I've been using Resy and OpenTable for the past year, but honestly I'm not sure if they're actually better than just calling restaurants directly. The apps charge fees sometimes, and I've had a few instances where my reservation got lost. Does anyone actually prefer using these apps over the phone?
Do you eat out on weekends or during busy times? If so, apps genuinely shine there - you get a confirmed slot without gambling on phone hold times, and there's a paper trail if something goes wrong. The fees are annoying, sure, but I've found that having that digital confirmation (especially screenshots) has saved me more than once when a restaurant's handwritten reservation book got messy. For casual weeknight dining at neighborhood spots, calling works fine, but for anything remotely popular or when you're coordinating with others, the apps take friction out of the experience.
Calling directly beats the apps for peace of mind, especially at smaller places that don't use reservation systems anyway. I've dealt with reservation mishaps too, and there's nothing like hearing a human confirm your time slot - you get immediate clarity instead of hoping the app synced correctly. The fees are annoying, and honestly most restaurants would rather take your call since they keep all the info in-house rather than relying on third-party platforms. Apps are convenient for browsing availability across multiple places quickly, but if you've found a restaurant you like, just pick up the phone and book it.
Most restaurants still take phone calls and don't care which method you use - they just want to know you're coming. The real advantage of the apps is convenience when you're planning ahead on your couch at midnight, plus you get a written confirmation you can screenshot. But if a restaurant's already burned you once, there's no shame in picking up the phone instead; hearing "got it down" directly from the host gives you something the app notification can't match. The fees are annoying too, so it honestly depends on whether you value the ease or would rather skip the middleman.
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