Square and OpenTable Team on Restaurant Transaction Data

Square and restaurant tech provider OpenTable expanded their partnership to enable restaurant operators to manage reservations, payments and guest data on Square software and hardware, giving operators a more complete understanding of their guests, according to a Tuesday (Aug. 18) press release.

The enhanced integration builds on the existing point-of-sale partnership that Square and OpenTable began in 2022, and it unlocks the sharing of deeper insights between the two platforms, the release said.

It brings together OpenTable’s data on guests’ booking behaviors, dining preferences and special occasion data, and Square’s data on order details, spend, payment method and repeat visits, per the release.

With the more complete view provided by this integration, restaurant operators can make more informed decisions about loyalty, marketing and guest engagement, the release said.

The partnership serves restaurants across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland and France, per the release.

“By providing a cohesive view of guest and transaction data, Square and OpenTable are removing the manual work of piecing together who a guest is, so operators can get valuable time back and spend it on the hospitality and craft that keeps their guests happy,” James Schonzeit, head of food and beverage at Square, said in the release.

OpenTable Chief Growth Officer Robin Chiang said in the release that the enhanced partnership will deliver insights, connectivity and security.

“Restaurants can do their best work when they have tech running behind the scenes that interacts seamlessly to deliver insights that power hospitality—that’s what this expanded partnership enables,” Chiang said.

The PYMNTS Intelligence report “Value-Driven Innovation: How Restaurants Are Adapting to Digital Expectations” found that embracing digital features can help restaurants meet new customer expectations for value and strong loyalty offerings.

Data-driven loyalty programs are among the elements of the digital transformation that is redefining what modern diners expect from their favorite brands, the report said.

“However, technology alone isn’t enough, with consumers also craving personalization and a human touch,” the report said. “Restaurants must innovate around the needs of today’s value-driven customer without sacrificing experience.”

In another move, Square announced Aug. 6 that it launched a new conversational AI restaurant offering in tandem with Google. The offering brings food and beverage sellers into Ask Maps, part of Google Maps, letting customers find restaurants and place orders by asking questions.

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