The short version
Pick OpenTable if
- You need new diners to find you
- You want a published price and a quick start
- Most guests book once and do not come back often
Pick SevenRooms if
- Regulars and repeat visits drive your sales
- Network cover fees have become a big monthly bill
- You want guest data and email or text marketing in one place
OpenTable is the stronger discovery engine with a clear price list. SevenRooms is the stronger guest CRM and quotes each restaurant. A busy room full of regulars can save money moving to SevenRooms; new or tourist-heavy spots usually still need OpenTable's diners.
Side by side
| What | OpenTable | SevenRooms |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | Basic $149, Core $299, Pro $499 | Not published. Custom quote |
| Network cover fee | $1.50 per seated cover on Basic (first 30 days free), $1 on Core and Pro | SevenRooms says its DoorDash and Deliveroo reservation marketplace has no cover fees |
| Bookings from your own website | $0.25 per cover or $49/mo flat on Basic; included on Core and Pro | Branded reservations included |
| Phone and walk-in covers | No cover fee | No cover fee stated |
| Guest CRM and profiles | Guest profiles; deeper tools on higher plans | Core of the product: guest profiles, tags, visit history |
| Marketing | Varies by plan | Basic automations included; email and text marketing are add-ons |
| Contract | One year, renews each year unless you give 30 days' notice | Ask in the demo |
| Integrations | Ask about your POS in the demo | SevenRooms states 100+ integrations |
The cover-fee math
OpenTable's cover fee is the line that grows with you. A room seating 1,500 network covers a month on Core pays $299 + 1,500 × $1 = $1,799 a month, or about $21,600 a year. On Basic the same covers cost $149 + 1,500 × $1.50 = $2,399 a month. Phone, walk-in and (on Core and Pro) your own-website bookings add nothing.
Before you switch, pull three months of OpenTable reports and split covers by source: network, your website, phone. The network share is what you risk losing and also what you stop paying for. If most of your covers already come from regulars and your website, a CRM-first system like SevenRooms can cost less and know your guests better.
What you give up if you leave OpenTable
- Discovery. Diners who browse the OpenTable app will not see you. Plan where new guests will come from.
- Points. OpenTable diners earn rewards for booking. Some will keep booking elsewhere for that.
- Timing. The contract renews yearly. Mark the date and give notice at least 30 days before it.
Questions to ask in both demos
- What is my total monthly cost at my real cover count, split by source?
- Can I export every guest profile and visit history if I leave?
- How does it connect to my POS: do spend and items show on the guest profile?
- What is the term, and how do I cancel?
- Which marketing tools cost extra?
Common questions
How much does OpenTable cost?
OpenTable lists Basic at $149 a month, Core at $299 and Pro at $499. Network covers cost $1.50 each on Basic after 30 days and $1 on Core and Pro. Phone and walk-in covers are free.
How much does SevenRooms cost?
SevenRooms does not publish prices. It quotes each restaurant. Its Starter plan includes guest profiles, branded reservations, waitlist and table management.
Does SevenRooms charge cover fees?
SevenRooms says bookings through its DoorDash and Deliveroo reservation marketplace carry no cover fees. Confirm your full fee list in the quote.
Is the OpenTable contract monthly?
No. OpenTable's standard contract is one year and renews automatically unless you give notice at least 30 days before the renewal date.
Sources
Disclosure: some vendors pay us a referral fee if you become a customer after an introduction from us. It costs you nothing and does not change what we recommend. How we make money.
