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reserve.com - unreliable to the point of useless? [and Tock]

reserve.com - unreliable to the point of useless? [and Tock]
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  • reserve.com - unreliable to the point of useless? [and Tock]

    Post #1 - October 18th, 2017, 12:16 pm
    Post #1 - October 18th, 2017, 12:16 pm Post #1 - October 18th, 2017, 12:16 pm
    In the past 6 months I've had a slew of reservations that I made through reserve.com get canceled for no apparent reason. Typically, the day before the reservation, I'll receive an email out of the blue informing me that my reservation has been canceled. This has happened for more than 50% of the reservations I've made through this service. In speaking with the restaurants in question, they assure me that no one at their end is canceling the reservations and that even failure on my part to reply to confirmation texts (which I'm not receiving, anyway) would not result in cancellation.

    So far, my inquiries to reserve.com have gone unanswered. But with a service like this, if it's not reliable, there's really no reason at all to use it. I'm no fan of opentable.com but at least with them, a reservation is actually a reservation. In the end, if I have to call the restaurant to uncancel my reservation, it pretty much makes reserve.com completely useless.

    Has anyone else experienced this issue or other issues with reserve.com?

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #2 - October 18th, 2017, 2:48 pm
    Post #2 - October 18th, 2017, 2:48 pm Post #2 - October 18th, 2017, 2:48 pm
    I use them often and that has never happened to me. Sorry to hear about your issues.
  • Post #3 - October 18th, 2017, 3:03 pm
    Post #3 - October 18th, 2017, 3:03 pm Post #3 - October 18th, 2017, 3:03 pm
    shotzy wrote:I use them often and that has never happened to me. Sorry to hear about your issues.


    Ditto
  • Post #4 - October 18th, 2017, 3:09 pm
    Post #4 - October 18th, 2017, 3:09 pm Post #4 - October 18th, 2017, 3:09 pm
    shotzy wrote:I use them often and that has never happened to me. Sorry to hear about your issues.

    Thanks. They got in touch and I think the issue is on its way to being resolved. There are a couple of issues in play:

    1) It is not possible globally edit one's user settings from a desktop computer, as there's no real login feature at their website. User information can only be edited when a reservation is made.

    2) As far as I can tell -- and they have not advised otherwise -- there is no Reserve app for android, only for apple, so there may be a way to globally edit one's user settings through the app but it is not available to me.

    Still, none of this explains why my reservations are being canceled, as I've already been informed that unanswered confirmations coming to me (or not coming to me) would not result in cancellations.

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #5 - October 19th, 2017, 8:39 am
    Post #5 - October 19th, 2017, 8:39 am Post #5 - October 19th, 2017, 8:39 am
    Ronnie this scares me a bit as we are going to reserve from opentable November 1 at Pearls. I will be having meetings with them soon and will make sure to show them your frustrations. Thanks!
    Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans?...........Louis Armstrong
  • Post #6 - October 19th, 2017, 9:33 am
    Post #6 - October 19th, 2017, 9:33 am Post #6 - October 19th, 2017, 9:33 am
    My problem was partially self-inflicted. At one point, on one of my computers, I typo'd when entering my phone number while making a reservation. Because there is no actual login feature from desktop computers, this problem recurred, via auto-fill, each time I made reservations from this one machine. That's why it was happening often but not each time. Going forward, until their interface changes, and until they relaunch their android app, I'll remember to check the phone number field carefully before reserving.

    Flash forward to the support, which could not have been better. These folks are prompt, thorough, effective and remarkably friendly. Danny, I think you and your customers will be in most excellent hands with reserve.com

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #7 - October 19th, 2017, 12:42 pm
    Post #7 - October 19th, 2017, 12:42 pm Post #7 - October 19th, 2017, 12:42 pm
    ronnie_suburban wrote:1) It is not possible globally edit one's user settings from a desktop computer, as there's no real login feature at their website. User information can only be edited when a reservation is made.

    To me the alternatives to Opentable (reserve.com is one of several, including resy.com tocktix.com and yelpreservations.com) are very diner UNfriendly, because most don't provide the ability to log on, view your reservations, and make it easy to modify or cancel them. I hope they incorporate those features at some point, because without them I hate using them.
  • Post #8 - November 3rd, 2018, 6:59 am
    Post #8 - November 3rd, 2018, 6:59 am Post #8 - November 3rd, 2018, 6:59 am
    Resy Acquires Reserve, in the Fierce Tussle Over Restaurant Reservations

    https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/02/dini ... tions.html
    Never order barbecue in a place that also serves quiche - Lewis Grizzard
  • Post #9 - November 5th, 2018, 12:28 pm
    Post #9 - November 5th, 2018, 12:28 pm Post #9 - November 5th, 2018, 12:28 pm
    It's clear its now OpenTable versus Resy. The rest are just a few stringers on...
  • Post #10 - April 24th, 2019, 12:18 pm
    Post #10 - April 24th, 2019, 12:18 pm Post #10 - April 24th, 2019, 12:18 pm
    I received an email yesterday that Blackbird is moving to Resy from Open Table. It seems like the real battle right now is between Resy and Tock.

    I'm waiting for someone to build an App that sits on top of Open Table, Resy and Tock so I don't need to search three places!
  • Post #11 - April 24th, 2019, 12:50 pm
    Post #11 - April 24th, 2019, 12:50 pm Post #11 - April 24th, 2019, 12:50 pm
    Anecdotally speaking, I didn't realize that Tock was even making a dent. They seem to be focused on a very narrow segment of the market -- high end/fine dining -- that I rarely frequent these days.

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #12 - April 24th, 2019, 2:54 pm
    Post #12 - April 24th, 2019, 2:54 pm Post #12 - April 24th, 2019, 2:54 pm
    There are a lot of places that use Tock, not just in Chicago. It looks like it's mostly for pop up or event dinners. You can see the full list on https://www.exploretock.com
    Leek

    SAVING ONE DOG may not change the world,
    but it CHANGES THE WORLD for that one dog.
    American Brittany Rescue always needs foster homes. Please think about helping that one dog. http://www.americanbrittanyrescue.org
  • Post #13 - April 24th, 2019, 2:56 pm
    Post #13 - April 24th, 2019, 2:56 pm Post #13 - April 24th, 2019, 2:56 pm
    data point: i don't understand why resy can't store the reserve.com reservations if the reserve site refers to resy so often; i don't understand why reserve.com can't store its own. i made a reservation on reserve and got a confirmation screen but then no confirmation email. i called the restaurant. they had it listed but not confirmed and blamed reserve. not usually here to complain but this does seem useless.
  • Post #14 - April 30th, 2019, 2:48 pm
    Post #14 - April 30th, 2019, 2:48 pm Post #14 - April 30th, 2019, 2:48 pm
    There really are two players now that resy has bought reserve. They are opentable and resy. Tock exists but isn’t a player of any stature. Loyal chicagoans will disagree but I’m just stating a fact.
  • Post #15 - April 30th, 2019, 3:13 pm
    Post #15 - April 30th, 2019, 3:13 pm Post #15 - April 30th, 2019, 3:13 pm
    DutchMuse wrote:There really are two players now that resy has bought reserve. They are opentable and resy. Tock exists but isn’t a player of any stature. Loyal chicagoans will disagree but I’m just stating a fact.

    u could be right but without any data to support your assertion, it feels more like an opinion than a fact.
  • Post #16 - April 30th, 2019, 3:26 pm
    Post #16 - April 30th, 2019, 3:26 pm Post #16 - April 30th, 2019, 3:26 pm
    Clarence Beeks wrote:u could be right but without any data to support your assertion, it feels more like an opinion than a fact.
    he a dr and from nyc, don't need no stinkn data. (you bumpkin dolt)
  • Post #17 - April 30th, 2019, 6:30 pm
    Post #17 - April 30th, 2019, 6:30 pm Post #17 - April 30th, 2019, 6:30 pm
    DutchMuse wrote:There really are two players now that resy has bought reserve. They are opentable and resy. Tock exists but isn’t a player of any stature. Loyal chicagoans will disagree but I’m just stating a fact.

    No, you're stating an opinion, and one that is demonstrably false. Tock was already a major player in the fine dining segment of the market from coast to coast. With its latest round of financing, including new investment partner Lettuce Entertain You (LEY), and the recent move of many of LEY's restaurants to its platform, Tock has become even more of a major player in the Chicago market. Tock is also benefiting from cross-promotions with those same LEY restaurants ("with your first reservation on Tock, we'll give you a $10 gift card for your next visit" as in this example).
  • Post #18 - May 1st, 2019, 3:07 pm
    Post #18 - May 1st, 2019, 3:07 pm Post #18 - May 1st, 2019, 3:07 pm
    Phil Connors wrote:he a dr and from nyc, don't need no stinkn data. (you bumpkin dolt)

    i've been called worse
  • Post #19 - May 4th, 2019, 11:00 am
    Post #19 - May 4th, 2019, 11:00 am Post #19 - May 4th, 2019, 11:00 am
    I’ve never really understood the rise of Reserve in Chicago. Restaurants jumped onto the platform at a wild pace for I’m sure valid reasons but accepting a huge flaw that Reserve had no Android app. It made reserving these restaurants a pain in the butt for customers that are not on iOS. They kept promising an Android app for years and the fact that they didn’t or couldn’t deliver was suspect to me as an IT professional so when they were acquired by resy it all made sense.

    It almost seemed to me that those restaurants were being swindled and I’m not saying that opentable is better for restaurants because I have no idea about the behind the scenes business, but it certainly was better for me as a consumer in making these restaurants more convenient and accessible to a much wider audience.
  • Post #20 - May 4th, 2019, 12:10 pm
    Post #20 - May 4th, 2019, 12:10 pm Post #20 - May 4th, 2019, 12:10 pm
    Phil Connors wrote:he a dr and from nyc, don't need no stinkn data. (you bumpkin dolt)


    You blithering idiot, it should be “doltish bumpkin”.
  • Post #21 - May 4th, 2019, 12:13 pm
    Post #21 - May 4th, 2019, 12:13 pm Post #21 - May 4th, 2019, 12:13 pm
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVtZkyBTabQ
  • Post #22 - May 5th, 2019, 3:21 am
    Post #22 - May 5th, 2019, 3:21 am Post #22 - May 5th, 2019, 3:21 am
    nsxtasy wrote:
    DutchMuse wrote:There really are two players now that resy has bought reserve. They are opentable and resy. Tock exists but isn’t a player of any stature. Loyal chicagoans will disagree but I’m just stating a fact.

    No, you're stating an opinion, and one that is demonstrably false. Tock was already a major player in the fine dining segment of the market from coast to coast. With its latest round of financing, including new investment partner Lettuce Entertain You (LEY), and the recent move of many of LEY's restaurants to its platform, Tock has become even more of a major player in the Chicago market. Tock is also benefiting from cross-promotions with those same LEY restaurants ("with your first reservation on Tock, we'll give you a $10 gift card for your next visit" as in this example).

    Of course it’s an opinion just as yours is. Mine happens to be correct though.
  • Post #23 - May 5th, 2019, 3:32 am
    Post #23 - May 5th, 2019, 3:32 am Post #23 - May 5th, 2019, 3:32 am
    Phil Connors wrote:
    Clarence Beeks wrote:u could be right but without any data to support your assertion, it feels more like an opinion than a fact.
    he a dr and from nyc, don't need no stinkn data. (you bumpkin dolt)

    Displaying your ignorance masked by a personally insulting but revealing childish attempt at humor doesn’t help your cause.

    Some above have cited LEYE (referred to as “LEY”) investment in Tock.

    OpenTable by published data is the clear market leader which is undisputed.

    Tock’s Investment (not particularly major I might ad) by LEYE pales in comparison to AirBnB’s major investment in Resy. It’s kind of telling that when Intro existed they started out exclusively on Tock. Didn’t work so well so they switched to add OpenTable. Sushi San started on Tock. Now they’re on OpenTable. Want to go to RPM Italian or Steak? Gotta go to OpenTable. In fact the vast majority of LEYE restaurants are on OpenTable.

    Kinda undercuts your argument. But despite my real love for all things Lettuce and affection for the family themselves they aren’t the market player that AirBnB is. Why didn’t AirBnB invest in Tock? Why didn’t Priceline buy Tock? I admire the locals for rooting for their local player but let’s get real and not live in fantasyland.

    https://os.resy.com/airbnb-partnership/

    All that said, let a thousand flowers bloom. May they all be successful and may all the investors in Tock make a gazillion dollars—I hope they do as several are personal and dear friends of mine.

    We can disagree here but I do ask you cut out the personal insults. That’s what greeted me here when I joined and wrote how much I liked Blue 13 and it didn’t really make this board look that great.
  • Post #24 - May 5th, 2019, 11:50 am
    Post #24 - May 5th, 2019, 11:50 am Post #24 - May 5th, 2019, 11:50 am
    DutchMuse wrote:Tock’s Investment (not particularly major I might ad) by LEYE pales in comparison to AirBnB’s major investment in Resy.

    Also not true. The investment amounts are similar ($9.5 million investment in Tock by LEYE and others, $13 million in Resy by Airbnb and others).

    DutchMuse wrote:But despite my real love for all things Lettuce and affection for the family themselves they aren’t the market player that AirBnB is.

    Only in the lodging industry. In the restaurant biz, Lettuce is the biggest player in Chicagoland.

    LEYE has been steadily moving many of its restaurants from Opentable to Tock in the five months since its recent investment. LEYE restaurants that are now on Tock include Hub 51, Di Pescara, Mon Ami Gabi (both locations), Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba, Naoki, Osteria Via Stato, Three Dots and a Dash, Ramen-San, Sushi-San, Nacional 27, RJ Grunts, Joe's Seafood, and Summer House Santa Monica.

    Tock has also become THE reservations platform for many of the top fine dining destinations - not just in Chicago (Alinea, Smyth, Elizabeth, Spiaggia, Next) but also nationwide (French Laundry, Singlethread, Saison, Atelier Crenn, bluestem, Lake Park Bistro, the Inn at Little Washington, Rose's, Minibar, Kinship, Per Se, Gabriel Kreuther, Eleven Madison Park, Blue Hill at Stone Barns).
  • Post #25 - May 6th, 2019, 5:55 am
    Post #25 - May 6th, 2019, 5:55 am Post #25 - May 6th, 2019, 5:55 am
    nsxtasy wrote:LEYE has been steadily moving many of its restaurants from Opentable to Tock in the five months since its recent investment. LEYE restaurants that are now on Tock include...Mon Ami Gabi (both locations)...

    I don't want to get in the middle of a contentious argument, but this assertion surprised me, so I just went on Open Table to make a pretend reservation at Mon Ami Gabi, and I was able to.
    Pithy quote here.
  • Post #26 - May 6th, 2019, 7:55 am
    Post #26 - May 6th, 2019, 7:55 am Post #26 - May 6th, 2019, 7:55 am
    Some Lettuce restaurants continue to use Opentable even when also taking reservations on Tock. Others are only on Tock. And, as noted above by DutchMuse, still others are only on Opentable.
  • Post #27 - April 1st, 2021, 5:46 am
    Post #27 - April 1st, 2021, 5:46 am Post #27 - April 1st, 2021, 5:46 am
    Nick Kokonas’s restaurant reservation platform has sold for $400 million.

    https://chicago.eater.com/2021/3/31/223 ... estaurants
    Never order barbecue in a place that also serves quiche - Lewis Grizzard
  • Post #28 - April 2nd, 2021, 10:07 am
    Post #28 - April 2nd, 2021, 10:07 am Post #28 - April 2nd, 2021, 10:07 am
    I'll use whatever platform I need to when I make reservations. My go to is open table. I love that I can put notes in there such as no bar seating, no high top table, prefer booth, etc. If I have to use another platform, so be it. I've had good luck with open table but I have used the others too when I have to.
    Toria

    "I like this place and willingly could waste my time in it" - As You Like It,
    W. Shakespeare
  • Post #29 - April 2nd, 2021, 10:50 am
    Post #29 - April 2nd, 2021, 10:50 am Post #29 - April 2nd, 2021, 10:50 am
    toria wrote: I love that I can put notes in there such as no bar seating, no high top table, prefer booth, etc.


    I too, enjoy this feature.

    At the former Ruth's Chris in Downtown Chicago, a simple note of "Anniversary Dinner" had me and my bride sitting off to a quiet(er) corner, small touches table decorations (Anniversary "sprinkles", nothing too outlandish), a greeting of welcome Mr & Mrs (but they usually did that at Ruth's to the reservationist's name, but still a nice touch to include the Mrs.) and a comped sharable dessert slice of flour less chocolate cake, thankfully not one of those monstrous steak house slices, with a best wishes in icing on the plate.

    Similar treatment including dessert (sans table "sprinkles") at Opera House Steak and Seafood in Plainfield.

    I don't always need to leave a note but its nice there's a spot to do so when needed.
    Bill-Plainfield
  • Post #30 - April 3rd, 2021, 10:32 am
    Post #30 - April 3rd, 2021, 10:32 am Post #30 - April 3rd, 2021, 10:32 am
    Yes I recently got a double free dessert at Capital Grille and a card at the table. It was a nice touch. And thankfully no singing which I believe many places don't do anymore due to COVID. I really hate that. I don't think Capital Grille ever did but they made a big ruckus at Gibsons in Oak Brook if it was your birthday. So unnecessary.
    Toria

    "I like this place and willingly could waste my time in it" - As You Like It,
    W. Shakespeare

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