OpenTable should share its list of no-shows

I've been using OpenTable for years now, and I love it. It's great to be able to make an online reservation without having to wait on the phone, say your name twice, hear that there are no reservations actually available.

Unfortunately, lately there's been a trend of restaurants calling to confirm when I make an online reservation. I get it. They don't want to be stood up. They've probably been burned multiple times before by people who make online reservations and then turn into no-shows.

The only problem here is that OpenTable is an online service with a database. They should be able to tell a restaurant how reliable a customer is (I've never missed a reservation before). If the customer has missed one or two reservations, sure, call that customer to confirm the reservation. If the customer has missed more than two, don't let her make online reservations any more.

With an online database, this shouldn't be too complicated.

2 comments

  1. I’m sorry, that’ far to sensible. :-)

    Actually, a wonderful idea…as long as there’s someway to cancel. I don’t blame them.

    Of course, most of my dining out involves being asked if I wish fries with my order…

  2. I agree with both sentiments.
    I would have preferred to comment on your home page as a “Hi, I’m glad I discovered you.” but could not find a way. Of course I spend a lot of time in Trader Joe’s looking right at what I want, then have to go get a kind employee to come and point to right where I obviously was looking but not observing as Doyle often reminds me.
    So excuse me if I missed the “Casual to the Obvious Observer” opportunity [A favorite teacher’s misquote].

    Anyway, Hi, Psycho Cat’s pic brought me to your blog. I write some of my best fiction from inside their heads. Your header resonates.
    Finally I have hardware that is Ubuntu friendly, and so off to more reading and installation adventures.
    I hadn’t realized how much my brain was leaking, before arriving here.
    Thanks so much for the break and the fun psychocat. He-She reminds me so much of my own.
    Yours, Luigi
    LuigiWriter

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