Fat Duck London Reservation

[Cynicor]

Ok. I know the website says bookings open at 10am 2 months in advance, online.

I've just checked a few times and there are no available dates, 30min prior, 10 min prior, a couple of min prior, on the dot and 5 min later. I got the same error each time so I thought I'd check what happens when the date is too far in advance. It seems to come up with a different error which leads me to suspect that the booking engine opened earlier than the 10am London time they post on their site.

Does anyone have any tips for getting a reservation? I have 4 nights in London for my first trip there and so will otherwise just be trying the website at various times for the next 3 nights.

Thanks!

 

[flyingfan]

When I was trying for a table at The Fat Duck a couple of years ago I read then (I don't know if it's still true) that the online reservation system gets tables allocated a week after the phone booking system and thus one's chances online seemed considerably dimmer.

I rang them (with two phones constantly on redial) and after 45 minutes got through and was able to get the time and date I wanted. So try eschewing the online way.

 

[Pollywaffle]

Is it just you? Or are you dining with others?

If it's just you, I would call. On my last London trip I had time and decided to do lunch at Dinner by BH. Availability for person was zero online. I called and got a table on my preferred date with no problems.

For the most part, online restaurant booking engines do not like solo diners.

 

[Cynicor]

It is myself and my girlfriend. The site seems to say that they open for online bookings prior to phone bookings but the system is somewhat clunky.

thanks for the advice, I will try to call tomorrow hopefully.

 

[opusman]

My advice, if you're really keen, is to book a night with these people: Bray Cottages - Accommodation in Bray
And then ask them to make the booking for you. Whether they have an "in" with Fat Duck or not, I don't know, but they have been able to get bookings for both me and a friend of mine with seemingly no trouble at all.
Plus it's much better to be able to walk 25 metres home to bed after a meal like that rather than drive back to London

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

I've never had any luck with the website either, regardless of date/time.

You also can't book as a single diner (you have to pay for two) and have to prepay some exorbitant amount in advance to guarantee your reservation.

In the end, I decided it was all a bit too pretentious and gave up.

I have been to London twice a year for past 3 years and still no fat duck

 

[Pollywaffle]

I've never had any luck with the website either, regardless of date/time.

You also can't book as a single diner (you have to pay for two) and have to prepay some exorbitant amount in advance to guarantee your reservation.

In the end, I decided it was all a bit too pretentious and gave up.

I have been to London twice a year for past 3 years and still no fat duck

Bolding is mine.

Sheesh. Just when I think the world is learning to embrace solo diners, I read something like this and it depresses me.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Bolding is mine.

Sheesh. Just when I think the world is learning to embrace solo diners, I read something like this and it depresses me.

It's rather sad. Many of us travel alone for work, or pleasure, some by choice, others by necessity. I'm in London right now dining alone at Galvin at Windows for lunch.

Most places are very accommodating, however many pretentious joints like Fat Duck are not. I have dined in many 1, 2 and 3 Michelin starred restaurants without issue. In fact, the service is always so good, they must mistake me for a food critic

Paying double and having a 30 second window to book, in my mind, is not a good experience. I don't care how bloody good his food is. It's also an hour out of London in the middle of nowhere. Why not open a larger city branch?

 

[Mal]

When places force me to book for two.. i will eat for two as well.
Fairly annoying.

 

[BrentH]

Heading into LHR in June, and have wanted to visit the Fat Duck.

You say "2 months"... So if it's the 29th of March in London right now, they're taking bookings for May 29th [and only May 29th] today?

(Just confirming before I spend hours calling, only to be told to call back.)

 

[Boris spatsky]

Yes Brent. I got my reservation last year by ringing the number exactly 2 months out at 10am (or when the phoneline opens) - put Skype on auto redial, 309 calls later someone picked up! We got the last lunch table for 4.

Painful, but worth it!

 

[Pollywaffle]

It's rather sad. Many of us travel alone for work, or pleasure, some by choice, others by necessity. I'm in London right now dining alone at Galvin at Windows for lunch.

Most places are very accommodating, however many pretentious joints like Fat Duck are not. I have dined in many 1, 2 and 3 Michelin starred restaurants without issue. In fact, the service is always so good, they must mistake me for a food critic

Paying double and having a 30 second window to book, in my mind, is not a good experience. I don't care how bloody good his food is. It's also an hour out of London in the middle of nowhere. Why not open a larger city branch?

You're right, there are many other places that are OK. Best just focus on them.

How was lunch? Galvin at Windows has been on my list for a while but not sure how good the food is.

 

[mella2007]

Have you tried his newer restaurant Dinner at Heston's? Availability seems quite good from various dates I was checking. A friend was there earlier in the year and a couple of dishes identical to The Fat Duck

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

You're right, there are many other places that are OK. Best just focus on them.

How was lunch? Galvin at Windows has been on my list for a while but not sure how good the food is.

Food very good, views excellent.

Very convenient as I was staying at London Hilton Park Lane as HHonors Diamond and was well looked after all round. I'd recommend the hotel.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Have you tried his newer restaurant Dinner at Heston's? Availability seems quite good from various dates I was checking. A friend was there earlier in the year and a couple of dishes identical to The Fat Duck

I'd not heard of that one, its now on the list for September when I'm back in London

 

[Febs]

Do you have a concierge you can use? Maybe from a Credit Card? I had AMEX get me a reservation at Per Se last year - gave them about 3 months notice, they put in a reminder to call up 1 month in advance (when bookings opened) on the dot. Didn't need to worry about timing or anything - they handled it and got exactly the time/date we wanted.

Actually, ditto with Eleven Madison Park on Valentine's Day.

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[JohnK]

Most places are very accommodating, however many pretentious joints like Fat Duck are not.

They don't deserve to be in business with that type of attitude but something tells me they are doing quite well if they are booked out months in advance.

 

[Cynicor]

Ok. Bookings open online first now, and it is 10am on the dot UK time. I suggest multiple computers ready to go at the strike of 10. Set the desired reservation time to something other than 1900 which is the default. Also, try a search 1 min prior to make sure you have attempted and passed the CAPTCHA so you can go straight in.
I figured this out over 3 nights and managed to click on a reservation time but it got taken as I had to redo the CAPTCHA

dinner by Heston is now 9 on the 100 best and is in London proper so we will go there instead. Might try the windows place too, as we are staying at the Park Lane Hilton

 

[Pollywaffle]

I've had lunch at Dinner by Heston in London.

The food was excellent and I got to try the meat fruit - the only dish of Heston's that intrigued me.

I was on my own at the time and was treated incredibly well.

 

[Febs]

It may also pay to try for a lunch reservation too. A few years ago I had no trouble getting a reservation at 2-3 days' notice at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay (his flagship) and Jean Georges in NY - both places that book out well in advance for dinner.

Cheers,
- Febs.