OpenTable innovates to help restaurants do what they do best—better. So we do more than add features that respond to restaurateurs’ needs, we also help them adapt to the changing realities of the industry. This series spotlights recent innovations from OpenTable that help restaurants thrive.
Not long ago, restaurant owners used different devices for different tasks. Pre-shift planning called for a computer. The iPad was the tool of choice for managing a busy service in progress.
Now, the OpenTable iPhone app offers the ultimate restaurant management mobile app, with the addition of the floor plan. It empowers you and your team with everything you need to manage your restaurant from anywhere.
In an era when staff can be thin on the ground, team members wear multiple hats with hosts doubling as servers and owners acting as hosts. The app makes it easy for restaurant owners and managers to take charge of any shift at any time, anywhere, and on any device.
Last year, 70% of restaurant owners told us they’re using iPhones. They made it clear they need the full functionality of the owner app. It’s a reasonable demand—in November 2022 about 50% of OpenTable’s active iPhone app users used the app at least six times a week on average. With the OpenTable for Restaurants iPhone app, they now have the tools they need in their pocket at all times.
The floor plan anywhere you are
Owners and managers need full control of what’s happening in the restaurant from anywhere.
For owners and managers, the ability to make adjustments to the floor plan from anywhere is what makes the app such a game-changer.
“It’s been very valuable to be able to place reservations on the go,” says Layla Binafif, host at Trattoria Dario Italian Family Restaurant in Vero Beach, Florida. “I don’t usually have the tablet handy, so having the floor plan on my phone helps me organise reservations even when I’m away from the restaurant.”
Adapting on the fly
If you’ve been in the industry for more than a minute, you know to expect constant curveballs. No matter how well a shift is planned, surprises come up. The app makes it possible to respond quickly to whatever happens.
“I can’t carry a tablet around, so having all the functions of the floor plan on mobile is extremely important. I use it often to make changes in the moment,” says Zachary Lollo, food and beverage manager at Fiorenzo Italian Steakhouse at Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Florida.
If a valued regular walks in without a reservation, you can use the app to immediately seat them. If a staff member gets sick, you can cut down tables. It’s easy to assign a party right from your phone to accommodate unexpected VIPs.
As you move through the dining room, you can also update a table’s status in the moment to give hosts a real-time sense of which tables will be available next. You can block tables, close out a party, move a party, and view server sections without needing to make your way to an iPad.
Better for you, better for guests
Convenience and freedom for users aren’t the only benefits of using this powerful new feature. By saving time and hassle, the app helps you put your focus where you want it to be: offering hospitality.
No matter where you are you can accommodate, shift, and meet the needs of your most valued guests. Front of house team members can assign a VIP party to the table they want. Owners and managers can spend more time on the floor, making any needed adjustments without leaving the action in the dining room. It’s easy to move a party to a different section to ensure the right table and right server. If you’re talking with guests after their meal and they mention they can’t wait to come back, you can make their next reservation for them right from the table.
At OpenTable, we’re always looking for more ways to make life easier for restaurant managers and staff so they can focus on doing what they do best. Download the app today and start experiencing the benefits for yourself.
