OpenTable

I used Opentable to make a reservation at a local restaurant. So far so good. When we arrived, we were informed that they were completely filled and that they could only seat us in the bar. Why was this not noted when I made the reservation? While waiting to see the table, the hostess left us standing at the podium until we finally gave up and left.

When I returned home, I received an email from Opentable that I had been naughty and not showed up for the reservation. When I wrote back that we had in fact shown up and the why we left, they wrote back that they would make sure that the restaurant had accurate records.

REALLY? That's what is important to you? The restaurant's records? Both the restaurant AND Opentable need to review their customer service protocols.

I've dined almost 100 times using Open Table over a 15y period. At some high end places like Morton's etc. Easily spent in excess of $10K for those dining experiences.

However have barely accumulated over 10,000 Open Table points. By my math- each open table point equals one penny. Should be revamped to reward dollars spent. $1,800 tab at a high end steakhouse should be worth more than 100 Open Table points. Or $1.

I have been an Open Table customer for five years. Every year I approach my $100 reward and every year my points expire. They collect their money and never pay out.

Simply useless. Time after time they cannot give me a table for the time or the number of people that I request. I call the restaurant and no problem, reservations made. Using them is a total waste of time

This the third time for tying to make a reservation with open table. I always go out several days for a reservation. All three times Open Tables says that I must delay my reservation 2.5 hours later. All three times I have called the restaurant directly, reservation at the time I selected I have made. There is no need to use this service. I would imagine they charge the restaurant a fee for making the reservation and then the meal charge is raised to the customer. A wasteful time experience and probably added expense.

DO NOT PURCHASE gift certificates from Open Table they are a shambolic mess. I bought a $100 dollar gift certificate for Mr Chow's in Beverly Hills for friends. After 5 days they had still not received either an email or the postal certificate. I emailed and called them and in spite of their promise of a 24 hour response I am still waiting 5 days later. They do not respond to email or it seems their help line. Fell completely duped and now not able to get resolution, shambolic and dishonest.

Got a confirmation but the restaurant didn't get it. They showed be all of their on-line reservation requests and I wasn't on it. Happened once before but the restaurant wasn't busy so it wasn't a big deal. Last night it was a big deal because the restaurant was packed. What was supposed to be an intimate dinner with my wife turned out to be side-by-side at the bar in front of a baseball game on TV. I'll never use OpenTable again.