A “ rogue ” OpenTable employee reserve more than300 false reservationsin Chicago eating place , the online reservation servicerecently said , leaving 45 Chicago food spots with rafts of empty seats for dinner . The bizarre tactics was patently a smear campaign mean to make a rival reservations app , Reserve , look big . The employee has been arouse and Open Table aver it be after to reimburse the eating place for the damages .
Asfirst reported by Eater , the unknown Open Table employee used a serial of false emails to book reservations using Reserve . Restaurants would block up off these tables , but no one would show up . As The New York Times reports , kitchen prepped unnecessary amounts of food for these phantom diners , and base on balls - ins were turn off as restaurant look masses who would never make out . This carry on for rough two calendar month , beginning in later December until mid - February .
Noting the eccentric spike heel in no - shows , fellowship investigators noticed the overpowering majority of these no shows were from Reserve . Reserve ’s executive arrive at out to unfold Table who realized that , basically , the call was coming from inside the house .
“ We agreed that this person acted by themselves and give notice them quickly thereafter , ” Christa Quarles , Open Table ’s chief operating officer , told the Times . “ It was a really trend - and - dried situation in our mind . ”
Ina statementreleased Monday , Open Table apologized and prognosticate to recoup the effected eating place :
This behavior goes against everything we support for . Our culture and values at OpenTable are founded on the precept of integrity , and that absolutely encompasses how we embrace competition in the market place . The only reason we exist is to avail restaurants grow . When they succeed , we succeed . Taking any action that put restaurants in harm is a direct onrush on us as well .
As in any restaurant that make a misapprehension , the first prescript of hospitality is to make it right with the customer . And we intend to do the same . As a result , we have already begin outreach to the restaurants affected and will recoup them for lost revenue
[ … ]
This activeness dead does not excogitate our mission of helping restaurant grow and expand , and we will continue to work hard to earn the trust and respect of the OpenTable community every day .
[ EaterviaNew York Times ]
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