Opentable Now Lets You Pick Specific Tables At Restaurants

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Have you ever had a moment when you're making a dinner reservation on OpenTable and wavered over whether to leave a comment like, "It's my birthday! Please don't seat me by the bathroom." Now you don't have to go there: Yesterday, OpenTable launched a new feature called "Seating Options" that allows you to pick the type of table you want when you're making a booking. No more jockeying for corner booths, or getting squished at a high-top near the bar. Now, you'll be able to see exactly what's open (sorry, we had to) before you head to the restaurant, and stake your claim—waitlists be damned.

Here's how it works: Participating restaurants on the site/app provide a floor plan, and label all the available seats with either "bar, high top, standard, counter, or outdoor," according to the press release. This not only allows you to get a better idea of where you'll be dining, but also helps restaurants use every available seat they have, especially during peak time.

Booking your favorite table just got so much easier.

"On busy nights, we're always getting requests to reserve bar seats," said Lien Ta, managing partner of Here's Looking At You restaurant in Los Angeles. "Seating Options make it possible for more diners to find seats at our restaurant during peak hours and allows us to bring in guests who may have sought an alternative restaurant to dine at otherwise."

The service was rolled out globally, and is available both online and through iOs and Android apps. About one-third of all the restaurants on OpenTable are currently participating—if you want to test it out yourself, check out their blog for more information. You'll snag a picture-perfect seat by the water for your anniversary dinner with ease: No buzzers or foot-tapping required.

By Bridget Hallinan
August 9, 2018
Source: CNTRAVELER.com