Now more than ever, restaurants need to deliver amazing hospitality that goes well beyond serving delicious food. Diners today are seeking out extraordinary, can’t-get-anywhere-else dining experiences to share with friends and even post about on social media.
That’s where Experiences on OpenTable come in. You can create one-of-a-kind bookable events and promote them directly to a vast network of experience-hungry diners. From multi-course tasting menus to intimate wine pairings to interactive cooking classes, Experiences let your restaurant showcase its talents and hospitality in fresh, creative ways.
Here, we break down exactly what Experiences on OpenTable are, why they matter for restaurants, and how to design offerings that sell out and create buzz.
What are Experiences on OpenTable?
Experiences help showcase your restaurant at its best with unique dining moments like chef’s tables and curated tasting menus tailored to your guests.
Experiences are unique, bookable dining events and offerings that restaurants create and promote on OpenTable. They can be used at any time. Rather than simply making a standard reservation, guests discover and reserve special dining occasions right on your restaurant’s profile.
Maybe it’s a whiskey tasting flight led by the beverage director. Or an intimate chef’s table where the chef crafts a personalized tasting menu before diners’ eyes. It could even be a roll-up-your-sleeves cooking class teaching guests how to master a regional cuisine.
The possibilities for creating extraordinary, social media-worthy Experiences are limitless. The key is giving diners a unique hospitality journey that transcends a traditional meal service—something they’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else.
Why restaurants should offer Experiences
On the surface, Experiences help restaurants drive revenue with exclusive dining occasions. But not only do Experiences increase your revenue, they also raise brand awareness, attract new diners, and help you build relationships with guests that keep them coming back. They tap into the experience economy and separate your restaurant from the competition.
Brand awareness
By offering unique, popular events that diners can’t find elsewhere, Experiences can help position your restaurant as an innovative leader, bringing something new and extraordinary to the table.
New diner acquisition
Experiences provide a way to attract diners who haven’t experienced a restaurant’s hospitality yet. The allure of intimate, can’t-miss events acts is a major draw for guests looking for something a little different from their usual dining experiences.
Guest relationships
With Experiences, you can build connections by inviting past guests to be part of a curated, intimate occasion just for them. Giving them something they’ll never forget is a sure-fire way to turn one-time diners into regulars that return again and again.
Experience economy
Diners are craving memorable moments that go far beyond simply eating a meal. Social media has changed the dining dynamic, and more guests are looking for restaurants that go one step further and offer immersive moments. Experiences tap directly into that desire for sharable occasions.
Give guests more with flexible Experiences
Experiences on OpenTable aren’t one-size-fits-all. They’re designed to be as flexible as your restaurant needs them to be. Having this kind of adaptability means you can craft offerings that align with the flavor of your restaurant.
Mix up your payment options
Want guests to commit with prepayment? Go for it. Prefer they pay at the restaurant? That works too. Prepaid bookings help reduce no-shows while letting you have more control over shifts. You’ll be guaranteed the income rather than losing out if there’s a last-minute no-show. Additionally, generating revenue upfront is perfect for covering fixed costs and keeping cash flow strong. If you’d rather keep things traditional, that’s fine as well. It’s all about what works for you.
Price it your way
Charge per person or per party—whatever makes sense for your Experience. Per-person pricing is great for individual bookings or when you want to offer different prices for kids. Per-party pricing? Perfect for group experiences or all-inclusive offerings.
Think outside the dining room
Ticketed Experiences let you break free from table service. Show off your mixologists skills by hosting a cocktail masterclass at the bar. Or perhaps the chef helps guests cook up a storm with a cooking class. Then again, you might just want to keep it simple with pre-packaged meals. These types of Experiences don’t need tables, so you can get creative with your space and staff.
With these options, you can craft Experiences that excite guests and fit into your operations. Whether it’s a weekly wine tasting or a one-off collaboration with a local chef, OpenTable’s flexible features help you bring your ideas to life and create a variety of ‘wow’ moments for diners.
Tips for creating a hit Experience
Ready to tap into what Experiences have to offer? Here are some tips for designing curated events that sell out and create long-lasting excitement.
Get niche and focused
Tacking on an Experience component to regular service is fine and can help drive demand. But it’s also worth identifying a unique cuisine, technique, theme or occasions that feels distinctive to your restaurant.
Craft an all-inclusive package
Great Experiences provide an immersive, start-to-finish journey with elements like multiple courses, drink pairings, entertainment and an on-theme atmosphere.
Align with your brand
Whether through plating, music, special decor or other environmental touches, create an ambiance that brings your unique restaurant concept and Experience theme to life.
Hype it up
Use all your marketing channels from social media to email lists to promote and build excitement around your Experience well in advance of its launch date.
Leverage OpenTable
From Boost Campaigns to taking advantage of a vast diner network, use OpenTable’s full suite of features to amplify your Experience’s visibility.
See real-life examples of OpenTable Experiences.
How Diners can find and book your Experiences
An Experience is only as good as the guests who book it. For diners, finding and reserving unique restaurant Experiences through OpenTable is simple and super user-friendly.
Discovering Experiences
Experiences are prominently featured across OpenTable’s website and app, making them hard to miss. The homepage, search results pages, and individual restaurant profiles all highlight bookable Experiences.
There’s even a dedicated “Experiences” section on the website and app that curates the hottest, trendiest offerings in each area. It means diners can easily browse and get inspired by exceptional experiences nearby.
Simple booking
Once an Experience catches their eye, diners can quickly view all the details and secure their reservation with just a few taps or clicks—no phone calls or emails required.
Prepaid
Many Experiences are prepaid, allowing restaurants to collect payment in full at the time of booking. This streamlined checkout process guarantees a smooth arrival for diners.
Flexible payment options
While prepayment is common for Experiences, restaurants can also opt to have diners pay standard restaurant-industry gratuities calculated on the total Experience price.
Either way, OpenTable’s seamless payment integration offers a low-friction booking process for these special events.
Diners can also view pricing, photos, menus and other information about each Experience to help them make the perfect selection.
When is the best time to offer an Experience?
Major holidays and special occasions are naturally popular times for restaurants to offer Experiences, but the truth is there’s never a wrong time to provide guests with extraordinary dining opportunities.
While occasions like Valentine’s Day, New Year’s Eve, and Mother’s Day are unsurprisingly popular times to offer Experiences, 70% of OpenTable Experiences aren’t tied to a holiday season, according to OpenTable reservation data from January to April 2024.
You can tie Experiences into cultural events and observances, like offering specialty menus and pairings for Independence Day, Cinco de Mayo, or Lunar New Year, to name a few. These are prime opportunities to highlight a certain type of cuisine while educating guests.
Maybe you want to create Experiences around major annual events like Restaurant Week, or a huge concert series if your place is located in a city hosting one. You could even make the most of the finale of a popular TV show.
Ultimately, any moment can become an Experience as long as it’s enticing enough to guests. The key is tapping into your diners’ mindsets and developing engaging events that speak to their interests, recent needs, and current desires.
It’s all in the Experience
Experiences provide an amazing avenue for driving revenue while showcasing your restaurant’s unique hospitality in wildly creative ways. By dreaming up these unique events or even keeping it simple, you can cement your reputation as an innovator and cultivate guest loyalty.
