OpenTable Wants to Own Data-Based Dining
Skift Take
OpenTable has lost ground to rivals over the last few years, but the company is looking to leverage its scale and experience in the space to become a data-fueled recommendation engine for diners and a source of quality intelligence for restaurant operators.
For years, OpenTable has faced a bevy of challengers rising up around the world. After its acquisition by Priceline Group (now Booking Holdings) in 2014, though, the online reservations giant is looking to differentiate itself among restaurateurs who are hungry for more advanced data and analytics.
At Skift Restaurants Forum in New York, OpenTable CEO Christa Quarles said that consumer and diner trends have increased the need for cloud-based insights for restaurant operators.
"On the diner side some of the interesting trends we've been pushing towards is the near-me-now phenomenon," said Christa Quarles, CEO of OpenTable. "One of the stats we've seen is that 25 percent of bookings on the app are happening within 90 minutes of seat time. The denser the geography, the fewer people are willing to travel. How do we get the right diner in the right restaurant at the right time?"
OpenTable is tapping its user data to create lists for users based on the habits of tastemakers. The company
