Restaurant Reservation Coach

Reservation apps

• OpenTable (free) — biggest. Earn "points" toward gift cards as you dine. Best chain restaurants and casual spots.
• Resy (free) — owned by American Express. Trendy and fine-dining spots. Often has reservations OpenTable doesn't.
• Yelp Reservations (free) — built into the Yelp app. Less common, but works at some local spots.
• Tock (free) — used by some upscale restaurants for prepaid prix fixe meals.
• Restaurant's own app or website — sometimes the only way for popular places.

First-time setup (any app)

1. Install the app from the App Store / Play Store.
2. Make an account — name, email, phone.
3. Add a credit card (some places hold a card for no-shows).
4. Search for a restaurant by name or browse "Near Me".
5. Pick a date and time. Choose how many people.
6. Confirm. You'll get a text/email confirmation.
7. Show the confirmation at the host stand — or just say your name.

Finding a great restaurant nearby

Free apps to compare:

• Google Maps — search "restaurants" → filter by cuisine, price ($, $, $$). Reviews from millions of people, plus Google's "Reservation" button if available.
• Yelp — opinionated reviews. Strong for breakfast spots, ethnic food, hidden gems.
• TripAdvisor — better for restaurants while traveling. Tourist-skewed reviews, but the photos are useful.

Trick: Sort by "Rating" but read the 3-star reviews — they\'re honest and balanced. 5-star reviews are often family. 1-star reviews are often disgruntled.

Pro moves

• Special occasion? Mention it in the "Notes" field when booking — anniversary, birthday. Many places do something nice (free dessert, card from the chef).
• Dietary restrictions? Same — list "gluten free" or "vegetarian" so the kitchen plans.
• Big group (8+)? Call the restaurant directly — apps often only book up to 6.
• Cancellation: Almost every reservation has a cancel button right in the email. Use it — saves the restaurant a lost table and saves you a no-show fee.
• Holiday and Valentine's: Book 2-4 weeks ahead.