Best Reservation Software for Restaurants: OpenTable vs. Resy
Every "best reservation software" list ranks the same two tools the same way. The real question is which one matches your dining concept and the rest of your stack — not which is "best."
Reservation platforms vary by diner network — pick the one that fits your concept
Both integrate with Toast POS, Mailchimp, and Birdeye.
"Best restaurant reservation software" is one of the most search-heavy queries in hospitality, and most of what ranks for it is a sponsored list ordering the same two tools by whoever's affiliate program pays best. Both OpenTable and Resy are legitimate — the mistake is treating this as a single ranked list instead of a fit decision based on your dining concept and existing POS.
Magnifying the real differences between reservation platforms.
OpenTable — $449/mo
OpenTable is the larger diner-side marketplace, which means more new-guest discovery for restaurants that benefit from a broad network — especially in tourist-heavy or competitive metro markets. It integrates with Toast POS, Mailchimp, and Birdeye, and covers online booking, waitlist, and table management. The premium over Resy is $50/mo, and for restaurants that get meaningful inbound traffic from the OpenTable network, that premium pays for itself.
Resy — $399/mo
Resy covers the same core job — reservation, waitlist, and guest-CRM — with a diner network focused more on premium and reservation-only dining. It integrates with Toast POS, Mailchimp, and Birdeye. If your restaurant is a destination dining concept where the diner network size matters less than the guest-profile fit, Resy's $50/mo savings is genuine without giving up capability.
Feature comparison
| Feature | OpenTable | Resy |
|---|---|---|
| Online booking | ||
| Waitlist | ||
| Table management | ||
| Guest CRM | ||
| Diner network size | Largest | Premium-focused |
| Monthly cost | $449 | $399 |
How to actually pick
High foot traffic or tourist market: OpenTable's larger network drives more first-time bookings. Premium concept: Resy's network fit is better and saves $50/mo.
- High foot traffic / tourist market, broad diner base: OpenTable's larger network drives more first-time bookings.
- Premium or reservation-only concept, regular-heavy guest base: Resy's network fit is better and you save $50/mo.
- Either way, make sure it integrates with your POS — both integrate with Toast, but only OpenTable integrates with the full Toast-MarginEdge-Birdeye chain.
Our engine ranks these purely on your concept and integration fit against the vertical data above — it has no visibility into which vendor pays the biggest affiliate bounty. Run the free audit to see which one fits your restaurant, plus the rest of your stack.
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