OpenTable ends its US Visa deal
OpenTable will keep the good tables for itself instead, but the platform's credit card partnerships aren't totally dead.
OpenTable is rewarding diners who are loyal to its platform, potentially downgrading some prestige credit card holders in the process.
The reservations service will grant special access to in-demand tables to repeat OpenTable bookers. At the same time, OpenTable and Visa will sunset the Visa Dining Collection program in the US, which granted priority access to certain Visa credit cardholders. (Maybe you heard me mention that that deal was set to expire last month? Thanks to OpenTable for waiting until I returned from vacation to announce this one.)
OpenTable’s new program, dubbed Gold Tables, gives diners with Gold status — those who book and complete six OpenTable reservations annually — preferred access to tables at 500 restaurants in 50 US cities. As a part of the platform’s Regulars loyalty program, these diners also get priority notifications for reservations and six months of free Uber One membership, offering ride credits and reduced delivery fees thanks to a partnership announced last year.
The US market leader is pitching the program to restaurants as a way to tap its network of valuable and committed guests. According to the company, diners with OpenTable Gold status typically dine out five times as often, spend more, no-show less frequently, and leave three times the amount of reviews.
It’s the latest front in an escalating reservations war as platforms race to lock down top restaurants and loyal diners — a move that reads as both OpenTable playing catch-up and bracing for a high-stakes fight.
