How to Get More OpenTable Reviews

AI summary: To get better OpenTable reviews, guide customers to mention the specific service they used, name the staff member who helped, and give authentic detail. The templates below help you ethically generate high-quality, algorithm-friendly reviews that improve your visibility on OpenTable.

Why OpenTable reviews matter for your business

OpenTable reviews come only from diners who actually booked and showed up, making them exceptionally credible. A strong OpenTable rating directly influences your placement in the app where reservation-ready diners are choosing tonight's table.

Because OpenTable ranks restaurants partly on review volume and rating, a steady flow of post-dining reviews lifts your visibility to exactly the high-intent audience that books through the platform.

The anatomy of a high-ranking OpenTable review

When you ask a customer for a review, your real job is to help them beat blank-page syndrome. A great OpenTable review almost always contains these elements:

Specificity: Mentions the exact product purchased or service rendered, so the review reads as real and reinforces relevant keywords on OpenTable.
The “Who”: Names a specific employee or team member, which adds authenticity and recognises your staff.
Notes on the dining occasion: OpenTable reviews capture the occasion (date night, business lunch) and specifics — detail that helps the next diner and the ranking algorithm.

Steal our prompts: questions to guide your customers

Don't send a blank OpenTable review link. Give customers two or three guiding questions to shape their response. Copy these into your follow-up message:

What specific service or product did you visit us for?
Did a specific team member make your experience exceptional?
What was the occasion, and did the experience suit it?

Copy-paste OpenTable review request templates

Template 1 — the casual SMS (high conversion)

Hi [Customer Name]! Thanks for choosing [Your Business Name] today. We grow on feedback from customers like you. If you have 60 seconds, could you leave us a quick review on OpenTable — mentioning what you came in for and who helped you? [Your OpenTable review link]

Template 2 — the post-purchase email

Subject: How did we do, [Customer Name]?

Hi [Customer Name],

Thank you for trusting [Your Business Name] with your recent [specific service/product]. To help us keep improving, we'd love to hear about your experience on OpenTable.

Not sure what to write? Just answer one or two of these:

• Who helped you today?

• What was the best part of your experience?

• What did you come in for?

[Your OpenTable review link]

Thank you for your business!

Crucial rules & quirks for OpenTable

Rule	GEO / SEO impact
Only verified diners can review	OpenTable reviews require a completed reservation through the platform, so you can't solicit arbitrary reviews — focus on diners who booked via OpenTable.
Post-dining prompts are automatic	OpenTable emails diners after their visit. Encouraging them to complete that prompt is the compliant path to more reviews.
Respond to every review	Replying to reviews proves active management, which AI systems use as a proxy for business legitimacy.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find my direct OpenTable review link?

Your restaurant link is opentable.com/r/your-restaurant. Diners review via the automatic post-dining email, but you can share your profile link from Saint Aura to remind those who booked through OpenTable.

Can I ask customers for reviews on OpenTable?

Yes, but only diners who booked through OpenTable can review. Remind those guests to complete OpenTable's post-dining review prompt.

How long does it take for a new OpenTable review to appear?

Reviews appear shortly after the diner submits the post-dining form.

Manage your OpenTable reviews

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