OpenTable’s AI Now Tracks Your Dining Habits Across Restaurants
OpenTable is testing AI-powered customer profiling that tracks dining habits like drink preferences, spending patterns, and cancellation behavior. These insights follow diners across restaurants using the platform’s Pro tools, raising privacy questions about how much data restaurants collect.
Key Takeaways
- OpenTable’s AI creates customer profiles based on dining behavior
- Data includes drink preferences, spending levels, and timing patterns
- Information can follow you across different restaurants
- Users can opt out of POS data sharing in account settings
How the AI Tracking System Works
The system was first revealed by Kat Menter, a Michelin-starred restaurant host who discovered “AI-assisted” tags in OpenTable’s Pro tools. She shared her findings in a TikTok video that quickly gained attention.
OpenTable integrates with point-of-sale systems like Toast and Epos to gather data about your dining habits. When your contact information matches your OpenTable profile, the platform connects your restaurant visit to your account—even if you didn’t book through OpenTable.
The collected data includes:
- Arrival time and dining duration
- General order details and bill totals
- Drink preferences and spending patterns
What Data Gets Collected and Shared
OpenTable claims the AI processes anonymized data sets rather than personal guest information. The system categorizes items like “glass of cabernet” as “red wine” without accessing individual profiles.
“Guest insights are the engine of personalization, allowing restaurants to optimize their service and deliver the kind of thoughtful hospitality that both benefits the business and offers a special experience for the diner,” an OpenTable representative stated.
However, the accuracy of these AI-generated tags has been questioned. A single business dinner might incorrectly label someone as a “high spender,” while dining with friends who order cocktails could mark you as a “cocktail lover.”
How to Protect Your Privacy
If you’re concerned about data tracking, you can disable OpenTable’s POS data sharing:
- Log into your OpenTable account
- Click your profile in the upper right corner
- Select Account Settings → Communications
- Toggle off “Allow OpenTable to use Point of Sale information”
- Save your changes
This prevents your order history from contributing to future AI insights while still allowing basic reservation functionality.
The Bigger Picture
While restaurants have always tracked customer preferences manually, AI automation raises new privacy considerations. Your dining habits could potentially influence how you’re treated at restaurants you’ve never visited before.
Being aware of these tracking capabilities helps you make informed decisions about your privacy settings and understand the digital footprint you leave with every restaurant visit.
