Eating out after COVID-19: OpenTable diners weigh in [INFOGRAPHIC]

As the coronavirus pandemic shakes the restaurant world, restaurateurs everywhere are wondering how diners have shifted their habits and expectations due to the crisis. Are they cooking at home more or leaning on delivery services? What are they most looking forward to when restaurants reopen? Most importantly, how will they think about safety when dining out in the future?

We learned all of that and more in recent survey responses from nearly 10,000 OpenTable diners globally*, which we hope can help guide decision making as restaurants begin to open their dining rooms to the public. Check out the infographic below for insight on guests’ consumption habits, safety priorities, and hopes for the dining landscape to come – then read on for more takeaways.

COVID impact and how we’ll feel safe dining out

In April 2020, OpenTable surveyed nearly 10,000 diners in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia* to get a sense of how COVID was affecting how they interact with restaurants and what will make them feel good about sitting down in a dining room again.

Takeout is up

The proportion of people in the US ordering takeout once a week or more for dinner increased 72% in April compared to pre-COVID. Numbers are up globally, too – 59%.

In the UK, however, the proportion of people who ordered takeout once a week or more for dinner dropped 19% from pre-COVID days through April.

And delivery isn’t far behind

The proportion of people ordering delivery once a week or more went up 62% compared to pre-COVID in the US. (And though takeout was down in the UK, delivery was up 7%.) Globally, the proportion of respondents ordering takeout for dinner at least once a week increased 59% compared to routines pre-COVID.

That said, 25% more people order takeout one or more times per week than they do delivery.

More people are cooking at home

In the US, the proportion of folks who cook at home daily is up 17 percentage points from pre-COVID rates. Compare that number to the UK, where respondents reported a 21 percentage point increase.

Looking forward

When it comes to dining out, US respondents are most excited about visiting restaurants with the people they are currently social distancing with (55%).

They reported that they are most looking forward to enjoying the ambiance of the restaurant (14%), connecting with friends and family (13%), and supporting as many of their go-to restaurants as possible (13%). Bottom line: your guests miss you and want to help you succeed.

Weighing risks and safety measures

We asked survey respondents how much they feel various activities put them at risk of contracting the coronavirus, from shopping at a grocery store to having food delivered. In the US, respondents reported they feel that that curbside pickup is the least risky way of ordering food.

Interestingly, the majority of respondents in states that are reopening (Texas and Florida) say dining out at restaurants is “high risk” or “somewhat high risk,” while 8-10% believe it’s “low risk.” Fewer respondents in major metropolitan cities believe dining out is “low risk” – only 3% in New York City, 5% in Los Angeles, and 4% in San Francisco.

Safety measures diners plan to take

Almost all (90%) of survey respondents in the US agree that handwashing is an “extremely important” measure they need to take to protect themselves from COVID. They also reported that carrying hand sanitizer will be key as markets reopen.

Slightly more than 50% of respondents reported that pre-payments and mobile payments are “highly important” or “important” during the pandemic. This opinion drastically differs from the UK, where 72% of respondents believe that offering contactless payments is “highly important” or “extremely important.” Finally, 60% said it’s “extremely important” to visit places that aren’t crowded with other people.

Safety measures diners hope restaurants will take

Survey respondents in the US largely agree about what will make them feel safe eating out again: 72% said it’s “extremely important” to see strict cleaning policies.

Showing that staff are wearing protective equipment such as masks and using hand sanitizer was “extremely important” to 37% of respondents. In New York City and San Francisco, even more (over 40%) say this is “extremely important.”

However, 24% of people in the US said that checking diners’ temperatures before they enter a restaurant is “not important” or “slightly important.”

*9,915 people responded to the OpenTable diner survey through April 2020. “Pre-COVID” refers to the period prior to the announcement of governmental restrictions such as shelter in place, around March, 2020.

Visit our preparedness resource center for additional COVID-19 information.

To help restaurants reopen, OpenTable offers new features and price cuts for 2020

The restaurant industry is being hit hard by COVID-19 with millions of hospitality workers out of work. OpenTable is committed to supporting the restaurant community and we recognize the road to recovery will be long and difficult. That’s why we’re excited to announce two new initiatives to help restaurants successfully reopen their businesses.

First, an enhanced restaurant management platform

OpenTable’s software has always enabled restaurants to connect with diners to manage reservations, prepare for shifts, and maximize table availability. During the crisis, we have:

Created tools for restaurants to quickly adjust their books and notify diners
Updated our platform to showcase delivery and takeout services with partners like Caviar and UberEats
Promoted gift cards and waived gift card fees for our partner restaurants
Launched grocery pickup management tools for restaurants and stores operating under health guidelines

As we emerge from the crisis, restaurant needs will change as government restrictions and safety recommendations evolve. Locations that have never taken reservations may find themselves looking for ways to manage capacity. Others may need to adjust their floor plans to accommodate social distancing. OpenTable makes it easy for restaurants to adapt to both situations. Also, the Venga relationship management solution we acquired last year provides a complete view of loyal guests and their feedback. Finally, our digital marketing solutions let restaurants increase their exposure and smooth demand when they need it most.

Second, big price cuts for 2020

These advanced features are now paired with discounted pricing to reduce the reopening costs of our customers and to encourage new restaurants to join OpenTable. Beginning in May, restaurants that sign up for our “Open Door” pricing program will enjoy:

No subscription fees through the end of 2020
No cover fees through September 30, 2020
Up to 50% discount on cover fees in the fourth quarter of 2020
Standard subscription and cover pricing resume only in January 2021*
Plus, we’re now introducing three subscription tiers designed to fit the needs of every location: Basic, Core and Pro.

Restaurants interested in the Open Door Program can receive follow-up information and first-access to participate here.

“We’re keen to do our part to bring back the restaurants we love,” said Andrea Johnston, COO of OpenTable. “We’re also eager to welcome more locations to OpenTable’s nearly 60,000-strong restaurant community. Finally, I strongly encourage everyone across the industry to ease financial terms where possible, including landlords, taxing authorities, and point-of-sale vendors.”

For help reopening your restaurant or to join the OpenTable platform, please visit support.opentable.com.

*Covers discount valid only off list price and excludes promoted inventory. Participating restaurants must commit to an OpenTable plan subscription through December 31, 2021. Standard subscription and cover pricing begin on January 1, 2021. Early termination fees and other conditions may apply. Offer details may vary outside the U.S.

Supporting our restaurant community

OpenTable is committed to supporting our restaurant community during this difficult time. We know that it is tough out there and that these are unprecedented times for our industry. Effective immediately, we have put together these programs for restaurants in our network to help our community weather this storm:

Waiving subscription fees if closed

We realize many restaurants are closing temporarily. All OpenTable restaurants have access to a new feature, Close Date Range via Special Days in Availability Planning. This is a simple way for you to temporarily block your books. Just block a range of days when you will be closed between now and the end of April, and we will waive your subscription fee. If you are closed beyond April 30 please reach out to us for assistance at support.opentable.com. We encourage all restaurants to please actively manage your books per the above tool so we can know if you are open or not.

Waiving gift card listing fees

We are encouraging diners to support restaurants by buying gift cards which they can discover through our gift card marketplace, as well as making gift card callouts more prominent on restaurant profiles. We are waiving OpenTable gift card listing fees through the end of June for any restaurants who would like to promote them to diners. Gift cards are available in the U.S., U.K., and Canada. Restaurants that offer gift cards online can sign up here. See more information on how Gifts works here.

Encouraging delivery and take-out

We are also promoting delivery to our diners – see more on the OpenTable blog.

Piloting new features to help restaurants navigate through the unknown

Due to guidance from the U.S. Federal government and evolving restrictions from various authorities regarding social gatherings, we are exploring ways to help restaurants manage their books going forward. Last night we tested a feature that would pause future online reservations for a period of time, and expect to activate this for restaurants in affected locales (e.g., New York City, Massachusetts, etc.). Right now we are not otherwise pausing future reservations, and will let you know if that changes. At this time we are not proactively canceling existing reservations for diners, we are leaving that up to restaurant discretion based on local government guidance.

Supporting the industry

We have launched a Restaurant Resource Center to help restaurants stay informed and prepare with tips, templates and up-to-date recommendations. We are also working closely with restaurant associations around the world to align our efforts and help support them as they seek tax/permit fee deferment and other relief from local governments.

We’ll continue to keep you updated as we navigate these challenging times, together.

Andrea Johnston, COO of OpenTable

Run Like Magic: New Turn & Flow Controls Are the Best Way to Maximize Table Availability

At OpenTable, we’ve always prided ourselves on leading the industry when it comes to table management. Longtime restaurant partners know we changed the game when we introduced Flex in 2010, helping operators book their dining rooms solid. Since launching GuestCenter, we’ve added new features along the way to help restaurants streamline their service, like the ability to view and adjust your availability easily, maximizing each shift.

Now, we’ve entered a new era of dining room mastery. With new, flexible control features in GuestCenter, you’ve got the tools you need to control your turns, optimize seating, and create and automate your ideal flow – so your restaurant can run like the inside of your brain, with or without you there.

“We’ve really enjoyed testing and experimenting with OpenTable’s new controls,” said Jonás J. Millán, Restaurateur and Owner of the Juvia Group. “The turn controls keeps moving, adjusting and adapting to how reservations come in. The feature gives you the power to control and increase your capacity in a controlled environment without jeopardizing the flow of the dining room.”

Most restaurants want to maximize bookings by offering more availability all of the time – that’s why Flex inventory is so successful. But constant availability isn’t the best fit for every operation. Some restaurants need to control the flow of tables according to their service style, or a specific experience they want to give guests. Other restaurants have such high demand that they can restrict booking times to only periods that maximize turns – and have no trouble selling out.

The amount of time that a restaurant expects a table to be occupied can vary from 45 minutes to four hours, making it difficult for floor managers to optimize their seating. With these new controls, you can maximize your seatings, control the flow of your dining room, and adapt to the unpredictable, real world of running your house. Assistive prompts help you manage your staff so the house runs exactly the way you want it to. Here are all the ways our new features put you in control to maximize, customize, and pace the flow of your restaurant.

“Controlling the pace of the dining room – determining how often tables turn over and how to fill those tables quickly – has significant financial impact for our restaurant partners,” said Jon Morin, OpenTable’s VP of Product Management. “We’ve designed two new turn and flow control features that react to incoming reservations in real time and adapt to hit operating goals within our GuestCenter platform. In fact, we’ve seen that over 70% of the top cover driving restaurants use these types of controls to run and grow their business.”

Pack the House

Busy restaurants need smarter and more flexible control over their books. Turn controls are the best way to pack your house, drive up revenue, and never waste a turn. You can define a minimum number of times a table will turn over by party size or table, and our system will work in the background by only offering bookings that help you achieve your goals. Turn controls are:

Dynamic. For one shift or every shift, you can set the minimum number of turns you want to achieve, by party or table size.

Automated. You can set your controls to expire 12, 24, or 48 hours before the start of the shift. Availability updates automatically as reservations are booked (or in cases where you break your own rules.)

“It worked for us,” says Jonás of the new features. “I could see how tables were flowing, and if there were empty spaces – and I said, man, if I could do this over the weekdays and get more covers, let’s give it a try.”

Learn how to set up turn controls here.

Go With the Flow

Every restaurateur wants a dining room full of tables, but you don’t want them all seated at the same time. Flow controls allow you to keep hospitality on lock, run a butter-smooth service, and keep your team and guests happy. You can control the pace and flow of your shift according to your service style and staffing levels, and always keep your staff out of the weeds. This frees up time to focus on your guests, while the features make sure your book stays on track. Flow controls are:

Customizable. Since no two services are alike, you can approach the flow of service differently – by the day of the week, or the time of day. Control the number of covers and parties that can be booked in 15-minute increments, and adjust cover and party pacing by time period.

Specific. Manage the party size mix of your reservations and set a cap to the number of covers that can book at any given time.

“It helps us increase our capacity in a controlled way,” Jonás says. “That weekend we did 30 or 40 covers per night [above our average], which is a lot more. But the biggest thing – the flow of the covers that came was very good.”

Learn how to manage flow controls here.

WATCH LIVE: The Welcome Conference Chicago 2019 Livestream

Six years ago, Anthony Rudolf and Will Guidara started the Welcome Conference, a one-day gathering for people across industries to connect over a shared passion for hospitality. Today marks the first-ever Welcome Conference outside New York City, hosted by acclaimed restaurateurs Kevin Boehm and Donnie Madia in Chicago. This intimate, regional event will feature speakers including Union Square Hospitality Group’s Danny Meyer; Missy Robbins, chef-owner of Lilia and Misi; celebrated sommelier Belinda Chang; and Tim King, CEO of the nonprofit Urban Prep Academics, among others. (For more on the Chicago conference, see our interview with Kevin and Donnie here.)

Today’s event takes place at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre, but if you missed out on tickets, you can still take insights and inspiration away from the day’s programming. We’re livestreaming the event today, starting at 10 a.m. CT. Watch below!