Reservations get collaborative with OpenTable bot for Facebook Messenger

Press release

OpenTable is introducing a new way for diners to search and make restaurant reservations directly through Facebook Messenger. With the OpenTable bot for Messenger, diners around the globe can make reservations at more than 40,000 restaurants worldwide directly from within Messenger through the new Chat Extensions feature.

OpenTable’s bot for Messenger makes planning a meal with friends even easier by enabling diners to search and suggest available restaurants to friends as well as make reservations through the bot without leaving Messenger. It’s an easy, collaborative way to pick the perfect spot for a friend’s birthday dinner, a special occasion or an upcoming trip.

“We’re delighted that our millions of global diners are now able to plan and make restaurant reservations with their Facebook friends all within Messenger,” says Catherine Porter, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at OpenTable. “We hope this service helps diners more easily collaborate on dining plans by sharing restaurant suggestions and coordinating a reservation all in one place.”

How to make a reservation:

From any Messenger conversation, select the OpenTable bot by tapping the Chat Extensions icon (+) on the bottom left of the Messenger app.
Pick an available restaurant to recommend and share with friends.
Once a collective restaurant decision is made, instantly book a table.
Share the restaurant reservation confirmation with friends.

“Dining out is inherently social and millions of people are already using Messenger and social media to connect with friends to discuss dining. The addition of the OpenTable bot for Messenger is a natural extension of this behaviour enabling them to plan and book together,” says Porter.

About OpenTable

OpenTable, part of The Priceline Group (NASDAQ: PCLN), is the world’s leading provider of online restaurant reservations, seating more than 21 million diners per month via online bookings across more than 40,000 restaurants. The OpenTable network connects restaurants and diners, helping diners discover and book the perfect table and helping restaurants deliver personalized hospitality to keep guests coming back. The OpenTable service enables diners to see which restaurants have available tables, select a restaurant based on verified diner reviews, menus, and other helpful information, and easily book a reservation. In addition to the company’s website and mobile apps, OpenTable powers online reservations for nearly 600 partners, including many of the Internet’s most popular global and local brands. For restaurants, the OpenTable hospitality solutions enable them to manage their reservation book, streamline their operations, and enhance their service levels. Since its inception in 1998, OpenTable has seated over 1 billion diners around the world and more than 48 million in Canada. OpenTable is headquartered in San Francisco and has bookable restaurants in more than 20 countries, including Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, United Kingdom and the United States.

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