Wanna get our awesome news?

Subscribe to our newsletter!

Subscribe!

Actually we won’t spam you and keep your personal data secure

As the voice of the Indian restaurant industry, we represent the interests of 500000+ restaurants & an industry valued @ USD 4 billion. Whether a chain or independent restaurant, the NRAI is here to help every step of the way. Join us!

News

OpenTable experiments with surge pricing ala Uber

on

The testing is based in how ‘desperately’ a dinner wants the table. OpenTable is pitching it as ‘creative ways to increase revenue for restaurants’.

OpenTable is starting to test how desperately consumers want a desired seat at a hot dining spot at the last minute with a ‘premium pricing’ option, ala Uber.

OpenTable_Premium_ReservationsIn a blog post aimed at restaurants, Vannie Shu, who leads global product marketing for consumer platforms, content, & discovery at OpenTable, writes, “With costs continuing to rise, many restaurants are looking for creative and simple ways to grow revenue, while continuing to deliver great hospitality. We know all restaurants face challenges- even the most popular ones.”

A quick glance at the Premium Reservation choices on OpenTable on Monday morning shows dinner slots at an upscale restaurant already sold out through the week. (A table for two costs an extra USD 50, while a table for four asks for USD 100, all on top of the bill). However, a table for two on Wednesday evening shows early times (around 18:30) and later periods (after 21:45) available for free under OpenTable’s regular reservation feature.

100% of proceeds will go to the restaurant.

OpenTable is mostly aiming the premium feature for Fridays and Saturdays. It’s similar to other booking options from Reserve, which charges a  base USD 5 ‘concierge fee’ for tables; if one is not readily available, Reserve allows users a separate ‘bid’ option for access to high-demand tables at a particular date and time.

OpenTable  is positioning the premium option for restaurants as a way of generating additional revenue and as a part of the company’s larger promise of helping make the entire dining experience more fulfilling for both patrons and establishments. The company, which is was acquired last year for USD 2.6 billion by Priceline, notes that 100% of proceeds will go to the participating restaurant.

“As the leader in restaurant reservations, our diner demand and data is unmatched, so we believe we can capture more value for prime-time tables,” Shu says. “Giving guests without the ability to plan ahead (last-minute business travelers, unexpected celebrations, etc.), the opportunity to be seated will delight those in need of your hospitality. Plus, reaching OpenTable’s most frequent diners, our app users, doesn’t hurt either. The experience for restaurants should be seamless as we integrate this into our leading table management system.”

Source: Geo Marketing/Skift

Recommended for you