HMSHost Partners with OpenTable to Power Online Reservations at U.S. Airport Restaurants Nationwide

Global restaurateur HMSHost has announced they are partnering with OpenTable, a comprehensive restaurant platform (and part of Booking Holdings Inc., NASDAQ: BKNG) to power virtual waitlists at over a dozen HMSHost airport restaurant locations in 7 airports nationwide. Up next, the partnership will enable reservations in advance, as well as making airport dining part of the travel booking process. This comes ahead of the busy summer travel season; according to KAYAK (OpenTable sister company and part of Booking Holdings Inc.) search data, demand for summer travel is up around 34% on average compared to 2021.1

“This is an exciting step HMSHost is taking to revolutionize the airport restaurant experience,” said HMSHost Vice President of Digital Neil Thompson. “Together with OpenTable, we are proud to be leading the way in incorporating more user-friendly technology in busy airports across the country. HMSHost’s investments in the all-embracing guest experience accelerate our business and continue to distinguish us as the leader in the travel dining industry.”

Restaurants integrating with OpenTable will use a best-in-class cloud-based table management, waitlist and reservation system that empowers HMSHost restaurants to add guests to waitlists and send table-ready text messages, optimize seating configurations, track server rotations, and also deliver clear data and analytics reporting. For waitlists, guests can join online via QR Codes or in person with the host. Diners will be notified via SMS text message when their table is ready, making the process seamless.

“OpenTable operates in over 110 countries and is part of Booking Holdings, the world’s leading provider of online travel and related services - we know travelers,” said Robin Chiang, VP of Global Sales & Services for OpenTable. “Our partnership with industry leader HMSHost allows us to create an even more seamless experience for travelers, and it comes during a period of growth and transformation for both industries.”