Dinner tickets instead of reservations?

And, I am not convinced that $45-75 for a 5-course meal is all you would pay to eat at this restaurant. This is just the admission fee, if it is the spectacle that some believe. The rest of the cost will be presented to you at the conclusion of the meal.

But Mr. Achatz (snip) hopes that people won’t be irritated once they enjoy the convenience of a meal with no decisions to be made and no check to be signed. “There’s no transactions in the restaurant at all,” he said. “So you can literally come in, sit down, start your experience, and when you’re done, you just get up and leave.”

Wine pairings are also prepaid.

I just can't think of anywhere other than restaurants where one party makes a reservation, and doesn't need to put out cash. Wait, I guess car rentals would be only one. Which is why we've all had irritating things like long waits for our reservations, because restaurant overbooked to guard against cancels. That doesn't happen at plays, baseball games, or the opera, because you have a ticket, not a reservation.

And, I am not convinced that $45-75 for a 5-course meal is all you would pay to eat at this restaurant. This is just the admission fee, if it is the spectacle that some believe. The rest of the cost will be presented to you at the conclusion of the meal.

But Mr. Achatz (snip) hopes that people won’t be irritated once they enjoy the convenience of a meal with no decisions to be made and no check to be signed. “There’s no transactions in the restaurant at all,” he said. “So you can literally come in, sit down, start your experience, and when you’re done, you just get up and leave.”

If there are no transactions, how is the tip handled?

As Mark noted, service compris

As Mark noted, service compris

Really?! All for max $75 -- for an upscale restaurant that people are lined up to get into?! I dunno. If something sounds too good to be true....

Rather than believing an article in a provincial publication, perhaps one should go to the source.

http://nextrestaurant.com/faq.html

[Jenise]

Rather than believing an article in a provincial publication, perhaps one should go to the source.

http://nextrestaurant.com/faq.html

Wouldn't exactly call TIME and the NY Times provincial publications, but okay. Good link: the trailer is definitely worth watching.

As Mark noted, service compris

Really?! All for max $75 -- for an upscale restaurant that people are lined up to get into?! I dunno. If something sounds too good to be true....

I am confused here.....I have not seen any indication that Next Restaurant is actually open yet, just notes that it will be open in 2010.....but I am reading things about folks lined up to get in. Are we confusing Next with Aschatz's other venue, Alinea?

Rather than believing an article in a provincial publication, perhaps one should go to the source.

http://nextrestaurant.com/faq.html

Rather than believing marketing hype, perhaps one should read the Paper of Record.

Rather than believing marketing hype, perhaps one should read the Paper of Record.

Twit.

I believe you have a browser error. This is WLDG, not Wine Disorder.

Nevertheless, I am looking forward to my future meals at NEXT. Will my first will be a re-creation of a tasting menu from the Paris Ritz, circa 1900, when Escoffier was in charge of cuisine? Achatz has been inserting creations from this era as courses at Alinea in the past few months...

[Robin Garr]

I believe you have a browser error. This is WLDG, not Wine Disorder.

Apologies, Mark. And Jeff, tsk! Mark has it right: We try to be civil around here, and certainly don't favor greeting new arrivals with pejoratives. Welcome, Mark!

I believe you have a browser error. This is WLDG, not Wine Disorder.

Apologies, Mark. And Jeff, tsk! Mark has it right: We try to be civil around here, and certainly don't favor greeting new arrivals with pejoratives. Welcome, Mark!

Calling the NYTimes "provincial" is a pejorative.

Achatz has been inserting creations from this era as courses at Alinea in the past few months...

I've had one such. It was one of the least-inspiring things on the menu.

[Robin Garr]

No apology. He's entitled to his opinion and I'm entitled to mine.

Jeff, it wasn't a request. I insist on a civil forum. Politics to the contrary notwithstanding, and I'm probably even more of a card-carrying liberal than you.

The history is adjusted. I cannot edit the inclusion in his post or yours, of course.

On the next incident, I will add him to my ignore list instead of responding.

[Robin Garr]

The history is adjusted. I cannot edit the inclusion in his post or yours, of course.

On the next incident, I will add him to my ignore list instead of responding.

Thanks, Jeff. That's all I ask. It takes two to make a fight, but it only takes one to end one.