimate bars, where space is tight and service is seated-only (no standing room). On the other hand, Apple's Search Ads often serve up customized ads but not from using personal data. With a little planning ahead, customers can reserve a table at an allotted hour—and spend less time waiting outside on the sidewalk. For traditionalists who refuse to download the reservation apps, there are workarounds for scoring a spot—and maintaining all the impulsivity of “Hey, wanna grab a drink?” As Ramirez recommended, “Be patient. Apple is"kinda sorta" doing the same thing that other apps do, but by using keywords in a search request instead of tracking users. Be unfailingly polite.” Even at bars where Ramirez considers herself a regular, “I won't always have a seat when I walk in—and I don't expect to. With ATT, iPhone users could  respond to a notification that asks whether they would allow a certain app to track them around the internet, or whether they request that the app not track them. ” If you’re pleasant and don’t apply undue pressure on the establishment, sometimes the host may even reciprocate the gesture with faster accommodation. “As in all things in life, being nice opens many doors,” she added. The app is also not permitted to track your activity using other information that identifies you or your device, like your email address. Esther Tseng, a Los Angeles-based writer and Academy Chair for the World's 50 Best Bars, agrees that you can still spontaneously score a table at a popular cocktail bar. Visiting during off-peak hours makes a big difference, “like Mondays through Wednesdays, before 6:30 p. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg vociferously raised his objections about ATT, and the feature might have cost him $70 billion which is how much his personal holdings of Meta shares declined in dollar terms over the past year.m. , or before the bar or restaurant is going to close out,” she recommended. In other words, if you’re thirsty, there will always be a way.  Similar to restaurants that resist delivery, certain bars will continue to hold out against reservation apps. Those establishments won’t pose a threat to spontaneity, but the cost may be an air of exclusivity, difficulty nabbing a table, or simply a very long wait. Chances are, as time goes on, more and more bars will offer themselves up as clickable timeslots—but that doesn’t mean the experience will change once you’re in the door.   Having gone to school in New York in the early aughts, I remember the heyday of speakeasy-style cocktail joints, like the legendary Milk & Honey. I saved up my work-study paychecks to foot the bill for a gently smoky, honey-and-ginger-tinged Penicillin cocktail. Walking through the door (or, rather, finding the unmarked entrance on a gritty street downtown—so New York) was the ticket to a front-row seat to watch someone measure and mix a bespoke, meticulously crafted beverage, to hear the rattle of the ice in the shaker, to taste something I wouldn’t dream of making myself. Had we simply booked a table online, would it have diminished the magic? I doubt it. 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