OpenTable Adds Bars and Wineries to Its Platform

Bars and wineries face new challenges as they prepare to welcome back patrons in a COVID-19 world.  Carefully managing crowds, minimizing lines and communicating safety measures are the new norm. To help, OpenTable, a provider of online restaurant reservations, is offering its reservation technology to all drink-focused destinations.

As venues reopen, OpenTable users can discover and book a spot to enjoy a drink.  Guests can also join a virtual waitlist and receive phone alerts when their reservation is ready.  At participating wineries, OpenTable offers the option to prepay for tastings for a contactless payment experience.

While select bars and wineries offering food have previously been on the platform, OpenTable is now available for all drinking establishments globally. The Roosevelt Room, Austin Eastciders and Bouldin Acres in Austin, Kind Regards and Flatiron Room in New York City and En Garde Winery and De La Montanya Winery in Sonoma are among the first OpenTable partners to enable reservations in preparation for reopening.

“We will undoubtedly make modifications to our bar’s layout, limit the size of parties seated in our booths, and more to help ensure our guests’ safety when we are ready to reopen,” said Justin Lavenue, co-owner and operator of The Roosevelt Room. “These measures will also affect the way we take reservations, and as a high-volume establishment, OpenTable is helping us adapt as we transition into this new chapter.”

OpenTable will also extend its Open Door program pricing, announced last month, which includes waived fees and discounted pricing, to bars and wineries (terms and conditions apply).