Restaurant Reservations: The Direct Booking War

The travel hospitality industry saw a reckoning beginning in 2015 in the form of book direct campaigns. In fact, they were so successful that, for well-known brands like Hilton, direct bookings now account for approximately one third of all of bookings made at their properties. Airlines and hotels discovered that with direct booking they were able to better service their guests by offering special accommodations and more beneficial loyalty programs. However, the biggest benefit was undoubtedly the ability to collect and analyze guest data directly – allowing them to tailor their offerings even further and turn every guest into a return customer.

While third-party reservation services have taken center stage in the restaurant industry for more than 20 years, it’s now time for restaurants to follow in the travel industry’s footsteps and start thinking strategically about how they can build direct relationships with their guests, utilizing third-party platforms as just one of many…