Resy and OpenTable are reservation apps that streamline aspects of restaurant operations with features that will efficiently manage restaurant floor plans and table inventory, guest profile notes and communication, and the booking process using widgets or listings on their marketplace.
With OpenTable being the more popular of the two software options, we were curious to see how Resy would compare. Our comparison looks into what these platforms offer, their top features, and their pricing.
About Resy
Software Overview
Resy’s software provides the restaurant industry with a table reservation system to manage their reservations, floor plan, and guest experience. Previously only marketed toward up-market and notable restaurants, Resy has recently become more widely available and helps connect diners with their favorite restaurants. According to their website, Resy is used by some 4,000 restaurants in 154 U.S. cities and 10 countries, and seats 2.6 million diners a week.
Resy partners with American Express to offer exclusive reservations through their Global Dining Access. Restaurants have access to the American Express network and the ability to market their special events to American Express cardholders. Diners get access to special reservations, unique restaurant seatings and availability, and curated content.
The Resy app is available on the Apple App Store only. Resy is not available for Android users. Resy has removed their app from the Google Play Store and discontinued updates for the Android app indefinitely.
Who is Resy Best for?
Resy OS is suited to restaurant owners, staff, and diners looking for a way to make online restaurant reservations. Restaurants looking to be put on the map will be added to the Resy database, where diners can find their new favorite local restaurant. Resy is best suited for full-service restaurants that already have a strong following and do not need to rely on OpenTable’s diner network to fill seats.
Top Features
Resy is primarily dedicated to reservation management, including online reservations and restaurant table management. With built-in waitlist features that include a mobile app, Resy’s platform aims to streamline the dining experience from the initial booking process to following up after the dining experience concludes with detailed questions or guest surveys.
Restaurants can increase revenue through the customizable floor plan capability, capacity management tools, and automated confirmation texts or scripts to reduce no-shows. Resy also allows the unique ability to provide exclusive links or exclusive access to reservations during certain hours for important guests. Additionally, guest intel is shared across all devices and locations, streamlining knowledge of the diner and making it easy for the restaurant to know who is joining them.
For restaurants looking to grow their business, Resy’s marketplace connects restaurants with new guests while keeping former diners coming back through direct email marketing campaigns. In addition, the software includes various communication tools to build and maintain rapport between restaurants and their guests. On-demand reports and analytics are limited, but available through exports. It’s important to note that Resy does not have the same extensive following that OpenTable has amassed, so you’ll want to make sure you have a strong organic following if Resy becomes your management system of choice.
Pricing
Resy offers varied pricing with three subscription tiers. Unfortunately, Resy doesn’t offer a free trial version of their operating software, but demos are available through their sales team. Unlike OpenTable, Resy does not charge for online covers, making them a more attractive option for some.
The basic subscription tier comes with limited features and costs $249/month. For access to their complete list of features and sales analytics, an upgraded monthly subscription of approximately $399/month is available.
In addition to monthly subscription fees, basic users can opt to include the point of sales integration for $100 per month and the ticketing feature for in-house events at 3% per transaction.
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About OpenTable
Software Overview
OpenTable is also a restaurant reservation system that offers operating software to big and small establishments. OpenTable offers similar tools to manage restaurant reservations, capacity settings for floor plans, and guest information and communication. In addition to these tools, OpenTable largely focuses on marketing and visibility campaigns or experiences.Â
OpenTable's software seats more than 1 billion people per year and helps more than 60,000 restaurants, bars, wineries and other venues in more than 80 countries. With millions of monthly users and the largest diner network, OpenTable offers a large marketplace for diners to easily book their reservations. OpenTable is a part of Booking Holdings, which allows for advertising and listings on websites such as Priceline and Kayak.Â
The OpenTable app is available for both iPhone and Android users; it also won the Editors’ Choice Award in the Apple store.
Who is OpenTable Best for?
OpenTable is best suited for destination restaurants or large restaurants that would like to advertise with the OpenTable diner network in order to increase cover counts and maximize sales per seat.
Because of their additional cover fees, OpenTable can become pricey to use. For this reason, it may not be the best fit for smaller restaurants just starting out. However, many users report that being advertised through OpenTable is beneficial in bringing more diners into their restaurants.
Unlike Resy, OpenTable reservation software offers more basic features, but they can be managed by a smaller staff or hospitality team. For this reason, it’s best to look at the features of the software to make an informed decision on whether it would benefit you and your business.
Top Features
OpenTable aims to increase cover counts and bring more guests into the dining room by using a marketplace for promoting experiences and getting exposure on dedicated lists and collections. OpenTable promotes and encourages operators to create ongoing marketing campaigns highlighting unique experiences. Diners can browse Experiences in their area, explore trending special menu Experiences from the OpenTable homepage, and book directly from the Experiences section on the restaurant’s profile.
For restaurants looking to grow their business, OpenTable offers marketing solutions such as the ability to create custom, automated emails to guests. OpenTable makes it easy to segment audiences based on diner behavior, and track the full ROI, including revenue and covers generated from the email campaigns. With decades of experience in collecting guest information and spending habits, OpenTable’s reporting and analytics dashboard is incredibly helpful in understanding trends, server sales, and guest history.
OpenTable’s software also includes table and waitlist management, as well as online reservations. Potential guests can either book a reservation through the OpenTable website or through a personal booking widget. Several guest management or CRM tools are also available, as well as direct integrations with Point of Sale, Marketing, Digital Ordering and Loyalty programs.
Pricing
OpenTable offers three subscription tiers and a free trial of the Basic subscription for 30 days.
The Basic subscription allows for restaurants to receive reservations with no table management solution. After the free trial has ended, a flat subscription fee of $39 per month is charged. In addition, there is a $1.50~ reservation fee charged for every booking made through OpenTable, plus an additional $0.25 for bookings made online through the restaurant’s website using the personal booking widget provided by OpenTable.Â
Table and reservation management tools are included in the Core subscription at $249 per month. In addition, there is a $1.00~ reservation fee for bookings made directly through OpenTable. However, no fee will be charged for reservations made through the restaurant’s website or personal booking widget.Â
OpenTable’s cover fees can quickly begin to stack up, making it an expensive choice for many growing businesses. Read our full review of this reservation system here.
Conclusion
In our comparison of Resy vs. OpenTable, Resy comes out on top for local restaurants that already have a strong following. For restaurants that are not as well known or are destination locations, OpenTable may be a better option to drive more traffic.
If you’re looking to manage your private dining and event business, you may want to check out Perfect Venue. It compliments both Resy and OpenTable very well and seamlessly integrates with OpenTable. Our knowledgeable sales and support team is readily available to take you through a step-by-step tour of Perfect Venue’s intuitive and easy-to-use functionality.
