Controversial new service promises coveted restaurant reservations, but it will cost you

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- If you're a foodie, you may have experienced reservation rage logging onto Resy, Open Table or Tock the moment reservations are open, only to be disappointed when you realize they are all booked.

It's difficult to get a seat at some of Philadelphia's most popular culinary destinations. Now, there is a different way to get a coveted reservation, but it's stirring controversy.

"There's a handful that almost seem impossible to get into right now," said Ben Fileccia of the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association.

When open slots become available online for restaurants like Her Place Supper Club, Zahav, and Royal Sushi, they're snatched up in seconds. Appointment Trader claims to offer a solution.

"Plans change all the time. Now we just give you the ability to trade it. It's wonderful," said Jonas Frey of Appointment Trader.

On Appointment Trader, you can buy or bid on a reservation you want or sell a reservation you don't need. Frey started the platform three years ago. The average transaction is $80 to $100, which he says is a deal.

"Before Appointment Trader, if you were not connected in the industry or didn't know someone, you could either not get a reservation at all, or for a lot more money," said Frey.

But critics argue the platform makes it harder to get reservations, forcing consumers to pay for them by encouraging bots and bad behavior.

"Constantly going online to see when these reservations are open and then as soon as they open, just like sporting events, they pick up as many tickets as possible in this case as many time slots as possible," said Fileccia.

Frey defends his platform, saying there are people making a living on Appointment Trader and some top sellers are raking in six figures, as much as $270,000.

"Okay, there's this big convention coming. It's Christmas. It's this, this, this, this. So they get all these reservations for coveted times. Now you could argue, oh, okay, so that's the people that make it impossible for everybody to get a reservation for free. But that doesn't hold true, because these reservations would be gone anyway. There is more demand than supply," he said.

Frey says he has received at least 15 cease and desist letters, mostly from other reservation platforms threatened by the competition he presents.

But if you don't want to pay for a reservation, here's advice from an expert.

"I think the best way is to get a relationship with that restaurant. Introduce yourself to the staff, introduce yourself to the General Manager, become a friend of that restaurant, become a valued customer, become an even better guest, and you're not going to have a problem getting a reservation in any restaurant in Philadelphia," said Fileccia.