OpenTable And Uber Team Up To Stimulate Diner Traffic During San Francisco’s Restaurant Week

Restaurant-management platform provider OpenTable Inc. is offering 1,000 vouchers for Uber rides to diners eating at restaurants participating in San Francisco’s Restaurant Week. The promotion is intended to encourage visitors and locals to dine out during the event, which actually runs for two weeks from Nov. 3 through Nov. 16. The event was extended by a week to coincide with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit.

San Francisco restaurants have been experiencing a decline in diners this fall, with the number down 10% in October and 13% in September, compared to the same period a year ago, according to OpenTable’s State of the Industry report. On a national level, the number of consumers dining out also declined during October and September, compared to a year ago, dropping 4% and 6%, respectively.

Consumers can download their Uber voucher through the Account tab on the Uber app and click on the app’s Wallet tab. Next, consumers scroll down to “Add Voucher Code” and enter the case-sensitive code “opentable.” Codes must be applied prior to requesting the Uber ride and can be redeemed between 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. Pacific Time through Nov. 16.

“San Francisco, despite being hit hard these past few years, continues to offer a diverse and dynamic dining scene,” OpenTable chief executive Debby Soo says in a statement. “We’re committed to supporting the local restaurant community, including finding new ways to introduce locals and travelers to the city’s incredible restaurants.”

As part of its restaurant-management platform, OpenTable features a wallet in which consumers can access their credit cards to hold a table when making a reservation. The strategy is used by restaurants to reduce no-shows for reserved tables. Typically, consumers reserving a table with a credit card are charged a fee if they are a no-show.

OpenTable’s platform also connects to a restaurant’s point-of-sale system to enable revenue tracking and table status through the app, as well as access to analytics about orders placed through the app.