New Yorkers are paying people to stay in line at these popular restaurants

Snagging a reservation at a top-notch local restaurant is part and parcel of living in NYC.

Some New Yorkers, though, have found a shortcut, hiring folks on Taskrabbit to outsource the tedious task of waiting. Turns out, the ultimate flex isn't a broker-free apartment but having someone brave the three-hour wait to get into Carbone.

According to Taskrabbit itself, line-waiting requests have surged 56% this past October alone. 

RECOMMENDED: Black market restaurant reservations are officially illegal in NYC

“The line I stand on the most is at Lucali in Brooklyn,” Tasker Tanya tells Time Out New York about the restaurant that Taylor Swift and boyfriend Travis Kelce recently dined at. "There is always something new and exciting opening up, but Lucali is the most popular by far. The day after I waited in line for a client in August, Beyoncé came there to eat, which is a testament to how special the restaurant is."

As for her least favorite line to wait on, the Tasker recalls spending six hours in midtown Manhattan to secure tickets for a limited-run Broadway show on "the coldest recorded day" of the year starting at 6am.

"While the client's joy at securing tickets for the limited-run show somewhat made up for the ordeal, the extreme cold tested my physical endurance like no other line," she remembers. 

Clearly, though, Tanya knows what she is doing: when asked about the prep work involved in her job (which has earned her over $1,000), she mentions essential gear—portable stool, snacks, sunscreen, water and comfortable shoes—and the importance of gathering of essential details from clients.

“Their name, phone number, party size and preferred reservation time,” she says. “I also establish backup times and seating preferences in case the primary options aren’t available [so that I can] secure reservations efficiently while avoiding suspicion.”

When asked what she likes to do while waiting on line, Tanya mentions music.

"It helps to make the time go by and keeps my mind off any discomfort," she says. "So I make sure my phone and AirPods are fully charged before heading out. Sometimes I bring a magazine. When it is cold or rainy outside, music really is the only option for me while I wait because the hands must stay gloved and warm."

We’re not entirely sure how the newly implemented Restaurant Reservation Anti-Piracy Act, which puts an end to black market restaurant reservations, will affect Tanya and her fellow Taskers, but we can only imagine they’ll find an astute way to get around it. It’s worth noting, though, that the new guidelines specifically crack down on the reselling of digital reservations only. 

Price-wise, the Taskers themselves get to pick their hourly rate but, according to an official company spokesperson, NYC workers standing on line are charging clients an average of $27 per hour. Keep in mind that said clients are also asking them to stay in line at sample sales and concert venues, for example. 

Below, find a list of the most popular restaurants, sample sales and more that New Yorkers are paying people to stay in line for. 

Restaurants

- Lucali
- Emilio's Ballato
- Kisa
- Via Carota
- Double Chicken Please

Sample sales

- The Row
- Jimmy Choo
- Jacquemus
- Kai Collective

Cultural events

- Irving Plaza
- Blue Note
- Webster Hall
- Tomi Jazz
- David Zwirner Gallery