I sense that the problem is out of control in Chicago. I can't think of a single reservation I've made in the last year where I didn't receive a call the day of the reservation or the day before reconfirming that I still planned to dine with the restaurant. Honestly, I think there's room for OpenTable improvement in this arena...I book the majority of my reservations through OT, so they clearly know that I have a 0% no-show rate. Wouldn't it save time if they simply communicated that to the restaurants where I make reservations? Or how about allowing me access to tables at more in-demand restaurants because I'm almost guaranteed to show up?

The flip side of this: I hate waiting for a table, so I infrequently go to places that are hot but don't take reservations. Or if I do, it involves some strange maneuvers. Yesterday I dined at a perpetually popular place--one that has lines at 3pm on a weekend--but showed up at 11:25 am to ensure I'd have a seat when they opened at 11:30. I also went out to eat on Dec. 30 in a heavy snowstorm to eat at another hot no-reservations spot. And although it's not my preferred choice, I've also had some 5:30pm dinners so I could avoid waiting for tables.