Square, a point-of-sale software and hardware provider, has expanded its software partnership with OpenTable, a global restaurant reservation platform. The integration merges booking information with payment data, allowing operators to view customer preferences alongside actual spending records on devices like the Square Handheld.
Historically, hospitality businesses managed table reservations and financial transactions in separate systems. By linking the two platforms, the software calculates the monetary value of specific reservations and tracks repeat visits. The unified profiles combine dining preferences with order details and payment methods, giving operators data to direct their marketing and loyalty programs.
“Reservations, payments, and guest data shouldn’t be different systems that restaurant operators have to stitch together themselves,” said James Schonzeit, Head of Food and Beverage at Square. “No one has time for that, and we’re not in the business of gatekeeping their most valuable insights. 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.”
Restaurant operators deploy the integrated system to track customer behavior from the initial booking through the final payment. Anajak Thai, a restaurant utilizing both systems, implemented the combined platform to correlate diner requests with actual purchases.
“Square and OpenTable working closely together means our restaurant isn't guessing who's walking through the door,” said Justin Pichetrungsi, James Beard Award–winning chef and owner of Anajak Thai. “We might know their favorite dish, what they're celebrating, their preferences, and how regularly they visit. Our ability to cater to this only improves the hospitality our restaurant is known for. Both platforms have become essential to how we run our business, and now we're able to keep raising the bar on what our guests experience every time they book, sit down with us, order, and pay."
The companies initiated their point-of-sale partnership in 2022. This expanded data sharing addresses the operational challenge of disconnected software interfaces within commercial dining rooms.
“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,” said Robin Chiang, Chief Growth Officer at OpenTable. “Square is a natural partner to support OpenTable’s mission of serving restaurants and we look forward to working together to deliver best-in-class guest insights, connectivity and security.”
Following this deployment, the vendors plan to update the combined software offering. Future modifications will focus on faster onboarding processes, altered reservation workflows and broader integration across ordering channels.
