As if finding a Valentine’s Day date weren’t challenging enough, many couples wait until Cupid has fired his last arrow before making dinner reservations.

‘‘Sometimes people will call at lunch on the day of (Feb. 14), and we just kind of laugh about it," said Abby Parkins, a Worthington Inn hostess. ‘‘We do feel bad, though. We try to take as many people as possible."

Unfortunately, pity doesn’t get last-minute lotharios a table.

Only careful planning guarantees a romantic dinner for two that doesn’t include a trip to the grocery store or — worse — a drive-through.

Calls for reservations started rolling in this week, according to Columbus-area restaurant employees.

‘‘It usually starts picking up around the second week of January and builds into the first week of February," said manager Peter Wagner of Barcelona in German Village. ‘‘By my experience, everyone is pretty much filled around the city by Feb. 7."

A few among the 20 destination spots contacted expect tables to be available up to a week before Valentine’s Day, but prime-time dining hours aren’t likely.

Procrastinators might have to settle for candlelight dinners before the sun goes down or appetizers after everyone else has progressed to the goodnight kiss.

"To get the popular times between 6 and 8 p.m., you want to give yourself three or four weeks before the day," said Craig Balster, general manager at Ruth’s Chris Steak House on the Far North Side. "Obviously, as it gets closer, people get a little desperate and start taking whatever times they can get."

Bill Kirkwood, 57, of Columbus booked a table at the Refectory almost two weeks ago, ensuring that he and his date won’t be among those speed-dialing in search of late cancellations.

He scoffed at the stereotype of men scrambling to plan a night out at the last possible moment.

"No way," Kirkwood said. "Men think ahead. If I want to get reservations, three dozen roses and a limo, I need to get it done early — especially on Valentine’s Day. I’m old enough to know that."

Sadly, some aren’t.

"We’ll get calls here and there up until" Valentine’s Day, said Robert Larsen, owner of Lu Lu’s on W. 5 th Avenue. "Normally the husband or the boyfriend is making the phone call, and they wait until the last minute."

Whoever makes the call, earlier is definitely better — even though Valentine’s Day falls on a Tuesday this year.

All of the restaurants polled are anticipating full houses despite the midweek date.

"We still expect to be packed," said Jeff Bueche, general manager at Morton’s, a Downtown steakhouse. "I don’t think there’s a day of the week you could put Valentine’s Day on that would affect it."

Take it from Kirkwood: He met his Valentine’s Day date seven weeks ago on Match.com and — appropriately enough — made reservations online.

"I got lucky," he said. "I met a wonderful girl at the right time and just wanted to be sure we had a seat."

nchordas@dispatch.com