New Yorkers aren’t ones to shy away from lines. We line up for sample sales , limited-edition drops, even a pumpkin-and-rice cronut that sold out five years ago. You name it, we’ve gotten on line for it. But according to OpenTable’s newly-released 2026 Dining Trends Report , there’s one line we love the most: the one leading to a restaurant table.

The new report found that New York City diners are willing to wait an average of 57 minutes as walk-ins—the longest in the country by a wide margin. San Francisco is much less patient, waiting 34 minutes; Miami and Chicago tie at 35; and even famously patient L.A. taps out at 44. New Yorkers, however, will happily stand around for nearly an hour. We’re either incredibly devoted or slightly unhinged—and maybe both.

Part of the reason is th

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