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OpenTable Testing Ability to Pay Restaurant Checks In-App

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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opentable1.png
OpenTable is testing a new feature to allow customers to pay their restaurant checks in the OpenTable iPhone app. The feature is being beta tested at select restaurants in San Francisco, but the company says it does plan a broader launch in the future, including Android support.
We're pleased to announce that it will soon be just as easy to pay for your meal. Rather than waiting for a check or, worse yet, being late for the theater, with the new OpenTable payments feature, you will be able to tap to pay - and be on your way.

OpenTable mobile payments are currently being tested by diners at select restaurants in San Francisco. Over the next few weeks, we will be adding more diners to the test program and will provide you a way to request access. If you receive an email invitation to be part of our pilot program, you can get started by making a reservation at a participating restaurant. Simply add a credit card in the OpenTable iPhone app before your meal and you'll be able to view and pay your check. There's no scanning or bar codes involved.
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In addition to its online reservation system, OpenTable offers a full table and guest management platform to restaurants, including POS integration, meaning rollout of an online-payment system should be a relatively straightforward feature addition for the firm.

Supported restaurants include Jardiniere, Dosa on Fillmore, Out the Door on Bush Street, Boxing Room, Chouquet's, Radius, Bask, Chambers, Café Bastille, Plouf, and Garcon -- though users must have a beta invite to try it.

opentabletesting.jpg
OpenTable is a free download for the iPhone and it is also available through Siri. [Direct Link]

Article Link: OpenTable Testing Ability to Pay Restaurant Checks In-App
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/02/06/opentable-pay-checks/
Parasprite

Parasprite

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Mar 5, 2013
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I suspect tip rates will either go up or down with this, not sure which.

People are wonderfully impulsive with one-click purchases.
 
Corrode

Corrode

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Dec 26, 2008
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This looks like a cool idea but I wonder what fees will be like for restaurants. Seems like restaurants are some of the most common small businesses so I prefer to pay with debit to maximize the amount of money going to business.
 
MuckSavage70

MuckSavage70

macrumors member
Jan 10, 2013
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Denver, CO
In addition to its online reservation system, OpenTable offers full point-of-sale and register services to restaurants,
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Uh, no they don't.

----------
Corrode said:
This looks like a cool idea but I wonder what fees will be like for restaurants. Seems like restaurants are some of the most common small businesses so I prefer to pay with debit to maximize the amount of money going to business.
Click to expand...

It is going to be percentage based, and for almost all restaurants, they will save money by bypassing some of the credit card processing fees they currently pay.
 
japanime

japanime

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Feb 27, 2006
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larrylaffer said:
That's the most overpriced Indian food I've ever seen. Who pays $5 for a mint lemonade??
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I do. But I don't mind paying the higher cost of a fine dining experience.

I'm sure lots of other people also prefer food that's actually made by fresh the restaurant staff, as opposed to the stuff that is delivered to the restaurant in pouches from Amamark and is simply heated in a microwave or pot of boiling water.
 
M

milo

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Sep 23, 2003
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Are there any more specifics on how it works, particularly the idea of walking out walking out of a restaurant before the bill arrives and paying later (I assume they can use notifications).

Seems like a really cool idea but it would seem weird to leave before the check shows up. Unless restaurants are entering the info for the bill all along so it's ready as soon as you're done eating.
 
charlituna

charlituna

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Jun 11, 2008
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Los Angeles, CA
milo said:
Are there any more specifics on how it works, particularly the idea of walking out walking out of a restaurant before the bill arrives and paying later (I assume they can use notifications).

Seems like a really cool idea but it would seem weird to leave before the check shows up. Unless restaurants are entering the info for the bill all along so it's ready as soon as you're done eating.
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I don't think you would leave before it shows up.

I imagine that the system would be fully integrated so that, depending on how far the restaurant wants to take it, you could

1. Reserve a table or at least get your name on 'the list' right from your phone
2. see the menu and select what you want, again right from your phone (or they could still use the typical server who would then enter it from the 'restaurant' side of the system
3. request the check and pay it from your table when you want rather than have to flag down a server, wait for it, etc. system could even be set up to calculate tip suggestions, allow for comments about service all right before you leave.
4. busboys would get an alert that the table is leaving and come clear it, flag it as open etc from some kind of hand held.
 
mdelvecchio

mdelvecchio

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Sep 3, 2010
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Parasprite said:
I suspect tip rates will either go up or down with this, not sure which.

People are wonderfully impulsive with one-click purchases.
Click to expand...

who's to say it won't have a simple UI for including a tip as part of the workflow, w/ standard preset percentages? if implemented i dont see how it's much different than a credit card.
 
Parasprite

Parasprite

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Mar 5, 2013
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mdelvecchio said:
who's to say it won't have a simple UI for including a tip as part of the workflow, w/ standard preset percentages? if implemented i dont see how it's much different than a credit card.
Click to expand...

A credit card doesn't do the math for you.

However, as charlituna outlined, it certainly has the potential to make things more efficient.
 
T

twigman08

macrumors 6502
Apr 13, 2012
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I'm sure I just missed it somewhere but what does the App do to make sure the check is actually sent to YOUR phone automatically and not another phone in the restaurant?
 
Jeremy1026

Jeremy1026

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Nov 3, 2007
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twigman08 said:
I'm sure I just missed it somewhere but what does the App do to make sure the check is actually sent to YOUR phone automatically and not another phone in the restaurant?
Click to expand...

Probably linked to the OpenTable account that the reservation was made under.
 
M

milo

macrumors 604
Sep 23, 2003
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mdelvecchio said:
who's to say it won't have a simple UI for including a tip as part of the workflow, w/ standard preset percentages? if implemented i dont see how it's much different than a credit card.
Click to expand...

The screenshot in the article shows tip. I assume it defaults to something and the user can probably set a preference or change it each time. At least people who have no clue about math might be aware what percent they are actually leaving instead of just making a wild guess.

iLondoner said:
It won't take on in the UK if it adds 20% tip.
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It would never mandate a certain level of tip. And they would adjust the recommended tipping amount based on local custom.
 
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