opentable.co.uk blog - Insider's Guide to Dining

OpenTable diners can now set Availability Alerts for already-booked tables

OpenTable July 15, 2020

A new OpenTable feature now alerts diners if an already-booked table they want opens up, giving them the inside track to their favourite restaurants. Availability Alerts sends a notification straight to your phone so you can snag that coveted reservation and hit all the spots on your list — even with capacity limits. With people eager to get back into their communities to dine at their favourite restaurants, the ability to book a hot reservation is needed more than ever.

How it works

To set yourself an Availability Alert, simply open the OpenTable app and pick a restaurant. From there, you’ll be able to see the available reservation times in red. If your top time slot isn’t there, simply tap the blue “Set alert” button to the right of the red slots, and add your desired date, time, and party size.

If your table frees up, you’ll receive a push notification that it’s available. To book it, just tap the notification and follow the path to securing your spot. If the table has already been taken by another diner, you’ll get another alert if any more spots become available.

Why now

Availability Alerts are a win-win: The goal is to help restaurants fill the limited seats they have and diners book the tables they want. In a COVID-19 world, this means supporting restaurants with capacity limits so that last-minute cancellations don’t impact their revenues. It also means giving diners every opportunity to return to dining out as they feel comfortable. In the future, when the pandemic passes, diners will be able to set alerts up to 90 days out to snag a spot at the hottest restaurants in town.

Until that day comes, let OpenTable be your guide to rediscovering dining out. Check out what’s available for dine-in, takeout, or delivery; see the safety precautions individual restaurants are taking; and grab a long-awaited, celebratory seat at the table.

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New OpenTable feature highlights safety precautions at restaurants

OpenTable June 11, 2020

As we all look forward to returning to restaurants, albeit in a new way, restaurants across the country are taking steps to address new health and safety concerns diners may have arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. OpenTable has added a new feature that will highlight the measures each individual restaurant is taking to help ease diner concerns. As restaurant doors get set to reopen, OpenTable is ready to help diners safely rediscover dining out.

How it works

To see what safety precautions OpenTable restaurants are following, just visit any restaurant profile on the app or website. From there, a pop-up about safety precautions will appear, if that restaurant has added them. Clicking on the pop-up message directs you to the details section of the profile, where the list appears under “Safety Precautions”

How it came to be

OpenTable data shows that diners are excited to get back to their favourite restaurants when they open, but will do so cautiously. In a recent OpenTable survey, 77% of diners said they believe that communicating cleaning policies is highly important to feeling safe when eating in restaurants again.

OpenTable is highlighting restaurants’ safety protocols to help ease those concerns, so that diners can easily see what restaurants are doing to help keep them safe. Restaurant owners can now opt to fill out the specific procedures they are following within three major categories: Cleaning and Sanitising, Social Distancing, and Personal Protective Equipment. The full list of safety precautions that restaurants can highlight is listed below.

Cleaning and Sanitising:

Surfaces sanitised between seatings
Common areas deep cleaned daily
Clean menu provided to every guest
Sanitiser or wipes provided for customers
Contactless payment available
Sealed or wrapped utensils used

Social Distancing:

Limited number of seated diners
Distancing maintained in common areas
Extra space between tables
Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

Personal Protective Equipment:

Waiting staff wear masks
Diners must wear masks unless eating or drinking

Whether you decide to dine-in at the restaurant or order delivery, OpenTable is here to help you navigate dining in the new normal.

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#StayAtHome: A lockdown survival guide for foodies

OpenTable April 22, 2020

Looking for ways to shake up your quarantine routine? There’s more to lockdown life than Netflix and banana bread! Here are 10 ways for foodies to keep busy, support restaurants, and plan for the future.

Treat yourself to a takeaway. Need a break from cooking? Support local restaurants by ordering delicious dishes, sweet treats, and even cocktails to enjoy at home. We’ve teamed up with Deliveroo and Uber Eats so you can find restaurants in your area offering delivery and collection. There’s never been a better time to try a new cuisine or enjoy a themed food-and-movie night.

Find ways to help out. There are lots of ways you can give back to your community in these difficult times. You could offer to pick up some essentials for relatives or neighbours that can’t get out or make a donation to charities like FareShare or Meals for the NHS. Why not reach out to your local food bank and see if there are things you can donate?

Start a restaurant wishlist. Keep track of all the places you want to try or revisit once lockdown is lifted. If the restaurant is on OpenTable, you can tap the ‘Save This Restaurant’ button on their profile to add it to your favourites. This is the ideal time to do your research and find the perfect restaurant for your next anniversary, date night, or family lunch. Consider buying gift vouchers for future meals so you’ve got something to look forward to.

Plan your next foodie trip. Just because you can’t travel now, doesn’t mean you can’t start planning your next adventure. Whether you fancy tapas, sushi, or tacos on the beach, the possibilities are endless. Pin the places you want to visit – museums, markets, restaurants – on a custom Google map, and when it’s time to fly, all you need to do is pack your bag!

Skip the supermarket. If you can, skip the stressful supermarket queue and support smaller independent shops and local delis instead. You could try a new delivery service – lots of restaurant suppliers (like Natoora) are now doing home delivery, as are local fishmongers, butchers and wine shops. If you’re in London, The Infatuation has a great list of restaurants selling fresh produce and supplies – Quality Chop’s pies are top of our list!

Plan the perfect foodie day out. What would your ideal foodie day look like? A visit to your favourite farmers’ market? A Sunday roast after a long walk? Or a date night dinner and cocktail crawl? Map out the perfect foodie day so you’re ready to go once things are back to normal.

Cook the books. Got a stack of cookbooks you rarely cook from? Challenge yourself to cook a recipe from each one or create a 3-course feast from one of your favourites. You can keep kids busy with jobs like stirring or meatball rolling or get your housemates to shake up cocktails for a home happy hour. Why not support your favourite restaurants by adding their cookbooks to your collection?

Host a virtual dinner party. Lay the table, pour yourself a glass of wine, and invite friends and family to a virtual dinner, lunch break, or brunch party. To help you set the scene, we’ve created a #VirtualDining Instagram filter so you can add a restaurant background to your next Instagram video chat. If you miss catching up over dinner, this is the next best thing!

Plan a staycation. In the UK, you don’t have to travel far to find good food. Check out which food festivals are running later this year or plan your dream staycation, whether that involves camping, country walks, or exploring a new city. If you need some inspiration, take a look at some of our favourite UK beach breaks, restaurants with rooms, and foodie hotels.

Stay social. Stay engaged and show your support by following your favourite chefs, restaurants and food bloggers on social media. You’ll be rewarded with cookery demos, virtual tasting sessions, pub quizzes, workouts and more! You could also take a few minutes to write a review and spread the word about your favourite places to eat.

Have you got any quarantine tips to share with fellow foodies? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page.

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OpenTable adds restaurant delivery across new markets

OpenTable March 31, 2020

OpenTable has partnered with Deliveroo and Uber Eats to offer delivery options at hundreds of restaurants across the world including those in Australia, Mexico, the UK, Ireland, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands, through the OpenTable app and desktop site. The global launch follows the introduction of this delivery feature with Uber Eats and other local partners in the US and Canada in 2019.

We are committed to helping and supporting our restaurant partners globally in these uncertain times. The partnerships with Deliveroo and Uber Eats will enable diners to select and order a restaurant quality meal in just a few simple taps and have it delivered direct to their door. This gives diners the opportunity to continue supporting their favourite eateries, whilst bringing a much-needed additional revenue source to the restaurant.

Andrea Johnston, COO, OpenTable said: “Restaurants are a vital part of our communities, and we hope these partnerships will help support restaurants with additional revenue sources and give diners access to restaurant quality meals to enjoy at home during these difficult times.”

When searching for a restaurant or visiting a restaurant profile page on the OpenTable app or via opentable.co.uk, diners will now see a ‘Get a delivery’ button alongside the usual table reservation option. Diners who choose delivery are then directed to either the Deliveroo or Uber Eats site to complete their transaction. This launch will see more than 3,000 restaurants offer delivery through OpenTable.

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