DEAR REAGAN,
As someone who makes reservations on a daily basis and gets this response more than half the time, I understand your frustration. I'll make it worse. No, they are not telling the truth, but that lie is one that must be told, and here's why. A restaurant is a business and must make money, or it won't be around long. Restaurants make money by serving as many covers (restaurant-speak for individual diners) as they can, which is maximized by turning tables (restaurant-speak for how many times a table is reseated) as often as possible. How many covers a restaurant will serve depends on the seating capacity; three turns in one night is very good.
One restaurateur I spoke to said as many as 80 percent of diners request reservations between 7:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. So restaurants need people to eat early and late. It's also important to stagger the number of tables seated simultaneously, so as not to overwhelm the kitchen. However, bigger restaurants hold a few tables at prime time for regulars, VIPs, and last-minute walk-ins.
My advice: Be respectful to the reservationist-you'll be amazed at how far this will get you. Ask to be put on the waiting list. And call back the afternoon of the day you want to dine-there's often a cancellation.