It turns out OpenTable is doing a lot more than locking down your Friday night dinner reso.
Driving the news: OpenTable has quietly launched a pilot to allow restaurant groups to access detailed notes about customers compiled across its network of restaurants, including what they like to drink, whether they're a big spender, or if they like to leave reviews online.
According to The Verge, the AI tool shares these notes across OpenTable’s system, meaning a place you’ve never been to could already have a profile of you based on visits to other restaurants.
Why it matters: Similar to how advertisers use social media data to target ads to us, restaurants can increasingly use tools like OpenTable’s to personalize dining experiences and, ultimately, maximize how much cash we’re willing to drop.
Yes, but: This tool still has some deficiencies. For instance, you could get labelled as a ‘big spender’ if you slap down the company card at a business dinner, or tagged as a vegetarian if a couple of people in your party order meatless dishes.
Our take: It’s an example of how businesses are starting to roll out AI for real-world use cases, though whether it actually moves the needle on profits remains to be seen. If my go-to drink and appetizer arrived at the table without me asking — especially at a restaurant I’ve never been to — I’d find it more creepy than endearing.