TableFlow vs OpenTable,
honestly compared.
OpenTable is a booking platform: you pay commission per cover, your guest data is theirs, and there's no events pipeline or marketing. TableFlow is software for a flat fee: your data, with marketing and AI built in.
What do you get for your money?
Here's an honest side-by-side. We're not saying OpenTable is bad, but it's a different business model, and too expensive for many restaurants.
| Feature | OpenTable | TableFlow |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | ~€250/month + €1.20 per dinner cover | €29 to €229/month flat, no cover fees |
| Fee per guest | €0.60 lunch · €1.20 dinner | €0, no commission |
| Bookings, requests and guests | ✓ included | ✓ in every plan, deposits includedBase |
| Deposits against no-shows | via OpenTable payments, extra fees | ✓ Mollie, iDEAL and Bancontact built inBase |
| Quotes for groups and parties | ✗ not available | ✓ 9 request types, quote and signatureUltimate |
| Marketing to your own guests | ✗ paid add-on | ✓ guest lists, email templates, automatic follow-upMarketing Pro |
| Selling gift cards | ✗ not available | ✓ sale, redemption and settlement in oneUltimate |
| Loyalty points and guest card | ✗ not available | ✓ card in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet, points at every participating venueUltimate |
| Reserve with Google | ✓ available | ✓ live availability in Search and MapsBase |
| Menu choice upfront | ✗ not available | ✓ guests pick dishes and flag allergies themselvesBase |
| Where your data lives | United States | Amsterdam (TransIP) |
| Who owns your guests | ◐ shared with other OpenTable restaurants | ✓ yours alone |
| Walk-ins | ◐ available, but clunky | ✓ three taps, built for the phoneBase |
| Allergies at the table | ◐ basic fields | ✓ 12+ allergies visible before the passBase |
| Time to go live | 2 to 4 weeks implementation | 24 hours, with a call included |
| Time to an answer | 2 to 3 days by ticket | < 1 hour during office hours |
What does OpenTable really cost you?
An average restaurant with 800 covers/month pays OpenTable approximately €1,200/month in commission (800 × €1.20 dinner mix). Plus the €250 base fee.
That's €1,450/month for reservations alone. No marketing, no AI, no events pipeline: those are all separate tools and costs.
With TableFlow you pay €29/month for exactly the same booking features. Ultimate, €229/month, adds group quotes, marketing and gift cards. One tool, flat fee.
Difference per year: €16,452 less in costs.
