Tips on getting hard-to-get restaurant reservations in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- If you've ever experienced rage while trying to secure a restaurant reservation, you are not alone. Getting a reservation at some of Philadelphia's hottest spots is next to impossible, but we've got some tips to help.

Philly is a great town for foodies.

But as Bernadette Pitts, of Philadelphia's Point Breeze section, knows getting a reservation at some of them can feel next to impossible.

"It's either 30 days out, two weeks out," she said. "And they might release them at noon or 6 p.m., and you have to be on it."

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Because within minutes, sometimes seconds the slots are gone.

Pitts has managed to eat at hot spots, including Zahav and Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

Here are some of her tips: first follow the restaurant on all platforms and sign up for emails, if they offer them. Pitts gets messages from Amanda Shulman, the chef behind Her Place Supper Club, My Loup, and Amourette.

"She does a newsletter and it reminds you, you know we're opening Sunday at 6 o'clock for the next two weeks."

Tip two is to get on the waiting list. On platforms like Resy you can schedule "Notify" for certain dates and windows of time.

"The problem is you have to act fast. If you get the email or the text, chances are so is somebody else, and so you have to act right away," said Pitts.

The third tip is get to know the managers and servers at a restaurant, and once you do get in, make your next reservation before you leave.

And finally if you can't get into one restaurant if a chef has multiples, try another.

"You're not going to get into Zahav go to Dizengoff or Laser Wolf. Those are still such great options."

One more tip -- some restaurants partner with certain credit cards like American Express, Visa, or Mastercard so that can be another way you can try to score a seat.