A table at these 10 restaurants? You'll be lucky

I first encountered the term “savvy” diner on a food discussion board called Opinionated About Food.

Its owner, Steve Plotnicki, is one of the world’s great dining characters and has eaten at just about every fine-dining establishment on the planet, more than once.

To Steve, a savvy eater is a rare breed of diner whose knowledge and experience marks them out for special attention from the moment they make a reservation at a restaurant to the moment they pay the bill.

Being savvy often results in being served extra courses by the chef, being poured samples of interesting wines by sommeliers and even securing hard-to-get tables at hot places when all else has failed. They basically enjoy a better dining experience than the regular punter.

This notion that restaurants offer two levels of experience for the same price appals me but, unfortunately Steve's analysis is correct - not all diners are created equal.

I have often experienced this phenomenom first-hand, receiving excellent meals and service in restaurants in which I am known, while around me all is crashing and burning. Meanwhile, on the other side of the equation, I have been served desultory dishes while at the next table there are whoops of joy as a free truffle is grated with abandon.

So what must one do to be recognised by the establishment? Fortunately, the exalted accolade of savvy does not have to go hand-in-hand with a thick wallet or the eating habits of Monty Python's Mr Creosote.

There are several strategies any diner can employ to help improve the service they receive when dining out, including:

- Make your reservation in person, or, if you telephone, ask the name of the person making the booking. When you arrive say: “I made a reservation with …..”. It will mark you out as having a personal relationship with the staff.

- Never feel obliged to accept a bad table. Don't be afraid to refuse one that is too small or not to your liking. They will always have something better available, whatever they tell you.

- Skip the pre-dinner champagne as it is more often than not overpriced and usually not very good. It will leave a sour taste in your mouth and mark you out to the house as a tourist. When asked, just request the wine list and make your own choice.

- Insist on tap water. Many people are unaware that it is a legal requirement to offer tap water even in the most smart of establishments. Bottled water carries a larger mark-up than wine and is no more satisfying that Chateau Tap.

- Give the sommelier your budget. The guy with the grapes on his lapel has spent years learning about wine, you probably haven’t, so don’t try and make like you know your Pouilly Fumé from your Pouilly Fuissé. Let him come up with something interesting in your price range.

- Don’t be afraid to complain. All restaurants make mistakes, it is how they deal with them that marks out the best places. Don’t be intimidated and if something is wrong, tell them politely but firmly. The good places will go out of their way to rectify matters.

- Don’t be afraid to compliment. An informed, kind word about a dish can count for a lot, but don’t ask to speak to the chef, you’ll look like a fool.

- Leave a decent tip. Don't leave so much that every member of staff gives you a hug as you leave, but enough to show you had a good experience. If your server has been particularly good, tip them specifically extra.

- Make a return visit. A regular diner is a respected diner. The more you go back to a good place the better your experience will be. Loyalty as in all areas of life, brings its own rewards.

- Respect is everything. Treat the restaurant staff as you would wish to be treated. They are there to make sure you have a good time not to be trodden underfoot.The more pleasant you are to them, the more likely they are to return the favour.

Now that you know how to get the most out of your dining experience, why not test your newly acquired skills on trying to secure a table at one of Britain's 10 hardest-to-book restaurants.

Simon Majumdar is editor of the UK food blog Dos Hermanos

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