StreetEasy, the real estate listing service, is marking its 20th anniversary this weekend with a marketing effort that looks two decades ahead. The company opened a reservation portal on Friday allowing users to book tables at select New York restaurants for the year 2046.
The offer, promoted as ‘Reserve Your Future,’ is unusual in a city where restaurants often open and close within months. Participating restaurants, which StreetEasy has not named publicly, have committed to holding a spot for those who book through the platform. Details on how reservations will be honored if a restaurant shutters before 2046 remain unclear.
By Saturday morning, several reservations for the distant future had already been claimed, according to StreetEasy spokesperson Julia Wen. She described the campaign as a ‘nod to New Yorkers’ optimism’ about the city’s dining scene.
Industry observers noted the stunt’s contrast with the typical uncertainty that faces restaurant operators. On Friday at Fulton Street, chef Marco Ortiz of a 10-year-old bistro called the idea ‘funny, but not realistic’ given lease lengths and changing tastes. Still, he said, ‘it’s a good reminder that some places do last.’
StreetEasy’s campaign runs through the end of May. The company has not said if it will expand the offer to more restaurants or other cities.