Market statistics of 2019 show that 52% of consumers prefer to go out and eat in a restaurant rather than purchasing a new item. As business thinkers, we should focus on the kinds of experience people are searching for. Restaurant reservation app
Out of all the things that you can offer in your products, food is something which is in greatest demand. People enjoy moments together in a fine dining place. This is the reason that online table booking facilities are so much in trend since the 1990s!
Apps like OpenTable, Yelp, I-know-the-Chef, Allset, BigDish, Tock are doing great with a massive positive response from people. Their earnings and expansion over the years show an ever-increasing nature of restaurant demands.
From launching in 1998, a United States app called OpenTable reached $2.6 billion worth to Priceline Group at the time of its acquisition in 2014. The app has spread its wings all over the world and even acquired a UK based restaurant reservations site called Toptable.
The above graph shows the steady growth of OpenTable from the year 2006 to 2013. The app is ranked as the top restaurant table booking app even today. Such mobile ideas are of great value to a smart and opportunistic entrepreneur.
Being the millennium business person, you must target the latest technologies to make your app better than the oldies! Suppose, if you include AR with the help of app developers in your applications, you can provide a more realistic view of the restaurant that your customers will love for sure!
Wondering how will you make this possible? There are numerous such ideas (refer to Q6) that you can consider while getting a restaurant reservation app as OpenTable developed. The ideas given in this blog can even make your app more successful than the ones which are ruling the industry.
This blog is like a guide to change these ideas into reality. It is not impossible to launch an app to replace Opentable. You just need to know a few things in detail. Here are the questions to which you can find answers in this blog:
What is OpenTable?
How does OpenTable make money?
How does OpenTable work?
What are the products to include in your app like OpenTable?
Which products to include for making your app beat OpenTable?
What are the tips to attract the OpenTable audience?
How to get an app developed like Opentable?
At the end of this blog, you will be able to decide whether you have to go for the development of a restaurant reservation application or not. Here is the A to Z guide to such apps creations.
Table of Contents
Q1. What is OpenTable? restaurant reservation app
A1. I have already given a brief about its launch in 1998 and acquisition in 2014. Back then it was an innovative and unique idea that provided it with a monopolistic market. In the past two decades, Opentable has managed to maintain a considerable share in the restaurant booking market.
During this period, the company has spread its services to 18 countries. Opentable app served people with convenience in grabbing a satisfactory experience of choosing and booking a restaurant table.
They no longer had to wait in long queues or choose an alternate restaurant in case of unavailability at the last moment. It serves both the restaurants as well as customers in different ways. We will discuss this in the third question.
Q2. How does OpenTable make money? Restaurant Reservation App
A2. If an entrepreneur considers building a restaurant-reservation app like Opentable, it is the first question that comes to her mind. Money is what we all aim to earn more with every custom software development project.
So, here are the steps through which Opentable earns revenue and makes an outstanding presence in the industry:
- Selling Business Management Tools for Restaurants
- Subscription Plan for Restaurants
- Discount coupons to customers (sales split between OpenTable and restaurants)
- Restaurants pay extra fees for getting featured
- Earns fees for each diner from restaurants
Reservation services are completely free for customers through Opentable. Although it charges fees from restaurants for every reservation that is booked through their app. The company sells reservation tools to the restaurants.
Opentable earns most of its money through these two tools, namely; electronic reservation book and Opentable connect. Both the tools are the company’s reservation systems. The OpenTable Connect is aimed at restaurants that rely more on walk-in customers.
A fixed amount is paid by restaurants for each reservation. Apart from these, there are other tools too which can be purchased by restaurants by paying a fee to get more exposure to the services of OpenTable.
Extra fees can be paid to get featured on the app or website by restaurants or become a part of its email marketing campaigns. In a nutshell, the company has multiple channels to earn revenue. Here is a graph that shows the sources of revenue for Opentable.
The graph at the starting of this blog showed a constant increase in the revenue of OpenTable. But in the contemporary market, more competition has entered this market. So, if you are considering this, then you will have to offer some added services to outshine among competitors.
Scratching your head to get an idea to create an equally revenue-generating app like Opentable?
Get free IT & software consultation services from developers at Pixelcrayons.
Q3. How does OpenTable work? Restaurant Reservation App
A3. Opentable works in two separate ways for restaurants and customers. For customers, it provides a hassle-free restaurant reservations system which is absolutely free for them. They can use any account out of Google, phone, Facebooks or email address to quickly register.
They are given an advantage of advanced searches with the help of filters, location tracking, and ratings plus reviews. The detailed history of booking, well written user-generated reviews, and online payment systems are some more add-ons in this app.
For restaurants, this app is simple in which they can register by creating an account after filling a form. Opentable also provides them an option to promote their places with the help of seasonal or ongoing promos.
With the help of Connect, businesses can manage online reservations, seating, cancellations, etc. They can track their customers by analyzing their every move and then plan an effective email campaign.
Q4. What are the products to include in your app like OpenTable? Restaurant reservation app
A4. Before choosing to hire custom software developers to create your dream restaurant reservation app like Opentable, it is crucial to create your own list of features you want to add to it.
This helps in the consultation and tech-stack selection process. Moreover, it makes your vision clear with a checklist of products that you want to include in your mobile app. Here are the must-to-have products in your app like Opentable.
1. Google Map Integration:
It will be extremely seamless for customers to find the restaurant if they know the exact location. Restaurants can pinpoint their location with the help of Google Maps. In the era of constant technological advancements, it is crucial to provide people with the latest features.
2. Notifications:
Constantly when you remind a customer about their bookings, it will create an attachment with your brand. It’s a trick to exploit the psychology of customers in marketing. The thing is, how will you do this?
It can be done with the help of machine learning algorithms which will help in the analysis of vast customer data. The development of these technologies is complex which is well executed with the help of a simple programming language called Python. You can hire python developers to add this feature to your restaurant reservation app.
3. Real-time availability
While you are letting customers book their choice of seats in the restaurant, it is essential to let them know the real availability figure. It is only possible when you are updating the real-time availability of the number of seats.
4. Custom dining selection:
Every customer prefers to eat on their choice of table. It is possible when you will allow them to use the dining are selection option.
5. Simple change and cancellations:
Customers are never confused about how to cancel a reservation on OpenTable. They should have complete ease in changing their bookings, tables and time/date. Seamless alterations, as well as the cancellation, can allow customers to have a worthy experience with your app.
6. Multiple-language support:
It’s time to think big! Make sure to get a developed by proficient web developers who know how to make it multi-lingual. You are not going to restrict your business to the location you have launched. Think big and get your app ready to use by people comfortable with different languages.
7. Table combinations (for restaurants):
This will allow businesses to make possible combinations of their available tables. This is useful in case of parties where it is not possible to sit in a single table for all guests.
Q5. Which products to include for making your app beat OpenTable?
A5. In the fourth answer, the products which are mandatory and included in almost every restaurant booking app are listed. Here I am disclosing the products which can add an extra value to your app.
The new qualities which will help you in outshining among other restaurant table booking applications are as follows:
Beat Opentable Tip #1: Client visit history:
It is the data that is needed by businesses. Just like amazon, restaurants also require to know the history of each client. This allows them to send custom notification and increase client retention rates.
All this can be possible through the integration of artificial intelligence technology with your mobile app development project. The AI and its subsets features can help you in providing custom and detailed information of every user to the restaurants.
Beat Opentable Tip #2: Maintain a database
The database of the customers can be maintained and shared with restaurants. This can help businesses in showcasing their new offerings to their old customers. It will help them in gaining trust and retaining customers.
You can consult with a custom software development company about the cost and time of adding this feature to your restaurant reservation app.
Beat Opentable Tip #3: Rewards and coupons
It is a feature that is extensively used in every industry these days for enhanced promotions. You might have experienced these services while using digital wallets or shopping apps. This can be done in a restaurant reservation apps by giving coupons to customers every time they book tables through your app. These coupons can be redeemed at different times to avail discounts.
Beat Opentable Tip #4: Automatic Allocation of Free Tables
Whenever a customer demands a table through your restaurant reservation app then they are allowed free tables automatically. This makes the process of reservation booking smooth and reduces manual efforts.
Beat Opentable Tip #5: Transfer bookings to next choice
When you hire app developers, you must ask them to develop your app with customer-friendly features. One of the best features can be of moving their reservations to the next choice in case of unavailability.
The customers can be asked to mention their choice of restaurants. The platform should be efficient enough to suggest to customers the next best option with available tables automatically. This not only retains the customer but also satisfies the restaurants.
Q6. What are the tips to attract the OpenTable audience?
A6. Until now I have guided you to launch at par or even better restaurant reservation app than the ones existing in the market. There is one more thing on which you should focus to get a sure-shot of success.
While launching an apparel shopping app, you must offer something which can attract the audience of the current popular shopping app. Similarly, in the restaurant industry also, you need to bring out something which can overpower existing big players like OpenTable and Yelp.
Here are those tips to attract the audience of Opentable. You must follow them while getting a restaurant reservation mobile app development:
Use the latest technologies:
In your app development services, ensure to include the latest technologies like Artificial intelligence, augmented reality, virtual reality, machine learning, etc. These technologies can new features like data management, custom notification, and complex features.
For this purpose, you can hire python development company to create an AI-based restaurant reservation app. The developers will use ML algorithms to provide robust features for location addition, customer data analysis, booking management and others.
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Reviews and Ratings:
Get feedback from customers to increase your credibility. An application with more number of positive reviews will attract potential customers more quickly. The ratings and reviews can improve your presence in organic search results.
Social media platforms:
A strong presence over all the social media platforms can make improve your brand awareness and trustworthiness among the prospective audience. Social media is the most useful way to encourage customer attraction with your brand as it is the best place to do “word of mouth” marketing.
Innovative Promotional offers:
Customers are engaged with more interest when you provide them with referrals, codes, discounts, and deals on a regular basis. There are companies using this technique for a long time now, it’s the time when this has become mandatory.
Q7. How to get an app like OpenTable? Restaurant reservation app
A7. There is no rocket science in getting a restaurant booking app developed like OpenTable. I have already unveiled all the major features that you can include in your apps. Moreover, the revenue sources through which Opentable is generating huge incomes every year.
All you need a proper customized plan according to your business model. Apart from this a few more things like a team of dedicated full-stack developers to execute your plan. Here are the processes that you need to follow as well as the cost incurred on them:
#1: Consult experienced restaurant reservation app developers
Taking consultation from developers will help you in clearing your doubts related to development. They will guide you with all the pros and cons of every feature, tool, and app idea. Do you know Pixelcrayons is giving free IT & software consultation to its every client? Contact us here and ask all that you want to know.
#2: Hire a renowned & experienced restaurant app development company
You need to aim at selecting the most suitable mobile app development company. The parameters on which this selection has to make are the cost and quality. Check for reviews and ratings of companies before finalizing one.
Hire App developers for restaurant booking app from a reputed firm like Pixelcrayons to never regret your choice in the future.
#3: Follow Right approach:
The correct way to get a restaurant reservation app developed is to select the right approach. Never focus on the price of services rather look for a perfect price-quality match. The cheapest is never the best.
Hence choose judiciously and keep your budget in mind. There are mobile app development companies that are charging from $12 per hour for every developer.
Final words: Restaurant reservation App
I hope that the answers and suggestions solved all your queries about how to develop a restaurant booking app like Opentable. Please share, comment and like this blog if you find it knowledgeable. Happy Reading!
