Some diners might have specific habits, like always ordering soda water or starting meals with an appetizer. It’s not something everyone tracks, but OpenTable is. The platform has started using AI-assisted tags that record various dining behaviors, including drinking patterns, spending levels, and even last-minute cancellations.
This shift caught the eye of Kat Mentor, a host at a Michelin-starred restaurant who shares food content. She posted a TikTok demonstrating the new AI tags, which gained traction and led to media confirmation that more restaurants are testing this feature.
So, what exactly is happening here? Well, OpenTable is leveraging data from point-of-sale (POS) systems like Toast and Epos to create profiles based on diners’ habits. When your details sync up with OpenTable, they can track your visit, including arrival, order details, time spent, and total charges. This data isn’t tied to individual identities but can generate summarized insights. Interestingly, you don’t even need to make a reservation through OpenTable for this—just having matching contact info is enough.
Some users have accessed their data via OpenTable’s privacy forms and found it pretty minimal, mainly basic info and past reservations. This suggests that the depth of insights available likely varies by restaurant and their use of these systems.
Restaurants have historically tracked guest preferences, noting favorite dishes or seating arrangements. The new AI tags provide a streamlined version of this, pulling together insights about spending and behaviors. However, Mentor mentioned that these tags can sometimes be misleading. For instance, attending a business dinner might label someone as a high spender, regardless of their usual habits.
When it comes to how AI fits in, OpenTable claims it doesn’t process personal details. The AI deals with large, anonymized datasets to categorize general dining behaviors, helping staff recommend dishes or adjust dining pace. Users can control their data-sharing settings, reviewing or opting out as needed, though the privacy policy includes broader terms.
An OpenTable representative emphasized that these insights aim to personalize service, benefiting both the restaurant and the diner. They reiterated that what’s shared with dining establishments depends on your privacy choices.
If someone opts to share, OpenTable will disclose personal details like name and party size, along with their ordering history from participating restaurants. However, diners looking for privacy can turn off the sharing setting in their accounts, preventing their order history from affecting future insights.
Ultimately, dining at a restaurant that uses OpenTable Pro could alter how you approach meals. Being aware of these tracking methods can influence your choices. You can take steps to adjust your privacy, ensuring a personalized dining experience without the unease of being monitored.
So, would knowing your dining habits were being tracked affect your restaurant choices? That’s something to think about.
