Steve Woodruff, operations manager, looks over the reservation system at Commander’s Palace. The storied New Orleans restaurant recently pushed for a new state law prohibiting the unauthorized resale ...

Reservation apps have made it a straightforward process for patrons to book a table just by a few clicks on a smartphone, but sometimes a table at the restaurant you want to book isn't available.

Maybe you order sparkling water, start every meal with an appetizer or prefer dining right when the restaurant opens. You might not track these habits. OpenTable might. Some restaurants are now seeing ...