OpenTable is getting ready to expand into new markets later this year
OpenTable is a mobile payments program that was first announced in early February by a company of the same name. The company has been experimenting with the program for some time, evaluating its viability as a comprehensive mobile commerce service. Thus far, OpenTable has proven to be quite useful and has received support from consumers and businesses alike. The program is designed to appeal to the food service industry, where mobile commerce is beginning to see more adoption.
Restaurants are looking for mobile-centric services
Restaurants are beginning to take steps to cater to mobile consumers. These consumers are looking for ways to use their smartphones and tablets to place orders and make payments in a way that is convenient to them. Convenience is one of the major appeals of mobile commerce and those in the food service industry are looking to provide effective services that highlight this convenience.
OpenTable plans to be available in 20 large cities by the end of the year
OpenTable has announced that it is expanding its services to New York. A number of restaurants in the state will begin making use of the mobile payments program and the company believes that its program will be put to use in 20 large cities throughout the U.S. by the end of the year. OpenTable will facilitate mobile payments for those visiting restaurants that are using the program. In some cases, consumers will be able to make payments directly from their smartphones. Some restaurants will provide a tablet device at the table, allowing customers to pay for their meals from through that device.
OpenTable to take advantage of its large consumer base in order to compete with other programs
OpenTable will be competing in a very crowded market. Mobile commerce services are becoming more common and many of these services are beginning to cater to the needs of the food service industry. In order to effectively compete, OpenTable is leveraging its already sizeable consumer base. The OpenTable application comes pre-installed on many smartphones, making it one of the most widely available, but not necessarily widely used, apps in the mobile commerce market.
Pilot project seeks to make dining out more convenient for consumers
OpenTable, an online restaurant reservation service, has launched a new pilot program focused on mobile payments. The pilot program is meant to test the viability of using mobile payments as a way to allow consumers to pay for their meals quickly while dining out. This would allow them to, essentially, “skip” the check, so to speak. OpenTable believes that leveraging mobile commerce could help make restaurants more convenient and attractive to consumers that have become very reliant on their smartphones and tablets.
Restaurants show strong interest in mobile payments
The pilot program is currently restricted to San Francisco, California, but OpenTable plans to expand the program in the coming weeks. In 2013, OpenTable successfully acquired Just Chalo, which had been working on a mobile commerce platform of its own before the acquisition. This move generated some hype concerning OpenTable’s potential interest in the mobile commerce space and how it might involve itself therein. The company intends to make mobile payments more accessible to consumers that enjoy dining out at their favorite restaurants.
Restaurants are beginning to grow more accommodating of mobile consumers
Mobile technology has been finding a great deal of acceptance in the restaurant business recently. Many restaurants are now making it a point to engage mobile consumers directly by using interactive technologies. QR codes are becoming a common feature on menus and some restaurants are leveraging the power of augmented reality in order to engage consumers more dynamically. As restaurants become more mobile-centric, mobile commerce is beginning to attract a great deal of attention.
OpenTable may be able to beat out the competition with its network of connections
OpenTable is not the only company that is working to introduce mobile commerce to the restaurant business. Cover and Dash are two startups that already have a significant head start in this endeavor as far as providing access to mobile commerce platforms is concerned. OpenTable does, however, have strong relationships with prominent restaurants that could provide it with an edge over whatever competition it may face in the field.
