The upside is the ressies should be easier to come by.

Notice some extra grits on those plates? What about subtle pressure to clear the table? Restaurateurs, struggling with budget diners and cost cutting, are doing their own penny pinching, reports the NYTimes.

Tactics include asking for credit card numbers for reservations (Allen & Delancey — discourages no shows), to subbing out expensive ingredients. You may also notice the restaurant reservations on the earlier end of the spectrum are easier to come by.

This is because Europeans like to eat later, and are still doing some major dough-dropping and heavy consuming, in addition to misbehaving themselves at the Barney’s sample sale (sans undies, anyone?)

Guess those days when you needed help to score restaurant reservations are over. I have not experienced major problems (tables available at good places just days in advance) but then again it was the summer.

Beyond-hyped LES newcomer The Eldridge, however, is taking another approach. Cocktails are $26 — that’s if you can get in (sorry, Members Only). At those prices, I’d take Salon De Ning (the old Pen Top) over that dank looking place.