And we’re still waiting. Next is apparently opening tomorrow, but the tickets have not yet been put up for sale, which is only managing to ratchet up the anticipation. Currently, we’re wondering whether they’ll just wait until tomorrow. Either way, you should at least feel comforted by the fact that hotel concierges have not been able to score tickets either. Red Eye talked to concierges at both Trump International Hotel & Tower and the Peninsula, and reports that the high end hotels currently aren’t sure what they are going to do.
It’s a big problem. Apparently 18,946 people signed up to receive notifications for tickets, even though there are only 7,500 tickets available for the first three-month menu. Even if concierges signed up early, we’re not sure whether they’d be able to buy tickets for more than one party.
Talking to Red Eye, Nick Kokonas claimed that Next would be “holding back a number of tables each night that will go on sale periodically over time… that way an enterprising visitor to Chicago – or a concierge – can hope to nab a table on shorter notice.” Still, it seems like Next will be the hardest seat to get in Chicago for a long time.
Considering the frenzy that this restaurant has caused, it only makes sense that Grant Achatz would be in the running for Time Magazine’s most influential person of the year. He’s one of 100 “leaders, artists, innovators, icons and heroes” which are up for the award. You have until April 14 to place your vote.
Hotels Scramble for Next Tickets [Red Eye]
2011 Time 100 Poll [Time]
