That doesn't fly as much as it used to. Our favorite places where I live mostly require a reservation; they literally stay pretty well booked. We know the owner

That doesn't fly as much as it used to. Our favorite places where I live mostly require a reservation; they literally stay pretty well booked. We know the owners (two joints, same ownership), and ONCE or TWICE we called him for help on a special occasion. Sometimes he can help. But that's not a card you want to play often (not in the least b/c, if you get a table because you're friends with the owner, my personal ethics dictate a fairly significant spend).