What is "Open Table"?
 

On the front page: Fodor's and Open Table announce alliance, so I'm asking: what's that?

It's an online service that allows you to make reservations at restaurants. I use it all the time in New York. You accrure dining points for honoring your reservation at the restaurant which you can redeem for gift certificates, etc. It's really a great service.

Could that be the online website for making dinner reservations?

Good question, Faina. I seldom go to the front page, so glad you brought this up. :)

Like what lizziea said.

Whether OpenTable is useful to you depends on you and where you live. I joined OpenTable years ago and found it very useful for Philadelphia area. Many restaurants listed are the ones I normally go anyway. Now living in Dallas, I rarely use OpenTable because of the participating restaurants here.

One in a while I'll use it to book restaurants in cities which I'm visiting.

I've never used it in another city, but the NYC site has a lot of great restaurants.

Aw, nice! Now I am being accused of reading the front page instead of bookmarking this forum like all respectable long-time posters! :))

Lizzie, I looked at the website.. please correct me if I'm wrong, it's 100 points per reservations, doesn't matter how much your bill was? meaning if I have lunch alone or dinner with the family it's the same 100 points?

The minimum to redeem is 2,000 points - so I need to make 20 reservations to earn it? It may work for people who eat out often, who do business lunches.

LMAO, Faina. Now dear, I was doing no such thing! ;-)

Sometimes restaurants will give double points for dining at less popular times (6:00 PM,10:30 PM). Really, the benefit of the site is getting to make reservations over the web. It's much more convenient than picking up the phone and calling (quelle horror!).

For example - we needed to book a dinner for family in town. I was able to specify 7 people on a Friday night at 8:00 PM, and the site will generate a list of restaurants that can take us. It also tells you what alternate times are available (7:45, 8:15).

Obviously I'm very passionate about open table:-)

Faina-

OpenTable used to give out $10 GC by redeeming 1000 points. They changed their policy recently (less than 1 month ago) and increased the minimum redemption to 2000 points.

So, yes, you'll need to eat at restaurants 20 times in order to get a $20 GC.

Once in a while, some restaurants have "promotions" where you can bonus points.

A few months ago, I wrote to OpenTable to complain about a restaurant in Dallas. The restaurant participates in OpenTable, but refused to accept my $10 GC. OpenTable ended up giving me a 500 point credit.

Anyway, like I said before, it's useful if the restaurants that you normally dine at are part of the program.

OTOH, the points only expire if you don't have any activity for 1 year, so there's really no downside to joining it.

I use Open Table for its convenience, not the points.

On another forum, I read that one particular **poster** uses them all the time..so I asked about it. I was wondering if people make the reservations in their own towns or is it just a convenient service for trips..one person answered that you get points whenever you use the service, which add up and get you meal discounts..so in our case, eating out very often, we could probably end up with some cheaper meals..But then, I walk past these places everyday and find it easier to just stop and say, can I have a table tonight at 8 :)
lizziea, I was just going to ask you about the online vs on the phone :D
When we are planning our NY trip, I might use it..

Oh, Lizzie, you don't have to tell ME about phone calls! My accent, the non-american name spelling... sure it's easier through the Open Table!

A big event is coming up, and the kids want to go to a particular restaurant that is on the list. I think this would be a good time to open an account with OT.

Thank you, Fodor's, this is a good example of non-annoying non-popping-up advertising.

yk~
A question for you. If a restaurant (a very, very tough place to get a rezzie) at open Table only takes reservations 2 months in advance (and not a second before!)should I log on at 12:01 in my time zone, the time zone the restaurant is in, or the time zone Open Table is in ???

R5

razzle-

Oooh. I don't think I know the answer to your Q. An educated guess would be the time zone the restaurant is in. good luck!

Also, it has happened to me that when I called the restaurant, I was told it was all full (or didn't have my preferred time). But when I got on OpenTable, the time slot was open.

yk, I wish we had known about this when we stayed in Las Vegas one year. I was sitting at home in NY, waiting to make my phone calls to the restaurants..I agree about points vs just plain convenience!
We don't worry that much about the price of meals but I would love it if I could get FF miles for eating lol

Hmm...if I was hell-bent on getting into a certain restaurant, I would probably call, just to be sure. I'm usually cruising opentable on Friday afternoons at work, plotting where I can get my boyfriend to take me for dinner that evening;-) Usually it involves an opening at Red Cat, Five Points, Blue Smoke, or Cookshop.

Oh, lizzie, The Red Cat...we used to love eating there..sigh :)

Another "pro" - I can make reservations from work discreetly, without everyone eavesdropping on my phone conversation!!(I am in a cubicle within an earshort of at least 3 others)

Red Cat is honestly one of my most favorite restaurants. It's my #1 recommendation when people are looking for a good place for dinner. You would probably like Cookshop too. It's right across the street...