I can think of a few reasons this might be growing, at least in the US. The types of restaurants that typically require reservations seem increasingly hectic,

I can think of a few reasons this might be growing, at least in the US. The types of restaurants that typically require reservations seem increasingly hectic, perhaps because real estate costs mean they need more seatings worth of diners per night to break even. Whatever the case, I try to keep my interactions with hosts and hosts servers, pleasant and brief, because they're so obviously harried. (I actually think this is a problem for big city fine dining restaurants, where servers are expected to do things like refill your water glass every time it drops below full--you feel like you're creating a burden by eating your meal, and it's just stressful to spend a lot of money to eat in someone else's hectic workplace). The same seems true at medical practices and some other kinds of businesses--I just feel bad spending a lot of time on the phone with an obviously extremely busy receptionist trying to find a convenient appointment time.