How to Build a Restaurant Booking App Like OpenTable

Did you know that a few years ago, finding a decent restaurant serving delicious food was difficult? And waiting in long frustrating lines because of less sitting space in the restaurant was something people didn’t like.

That's when OpenTable entered the market and changed how we make reservations. The app has almost 60,000 restaurants, wineries, and bars in 80+ countries. Just like OpenTable, there are many other restaurant booking apps that have changed the way we make reservations.

The restaurant management software is expected to cross $14.70 billion by 2030. This surge in popularity has led to the development of OpenTable clones. If you are in the restaurant business and want to develop a restaurant scheduling app, we can help!

In this blog, we have shared all the details for developing an OpenTable clone app:

Market Scenario of a Restaurant Reservation App

The restaurant reservation app market is growing at a positive rate. In 2023, the market was valued at $7.71 bn, and by 2030, this figure is expected to increase to $24.5 bn.

Do you know what’s the biggest factor driving this expansion? It’s the shift in economic, political, and social landscapes. Also, the market dynamics and consumer behavior have changed. These trends suggest that building a restaurant reservation app is not a bad idea.

Initially, the idea of creating such an app seemed impossible, but OpenTable made it possible. If you are also interested in developing such a profitable app, keep reading!

Types of Restaurant Reservation Models for Businesses

Before you start with the restaurant booking app development,let’s discuss the different types of restaurant reservation systems available for businesses:

1. Individual Model

If you are a restaurant owner who wants your reservation system, the OpenTable Guest Center option can solve your problem. Here, you can hire a digital transformation partner or create your strategy. You have complete control over reservations made by clients.

Pros

Cons

2. Third-Party Collaboration Model

This is the same model that apps like OpenTable follow. Under this model, eateries register themselves with third-party apps like OpenTable and collaborate with them. Customers download and use these apps to reserve tables at their favorite restaurants.

Pros

Cons

Must-Have Features for the OpenTable Clone App

Include the below-mentioned essential features during the OpenTable clone restaurant booking system design and development:

Features for Customers

1. Intuitive Search and Filtering

Include an intuitive search and filtering feature in your app so customers can quickly search for restaurants per price, food, location, and more. Add advanced filters to refine the search and find the perfect dining spot.

2. Seamless Reservation Process

Make the reservation process simple and easy to understand. Allow customers to see real-time availability, select their desired time and date, and complete the booking process with just a few taps. Make it simple for customers to modify or cancel reservations.

3. Personalized Recommendations

Use customer data and their past dining history to offer them personalized restaurant recommendations. This feature makes it easier for customers to find their next favorite restaurant.

4. Reward and Loyalty Programs

Create a rewards program to encourage customers to use the app frequently. Promote customer loyalty by offering points, discounts, or other benefits for each reservation made.

5. Digital Menus and Photos

Allow users to browse restaurant menus, view photos of food, and learn about cuisine before making a reservation. This way, you can enhance the pre-dining experience and set expectations.

6. Seamless Payment Integration

By offering an in-app payment option, you can allow users to securely pay for their meals or split bills without hassle. It eliminates the need for carrying physical cards or cash.

Features for Restaurant Owners

1. Reservation Management

When developing a restaurant table booking app, include a reservation management system with features like real-time availability updates and table layout management. It allows restaurant owners to view, modify, and manage all incoming bookings.

2. Customer Insights and Analytics

Provide restaurant operators with information on customer’s dining choices, booking trends, and feedback. They can use the information to improve their operations, marketing, and menu selections.

3. Digital Waitlist and Seating

Restaurant owners can manage their waitlist by allowing customers to join the queue digitally. Customers will receive a notification when their table is ready. For better table management, include a seating chart feature in the app.

4. Integrated Marketing Tools

Provide restaurant owners with tools like push notifications, email marketing campaigns, and customized promos to help them engage with customers. These features can boost consumer loyalty and encourage repeat business.

5. Integrated POS and Reporting

Streamline ordering, payment, and reservation processes by integrating the app with the restaurant's point-of-sale (POS) system. Provide thorough analytics and reporting to support restaurant operators in making data-driven decisions.

6. Staff and Inventory Management

Provide restaurant operators with tools to manage staff schedules, monitor stock levels, and adjust staffing & supply levels as per trends in reservations and customer demand.

Steps to Build an OpenTable Clone App

After you have all the stats and know what features to add for customers & restaurant owners, it’s time to discuss the steps to building an OpenTable clone app.

Step 1: Perform Market Research

Perform a thorough analysis to understand the real condition of the market. Take your time and dig deep to avoid any possible mistakes you might make during app development.

Also, perform competitor analysis to identify strategies they use to retain customers. What’s more? Apply custom problem-solving techniques for better market research.

Step 2: Decide on App Features

Next, list all the core and advanced features you want to include in your OpenTable clone app. Perform competitor analysis to identify their unique selling point. If you like it, you can offer it to your customers, irrespective of the available competition.

You must focus on the features that customers actually want in an app like OpenTable. Prioritize those features during MVP development. This way, you can build a robust app that fills the market gap.

Step 3: Develop a Wireframe

Develop an app wireframe. This will help you decide on the entire framework for designing the app. Visualize how your restaurant reservation app will appear through the mobile app wireframe.

By using the wireframe, your app designers can define a blueprint, and then they can actually develop the app for you.

Step 4: UI/UX Design Idea

The secret to successfully implementing an idea is to visualize it for the future. With the help of UI/UX design, identify the front end of your program. Follow architectural, visual design, prototype building, and other requirements to deliver the designs.

This way, you can create an app that your users want. Good UI/UX helps businesses increase customer confidence and improve applications.

Step 5: Choose Tech Stack

The next stage is choosing the right tech stack for your app design. In addition, you must choose the app's backend architecture, which includes servers, databases, APIs, and cloud services. Create APIs to manage user authentication, booking reservations, reviews, alerts, and other tasks.

Step 6: Integration and Testing

This step requires developers to integrate the entire UI/UX design and tech stack while ensuring seamless communication and functionality. Developers can also identify the functionality errors that the app is facing by performing robust testing.

Testing also helps identify and fix bugs, usability issues, and performance bottlenecks. You can gather feedback and make necessary improvements through mobile app testing.

Step 7: Deployment and Launch

At this stage, your app is ready to be released on the Google Play Store and the Apple Store. You may also create engaging app descriptions and marketing materials to attract consumers.

Determine the platform compatibility, and if there is a problem, fix it. Understand your target users and launch the app.

Step 8: Support and Maintenance

The never-ending process of app updates and maintenance requires you to be aware of current trends and market stats. Upgrade your app with the current technical framework and address user questions & technical problems with feedback.

Provide frequent upgrades and updates in response to customer feedback, technical developments, and market trends.

[Also Read - How to Develop a Food Delivery App Like Menulog]

Monetization Models for the OpenTable Clone App

1. Subscription-Based Models

The best way to monetize your restaurant booking app is via a subscription-based business model. Include advanced features like floor layout and waitlist management to boost sales and expansion.

Charge the restaurants for the premium features you offer them. These features will provide restaurants with enhanced visibility, priority customer service, and promotional tools.

2. Sponsorship and Advertisement

Another way to monetize the app is through sponsorship and advertisement. But don’t include an excessive amount of advertisements as it can hinder the user experience.

To successfully implement this monetization strategy, you must know the brand's advertising plan. Ask restaurants to use sponsored listings, banner ads, and other forms of advertising to promote them. It can increase the revenue of both the restaurants and your app.

3. Charge Reservation Fee

Charge customers a reservation fee for each table that they book using your app. Offer customers premium packages (like priority seating and handling of specific requests) along with paid add-on services.

Through your OpenTable clone app, you can also charge users for value-added services, exclusive access, reservation guarantees, and fraud & security protection.

4. Offer Partnerships And Affiliates

Collaborate with companies in the hospitality industry, like hotels, event planners, and travel agents, to offer bundled packages or to cross-promote services. Earn commissions by referring customers and driving traffic to your partner companies using the app.

5. Increasing Booking Frequency

Provide restaurants with a premium feature to increase the booking frequency of the apps. Help restaurants promote their brand by placing them at the top of the customer preference list. Analyze your competitors to detect changes in booking frequency.

Customers will become more aware of the brand, increasing your app’s revenue. As a restaurant reservation app, you can provide recommendations to your linked restaurant and charge more for the same.

Cost to Develop an OpenTable Clone App

The cost of developing an OpenTable clone app depends on multiple factors, such as app complexity, app design, location of developers, features, and more.

For building MVP features with simple UI/UX, you may have to pay between $7000 and $8000. However, if you add advanced features, your budget will increase drastically.

Here’s a table that shows the per-hour cost of hiring developers in different parts worldwide:

How Can Protonshub Help You Develop an OpenTable Clone App?

You will come across multiple on-demand app development companies, but Protonshub Technologies is the best. As an award-winning mobile and web development company, we take pride in converting your ideas into impactful apps.

Hire our app developers today and get started with the app development process!

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Ekta Singh

"Senior Content Writer"

Ekta Singh is a rookie food experimentalist and k-drama fan with 4+ years of experience in writing. Bridging gaps between companies and customers through conversion-driven content is her forte. She believes in writing stories for a living and living life for exploring places.