OpenTable launches AI tools to help restaurants fill seats

OpenTable has launched more than 20 new and updated product features for restaurants, with the rollout focused on AI and automation tools for operators.

Described as its biggest product update for restaurants, the launch spans demand generation, reporting, table management and software integrations. Many of the additions are designed to reduce manual work for staff, help venues fill more seats and connect booking data with other systems.

Sagar Mehta, Chief Technology Officer at OpenTable, said the company had focused on practical uses for AI as restaurant operators face pressure to work more efficiently. "Restaurants are under pressure to do more with less, and their technology needs to solve real problems quickly," he said.

"We've developed these tools by listening directly to our restaurant partners and building what they've asked for. We're applying AI and automation where it can make the biggest difference - driving demand, unlocking revenue and helping teams deliver more personalised hospitality without adding more complexity. When the right systems work together, restaurants get something invaluable in return: more time to focus on their guests," Mehta said.

Discovery tools

A central part of the update is restaurant discovery through large language model platforms and OpenTable's own AI chat service. OpenTable now has partnerships and integrations with AI services and search platforms including ChatGPT and Perplexity, aiming to make restaurants more visible when diners search through conversational tools rather than conventional search engines.

According to OpenTable's internal data, those integrations drove 17 times more seated diners year on year. Diners coming through those channels also spent an average of 20% more than those from other channels.

OpenTable also said its AI Concierge service now has more than 500,000 monthly active users globally. The tool is designed to let diners search for restaurants using natural language prompts and book through a conversational interface.

Operations and data

OpenTable is also testing a natural language reporting feature called Conversational Reporting. Restaurant operators will be able to ask questions about business performance in plain language and receive immediate responses, rather than relying on dashboards, exports or manual analysis.

The company said group operators could, for example, ask which locations had recorded the largest increase in covers. The feature remains in testing, but reflects a broader effort by restaurant software providers to make business intelligence tools easier for non-technical staff to use.

Another addition is Table Automations, which adjusts table minimums based on live demand. OpenTable said the feature has processed more than 2 million automations since its test phase, and that early users saved an average of 4.5 hours a month.

The update also includes tools intended to identify gaps in restaurant availability. Turn Times and Availability Insights are designed to show operators where they are losing bookable hours and inventory. In testing, operators regained an average of 39 minutes of reservable time per shift, according to OpenTable.

Guest records

OpenTable has also expanded its Guest Relationship Management tools. The updated system offers 10 times more guest detail than a standard guestbook, including cross-location visit history for group operators.

That means staff at one venue in a restaurant group can view a guest's profile and prior visits at another location. The aim is to help venues recognise and respond to repeat customers, even if they are visiting a site for the first time.

OpenTable is also introducing AI-generated restaurant profiles based on information drawn from venue websites and operator-supplied details. The feature is intended to save time for operators while giving diners fuller information about dining rooms and event spaces.

Integrations

The launch also extends OpenTable's integrations with other restaurant systems. Its partner network now includes more than 200 providers across discovery, demand generation and restaurant operations.

Adoption of its point-of-sale partners rose 40% year on year, OpenTable said. It also has more than 20 voice AI partners globally, which it described as more than any table management system based on publicly available data.

Voice AI tools are being used to handle bookings without requiring host stand staff to answer every incoming call, including outside opening hours. OpenTable said its voice AI partners have collectively seated 3 million diners to date, up 270% in 2026 compared with the same period in 2025.

The product update comes as restaurant operators face changing consumer search habits and growing pressure to justify dining out as household budgets tighten. OpenTable cited broader industry figures showing AI search volumes have risen sharply, while many restaurants remain difficult to find on newer discovery platforms.

OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings and said it works with more than 70,000 restaurants worldwide, helping them fill 2 billion seats a year.