OpenTable Pricing UK: What Restaurants Actually Pay
If you’re a UK restaurant using OpenTable, the system probably works.
The reason most restaurants leave isn’t performance — it’s cost, especially when the restaurant is busy.
This page breaks down what OpenTable really costs UK restaurants, why those costs hurt most at the wrong time of year, and why many independents now switch to booking systems without per-cover fees.
If you want to sanity-check whether switching makes sense for your restaurant, you can book a 15-minute cost sanity check at the end of this page.
How OpenTable pricing works in the UK
OpenTable pricing in the UK is usually made up of:
● A monthly subscription fee
● Per-cover charges for certain bookings
● Optional add-ons depending on features and integrations
On paper, this can look reasonable — especially in quieter months.
The problem isn’t how OpenTable works when you’re quiet.
It’s how it works when you’re busy.
What are per-cover fees (and why they matter)?
Per-cover fees mean you pay every time a customer books through the system.
That creates a simple but painful dynamic:
● Quiet months → costs feel manageable
● Busy months → costs rise automatically
● Your best trading periods become your most expensive
You’re effectively paying a booking tax on success.
Real-world cost examples (UK restaurants)
Here’s how this typically plays out in practice, Enter yours or look at the typical examples:
OpenTable Cost Calculator (UK)
Estimate your monthly OpenTable cost (subscription + per-cover fees) and compare it to a flat-fee alternative.
This calculator uses publicly available information and typical UK restaurant operating patterns.
Assumptions used:
– OpenTable Pro subscription assumed at £299 per month
– Per-cover fee assumed at £1 per diner (editable; commonly referenced range £0.50–£2)
– Covers estimated as diners seated, averaged over 4.33 weeks per month
– Peak month toggle applies a simple uplift multiplier
All information is correct to the best of our knowledge at the point of publication.
Restaurants should verify current pricing directly with providers before making decisions.
What OpenTable actually costs a busy UK restaurant
Most restaurants don’t feel the real cost of OpenTable until they’re busy.
Here’s what OpenTable Pro looks like in practice when per-cover fees are added.
Example 1: Small independent restaurant
Assumptions
● 40 covers per night
● 5 nights per week
● £1 per cover
Monthly calculation
● Covers per month: ~800
● Per-cover fees: £800
● Subscription: £299
Total OpenTable cost: ~£1,099 per month
That’s before:
● No-shows
● December uplift
● Bank holidays
Example 2: Busy independent restaurant
Assumptions
● 70 covers per night
● 5.5 nights per week
● £1 per cover
Monthly calculation
● Covers per month: ~1,540
● Per-cover fees: £1,540
● Subscription: £299
Total OpenTable cost: ~£1,839 per month
This is where many restaurants start reviewing alternatives.
Example 3: December reality check
December is usually:
● The busiest month
● The most expensive month
● When no-shows hurt most
Assumptions
● 90 covers per night
● 6 nights per week
● £1 per cover
Monthly calculation
● Covers per month: ~2,160
● Per-cover fees: £2,160
● Subscription: £299
Total December cost: ~£2,459 for one month
This is often when restaurants decide per-cover pricing no longer makes sense.
Pricing assumptions & disclaimer
The examples above are based on publicly available information and typical UK restaurant operating patterns.
Assumptions used:
OpenTable Pro subscription assumed at £299 per month based on feature comparison with Dojo Bookings
● Per-cover fees assumed at £1 per cover (mid-point of commonly referenced data £0.50–£2 range per cover)
● Actual pricing may vary by contract, region, and agreement
All information is correct to the best of our knowledge at the point of publication.
Restaurants should verify current pricing directly with providers before making decisions.
“But OpenTable brings us bookings”
This is a fair point — and an important one.
OpenTable works well for many restaurants.
The issue isn’t bookings.
The issue is what you pay for each one.
Many UK restaurants now ask a different question:
“Why am I paying per booking when customers already find us on Google?”
That question has driven a major shift.
The Google Maps effect (what’s changed)
Today, a large percentage of restaurant bookings come from:
● Google Search
● Google Maps
● Direct brand searches
Modern booking systems can connect directly to Google, allowing customers to book in just a few clicks — without per-cover charges.
For many restaurants, this removes the biggest justification for per-cover pricing.
Why December is the breaking point
We see the same pattern repeatedly:
● Restaurant runs OpenTable all year
● Costs feel “fine” month to month
● December arrives
● Bill lands
● Owner realises success is being penalised
It’s not uncommon for December alone to cover the entire cost of switching to a different system.
That’s usually when owners start looking at alternatives.
What restaurants switch to instead
UK restaurants leaving OpenTable usually look for three things:
1. No per-cover fees
2. Protection against no-shows (deposits, table controls)
3. Minimal disruption when switching
Many also choose to review card payments at the same time, so everything changes once — not twice.
Why payments often get reviewed at the same time
Booking systems and card payments are usually reviewed separately.
But restaurants switching systems often discover:
● Card pricing hasn’t been reviewed in years
● Terminal fees are unclear
● Settlement times could be better
That’s why many now treat a booking system switch as a wider cost reset, not just a software change.
One switch.
One setup.
One disruption — done properly.
Is OpenTable ever the right choice?
Yes — and it’s important to be honest about that.
OpenTable can still make sense if:
● You rely heavily on its diner network
● Per-cover fees are a small percentage of revenue
● The visibility genuinely drives incremental bookings
But for many independent UK restaurants, especially those with strong local demand, per-cover pricing no longer stacks up.
The question most owners really want answered
It’s not:
“Is OpenTable good?”
It’s:
“Is this costing me more than it needs to?”
That answer is different for every restaurant.
Book a 15-minute cost sanity check
If you want to understand:
● What per-cover fees are really costing you
● Whether a no-per-cover system would suit your restaurant
● Whether it makes sense to review bookings and payments together
You can book a 15-minute cost sanity check.
● No demo
● No obligation
● Just a clear yes or no
👉 Book a 15-minute cost sanity check
FAQ’s
Yes. Many UK restaurants pay per-cover fees in addition to a monthly subscription, meaning costs increase as booking volume rises.
Costs vary, but busy months like December often result in significantly higher bills due to increased covers and per-booking charges.
Most restaurants leave because of rising per-cover costs rather than performance issues with the system itself.