Is OpenTable Worth it?

Does OpenTable require the restaurant to use their POS system and have a dedicated phone line or internet connection? What hardware/software requirements do they have?

-Scott

If you did not offer reservations you would not need this system, right? Can this system work with the practice of calling in and getting your name on the waiting list?

For travel, we used Open Table months before a trip in September to, ironically, San Francisco and wine country; it worked like a charm. With travel, I think it has merit versus the phone call, again, e-mail confirmation. Also, in terms of travel reservations, Open Table has no time zone issues; make your reservation anytime, without having to worry about what time it is in your destination city.

I have used Open Table extensively for travel for the same reasons, plus language barriers ( they do International now) . I love the reminders about my reservation, the way I can send them to others and how easy it to change my reservation time/date wihen someone in my group changes their schedule.

Ironically, I've never used it in Louisville- not even once. I just don't think about it when making local reservations.

Deb

Like I said, convenient for customers, unfair to restaurants.

I don't know that the price is worth the service, but I believe it depends on the restaurant.
I do know that at North End it was worthy for the fact that it canceled out an oops on the reservation end. For instance, a reso would not be able to book if the restaurant had a private party that evening. You would block it out on OT. This showed up at the host stand if the party called the restaurant, or if they tried to book online. It truly depends on the restaurant's situation.
You could also program it to not accept resos on a certain day, for instance, you could make resos for sunday (busy day) but only up until saturday, so you couldn't leap onto a list sunday morning 5 mins before arrival and expect a table waiting. And if you called ahead, to the restaurant, you could plug it into the system on a seperate list which was helpful. You couldn't do a call ahead thru OT though. It was a side by side wait list that the host could enter the info into.
This is singular to each restaurants situation though. And I know it ain't cheap. If I got repeat phone calls hasseling and pushing it I know I would have told 'em to stick it up their keister. I think it's only worth it when you have the space to do it justice. I used it for August (new orleans) for a gift for my cousin, and it worked fabulously in that instance.

If you did not offer reservations you would not need this system, right? Can this system work with the practice of calling in and getting your name on the waiting list?

Madeline.

I'm not aware of any wait list capabilities for Open Table- it's only for actual reservations.

Deb

It certainly can be convenient for the customer, but I think the article is right about taking the service relationship away from the restaurant.!

Jeremy, I absolutely hear you concerning your experiences with Open Tables sales reps. They were not professional in any way. And based on your experience with them, I understand your decision not to use Open Table. But how does Open Table take away from an establishment's service relations?

I think the more appropriate question as to whether or not the service is "worth it" to a restaurant operator is: does Open Table give you access to customers that would not pick up the phone and call you for a reservation?" AND: "are those customers that have the potential to become 'regulars," and by virtue of them coming to you by Open Table (and accessing their profile), you now know more about them on their first or second visit than other new customers and therefore you can build a deeper relationship with them, more quickly?"

Alternatively, does Open Table give you the chance to fill seats on a slow night that might otherwise have gone unfilled, by virtue of the fact that someone can search for a restaurant in Louisville for a reservation tonite, and see that you have tables open at a convenient time compared with their other options? What are those customers worth? (or what is it worth to you fill those tables, assuming they'd not be filled by other means? Or, to ask a different way, how many calls per night do you get from people just checking if you have availability?).

That's the marketer/business person in me. As a consumer, I don't believe that Open Table takes away the relationship from the restaurant at all - let me relay a story from this past Sunday night as a perfect example: I was in NYC on business Sunday - yesterday. I didn't have dinner plans for Sunday night, so in the car from the airport, I went on my phone and searched Open Table in the 4-5 neighborhoods that I knew were adjacent to my hotel. I just wouldn't have called, as I didn't have any way to narrow things down as effeciently as the site does for me. That narrowed my choices to 3 restaurants. From there, I looked at the menu portion of the site, and the diner reviews (I have found that the reviews on Open Table tend to be more reliable than the citysearch, trip advisor or zagat/gayot sites). "Hmm, never heard of this restaurant, or the chef, but the write-up they provide the site themselves sounds interesting , three pretty recent reviews, all raving...." OK - I'll try this place." Made the reservation. The restaurant, Gentleman Farmer, was a 20-seat restaurant on a primarily residential street on the Lower East Side, and unbenknownst to me, had only opened 9 weeks ago, so I would never have found it otherwise. They greeted me by NAME when I walked in, knew that I was dining solo, so specifically asked me which of 2 tables I preferred (and recommended one). From that point on, I had an amazing dining experience, which had nothing to do with Open Table, and everything to do with their own service and how they treated me. However, it was Open Table specifically who delivered me to their door, and gave them the information to help set the positive tone from the start of my dining experience. My $60+ check (I ordered a bottle of wine, so sue me was 100% due to the fact that the restaurant was on Open Table, (although my 25% tip had
everything to do with the restaurant's service).

I have no personal stake in Open Table or anything of the sort; I just would like to have more restaurants on Open Table for my own convenience, since I use it so often (and yes, I also use it in Louisville pretty extensively - again, because it helps me to see at a glance what restaurants have availability when I am dining on short notice)
Just my 2 1/2 cents....

As a consumer, ditto to what Leah, Amy, and Melissa said. Also as a consumer, the point system is nice - I've worked up to a $50 gift certificate just by making reservations. I use it locally and for travel.

I still show up and eat in person, saying hello and giving my name to the hostess and interacting with my server, so I'm not sure how OpenTable could possibly take away from the relationship between the customer and the restaurant.

It is really just a nice, efficient way to make reservations, especially with the OpenTable iPhone app. I also agree with Melissa that the reviews are much better (better written, more thorough, and seemingly more thought-out) than those on TripAdvisor, etc.

I use extensively when traveling and some locally. I like it a lot as a consumer.

Absolutely love opentable. Started using it years ago when traveling, but quickly discovered how wonderful it was for making local reservations 24 hours a day and researching new restaurants.

We recently formed a Facebook PRIVATE dining group (VIP PARTY BUS). Opentable allows everyone to make their own reservation for planned events effortlessly anytime. The best part is your reservation is confirmed, you are reminded leaving no question about your confirmed reservation.

Our best experiences come when working directly with a restaurant and having the individuals note a predetermined "private code" in the opentable reservation notes. Dean Corbett and his outstanding team have been incredibly easy to work with in this respect. We've held two events at Corbetts in the last month and are planning a third one now.

So as a consumer from a convenience standpoint, we love it. From the restaurant standpoint, it feeds DIRECTLY into the reservation system and that can only be a positive too. What better way for a restaurant to have a feeling for the nights reservations. OpenTable also, as previously mentioned, can build dinner profiles and provide an even higher level of PERSONALIZED service to the patron. The places that fully utilize it, I am sure find great value far exceeding the costs.

[quote="Melissa Richards-Person"]I think the more appropriate question as to whether or not the service is "worth it" to a restaurant operator is: does Open Table give you access to customers that would not pick up the phone and call you for a reservation?"

I am making reservations all over New Orleans as I type this using OpenTable. I have already excluded two places because they were not on OpenTable. With so many excellent choices in New Orleans (and for that matter Louisville) that are on OpenTable, I felt using OpenTable to book my weeks worth of reservations was much simpler. The flexibility of knowing that a table was available without a bunch of phone calls, and then being able to adjust my overall schedule in seconds if needed to accommodate another choice, and then rearrange my overall schedule, makes it invaluable.

So the short answer to "does Open Table give you access to customers that would not pick up the phone and call you for a reservation?" is... Absolutely!!!

Gee. The restaurant in new Orleans isn't on opentable so you disregarded them? It's convenient but it shouldn't be a deal breaker.

As I said when you have so many wonderful New Orleans OPENTABLE choices that offer me the convenience as a consumer to make and change my reservations online, why bother with the others?

I'd be playing tag all day arranging my schedule. I know 24 hours a day without pickup a phone, when precisely there are openings and can immediately confirm and adjust my schedule accordingly even if that means rearranging another reservation, again conveniently online.

As I mentioned, I originally used OPENTABLE in our travels, but now use it extensively at home in Louisville and HIGHLY recommend and encourage our friends to do the same. I can tell that people love it, once they try it.

When I'm making reservations for the guests in our B&B, I only use OpenTable. No way am I going to call around town looking for a table. It's OpenTable or nothing.