OpenTable
Launched in 1998 in San Francisco and owned by Booking Holdings since 2014, OpenTable is the largest diner facing reservation network in North America and a known name in dozens of markets. Restaurants buy into tiered plans, from a cheap entry level tier for basic online booking up to several hundred dollars a month for full table management, then pay an extra fee for every guest the OpenTable network sends. Bookings arriving through the venue's own site and social channels cost far less, which is why smart operators push their widget hard.
The trade is simple: real demand from millions of app users, especially business travellers and points collectors, against fees that climb with volume. It suits established restaurants in dense cities where discovery still pays. New venues without a name, or high volume casual spots with thin margins per head, often find the per cover maths brutal.
Pros
- Largest diner network in North America
- Strong demand from travellers and loyalty users
- Cheaper fees on bookings from your own site
- Mature table and shift management
- Reviews and marketing tools built in
Cons
- Per cover fees add up quickly
- Entry plan is limited in features
- Guest data tied to the network
- Contract terms criticised by small venues
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