Buick, Yelp Debut In-Dash Reservations

Buick has announced that drivers of its cars can now make on-the-go reservations at a variety of restaurants using Yelp Reservations.

The feature is part of a recent update to Buick Marketplace and is the first time Yelp Reservations has been embedded in vehicles, giving drivers access to thousands of restaurants around the country. Customers can search for eateries within a 25-mile radius of a vehicle’s location and reserve a table for up to six people.

Users can tailor their search by cuisine, as well as view a restaurant’s rating and general price range. The app also lets drivers call a restaurant directly if needed.

“Whether drivers want to make a dinner reservation on the go or get recommendations for restaurants in a new city, the newly added Yelp Reservations brings simple convenience to the car,” Sam Russell, director of Buick marketing, said in a press release. “Making new features like this available for vehicles already on the road enhances our vehicles with unexpected new benefits for our customers.”

In beta testing, drivers using the service most frequently searched for restaurants specializing in American food/burgers, closely followed by Asian/vegetarian and Mexican cuisine.

“Getting a table at an amazing restaurant should be easy, and we’re excited to be making that possible by bringing Yelp Reservations directly into vehicles across the country,” said Natarajan Subbiah, vice president of products, marketplaces at Yelp. “By embedding the Yelp Reservations booking experience into Buick vehicles, drivers have a fun, easy way to discover and secure a table at the best restaurants in their area.”

Buick Marketplace is available on all 2017 and newer models, depending on vehicle trim level. The feature also allows drivers to place mobile food and drink orders, pay for fuel at gas stations and find dealer offers for vehicle service and the latest vehicle accessories.