How OpenTable uses AI to keep hospitality human

Artificial intelligence is reshaping nearly every corner of the restaurant industry—from how guests discover and book tables to how kitchens run behind the scenes.

At the center of this transformation is OpenTable, the reservation platform that’s been a fixture in dining rooms for more than two decades. 

We spoke with Sagar Mehta, OpenTable’s Chief Technology Officer, to talk about how AI is influencing the dining experience today, where it’s headed next and what it means for restaurants of every size.

How is OpenTable leveraging AI to personalize recommendations or experiences for diners while still maintaining a restaurant’s unique voice and hospitality?

We’re using AI to meet diners where they are, leveraging the tools and platforms they already use while keeping a restaurant’s unique hospitality front and center. 

Our newest innovation, Concierge, lives on every restaurant profile and can answer up to 80% of diner questions instantly, freeing staff to focus on the in-person experience while also removing friction for diners in search of quick answers. The tool is in its first iteration and we’re building toward predictive assistance, so diners receive recommendations tailored to their individual preferences, just like great hospitality has always done. 

From review response tools that cut reply times by two-thirds to voice AI integrations that help restaurants answer every call, our goal is to blend the speed and convenience of AI with the warmth and individuality that define the industry.

What AI-driven tools do you see having the biggest near-term impact on both front- and back-of-house operations?

In the near term, the biggest operational wins will come from AI tools that remove repetitive, time-consuming tasks so managers and staff can focus on running the floor. For example, voice AI solutions like Slang AI and PolyAI are already transforming restaurant phone operations by doing things like answering calls, taking reservations and fielding common diner questions around the clock. That not only prevents missed bookings—which can easily happen during peak hours—but also frees up hosts and managers to handle more complex guest needs.

Beyond the front-of-house benefits, back-of-house AI can be applied to single-purpose tools that manage inventory or optimize staff scheduling. The theme is the same across these use cases: less time buried in admin, more time delivering hospitality.

Where do you think AI can enhance the human side of hospitality, and where should technology intentionally step back?

AI can enhance hospitality by working behind the scenes to create more space for genuine human connection. Voice AI agents and digital assistants can help do this off-premise, powering hospitality by helping with hot-button needs before guests even step through the door. 

The flip side of this is that by helping guests self-serve routine questions or needs, staff can focus on in-person interactions without sacrificing efficiency. These are the things that AI can’t touch, along with the moments that define hospitality: the personal greeting at the door, the conversation with a sommelier, the intuition a server has about a guest’s mood. The future isn’t about replacing those moments, it’s about using AI to make sure staff have more time and energy to create them.

If AI could design the “perfect” restaurant, what quirky or unexpected features do you think it might include—and would you actually want to eat there?

I use AI a lot in my work and personal life. I recently used ChatGPT to help plan a family trip, so it already knows that I have two young kids and that my wife is gluten-free. If I were to ask it to design my “perfect” restaurant, it would hit the nail on the head: somewhere family-friendly with plenty of 5 p.m. availability, views for the adults to enjoy, knowledge of our favorite dishes, coloring pages for the kids and a glass of our favorite wine already poured when we get to the table and great service and hospitality—that warmth that makes dining out so special.

Interview by Julien Perry

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The Prep is written by Julien Perry and edited by Lesley McKenzie.