Well, it's officially August, and as usual the seasonal heat is hanging over our heads like the proverbial Sword of Damocles. Fine diners must feel like that legendary Grecian courtier if they haven't yet made their reservations for fast-approaching Restaurant Week. Accordingly, many neophytes and last-minute types are learning how to jockey the website www.opentable.com) and will hopefully find success in securing the coveted tables.
I've been using Open Table for a couple of years, and have not had many problems. For the most part, the process is virtually seamless. Yet, as with all automated systems, glitches do arise. First and foremost is the question of dining points. Most reservations are worth 100, yet some at off-peak-times are worth a whopping 1,000 points, which makes earning dining checks fast and easy. However, to earn 1,000 points, you must make your reservations using the special 1,000 points dining link located on the right-hand side of the page. If you make your reservations using the normal search link at the top, your prize may very well only be 100 points. (I've had personal experience with this problem.) Also, I've seen talk on the blogs in years past that some restaurants that use the system do not always honor the dining checks.
So, today's burning question: Have you had any difficulties using Open Table to secure your tables or with establishments that use the system refusing to honor the checks?
