Restaurant booking wars intensify as new players disrupt the market

The battle for restaurant reservations is heating up as new platforms enter the market and old rivals expand their services. With nearly 40% of Americans cutting back on dining out, competition for bookings has grown fiercer. Owners like Mona Panjwani are carefully choosing which systems best suit their needs in a crowded field.

For over a decade, OpenTable and Resy have dominated online restaurant bookings. OpenTable works with around 60,000 venues, while Resy is nearing 25,000. Panjwani, who runs One40 Rooftop in Manhattan, picked Resy for its upscale appeal and connection to American Express, which offers members monthly dining credits.

Unlike OpenTable, Resy charges restaurants a flat monthly fee rather than per diner. This model proved more cost-effective for Panjwani's business. Meanwhile, high-end services like Dorsia are taking a different approach, charging diners up to $25,000 a year for access to exclusive tables. Their goal is to cut no-shows and guarantee revenue for owners. The shift isn't just among specialists. Delivery giants Uber Eats and DoorDash now see reservations as the 'missing piece' of their dining services. They're moving into bookings, adding pressure to established players. At the same time, Resy is pushing beyond simple reservations, using AI to offer personalised recommendations and deeper data for restaurant owners. Yet challenges remain. Panjwani wishes platforms would integrate better, letting her use multiple systems without risking overbookings. Investment in new reservation startups has also stalled—since 2020, none have secured $1 billion or more in funding or acquisitions. Despite this, the race to control dining reservations shows no signs of slowing down.

The fight for restaurant bookings is reshaping how people dine out. New membership models, tech upgrades, and delivery apps entering the space are changing the game. For owners like Panjwani, the right platform could mean the difference between a packed house and empty tables.