GET ON THE LIST
The situation: You’re taking your girlfriend out to dinner at a popular restaurant for her birthday and realize that you haven’t made reservations! This place usually books three to four weeks in advance and is impossible to get into on a Friday or Saturday.
The solution: Call (as soon as you can) to let the restaurant know you’ve had a change in plans, and would like to move your (nonexistent) 8:00 reservation to 8:30. Most upscale restaurants won’t admit to losing your reservation. For those that do, just make a fuss (“I made these reservations for her birthday a month ago! etc.etc.”). The worst that happens is they “fit you in” a few minutes after your desired reservation.