Third-party vs direct booking: the true cost for restaurants

Third-party booking platforms can cost restaurants thousands of dollars per year in per-cover fees, and that is only the visible cost. When you factor in lost guest data, weakened brand relationships, and dependence on a platform you don’t control, the true cost of third-party booking is far higher than most operators realize.

The restaurant industry has normalized paying intermediaries for every seated guest. OpenTable, Resy, TheFork, and similar platforms charge per-cover fees, monthly subscriptions, or both. For a busy restaurant, these costs can rival a full-time employee’s salary. Meanwhile, commission-free direct booking systems offer the same core functionality at a fraction of the price.

This article breaks down exactly what third-party platforms charge, what you’re really paying for, and how to calculate whether switching to direct booking makes financial sense for your operation.

Key takeaways

• Main insight: Per-cover fees from third-party platforms cost mid-volume restaurants $6,000-18,000+ per year
• Hidden costs: You also lose guest data ownership, brand control, and direct relationships
• Direct alternative: Commission-free systems offer the same booking features at flat monthly rates of $0-150
• Bottom line: Most restaurants save significantly by driving bookings through their own channels

What third-party platforms actually charge

Third-party booking platforms use several pricing models, but they all share one thing in common: the more successful your restaurant becomes, the more you pay.

OpenTable

OpenTable uses a tiered per-cover model:

• Basic plan: $0.25 per network cover (bookings from your own website widget)
• Core plan: $1 per network cover, plus $0.25 per widget cover
• Pro plan: $1.50 per network cover, plus additional marketing features

On top of per-cover fees, OpenTable charges monthly subscription fees ranging from $149 to $499 depending on your plan tier.

Resy

Resy moved away from per-cover pricing to flat monthly subscriptions:

• Plans typically start at $249/month for basic features
• Higher tiers for premium features and larger operations
• No per-cover fees, but the monthly cost is substantial

TheFork (Europe)

TheFork uses a commission-based model:

• Charges per seated diner from their marketplace
• Additional fees for premium placement and promotions
• Costs vary by market and promotional participation

The per-cover math

Here is the formula that reveals the real annual impact:

For a restaurant averaging 500 covers per month on OpenTable’s Core plan:

• Cover fees: 500 x $1.00 x 12 = $6,000/year
• Subscription: $249 x 12 = $2,988/year
• Total: $8,988/year

That number climbs fast as your volume increases.

Cost comparison at different volumes

The following table compares what restaurants pay annually under different scenarios. The “Third-party” column assumes OpenTable Core pricing ($1.00/cover + $249/month). The “Direct booking” column assumes a flat-rate commission-free system at $79/month.

At 1,000 covers per month, you are paying nearly $15,000 per year to a third-party platform. A flat-rate system costs under $1,000. The difference is $14,040, enough to fund equipment upgrades, staff bonuses, or marketing that drives more direct traffic.

The hidden costs you’re not counting

Per-cover fees are just the visible expense. Third-party platforms impose several less obvious costs that compound over time.

You don’t own the guest relationship

When a diner books through OpenTable or TheFork, the platform owns that customer interaction. They send the confirmation emails. They send the follow-up review requests. They build a profile of your guest’s dining habits, and they use that data to recommend your competitors.

With direct booking, every touchpoint is yours. You send the confirmations. You collect the email addresses. You build the guest database. That data is a business asset that grows in value over time.

Your brand gets diluted

Third-party platforms insert themselves between you and your guests. The booking experience carries the platform’s branding, not yours. Confirmation emails come from OpenTable, not from your restaurant. This weakens your brand recognition and makes guests loyal to the platform rather than to you.

Platform dependency is a business risk

Restaurants that rely heavily on third-party platforms for bookings are vulnerable to pricing changes, policy shifts, and algorithm adjustments. If OpenTable raises its per-cover fee by $0.50, you have limited negotiating power. If their marketplace algorithm deprioritizes your listing, your bookings drop without warning.

Direct booking eliminates this dependency. You control your booking channel, your pricing exposure, and your guest relationships.

Cross-promotion to competitors

Third-party platforms actively show diners alternative restaurants. A guest looking at your page on OpenTable sees “similar restaurants” and “diners also booked” suggestions. You are paying the platform to expose your potential customers to your competitors.

What direct booking systems cost

Commission-free booking systems charge flat monthly fees or offer freemium models. Here is what you can expect:

The key difference: direct booking costs stay flat regardless of your volume. Whether you serve 100 covers or 1,000 covers, your software cost does not change. That is the opposite of per-cover pricing, where success is penalized with higher fees.

For a detailed breakdown of free options, see our guide to free restaurant booking software.

Real-world savings calculations

Let’s walk through specific scenarios to illustrate the financial impact of switching.

Scenario 1: Small neighborhood restaurant

• 150 covers/month, currently on OpenTable Basic
• OpenTable cost: (150 x $0.25 x 12) + ($149 x 12) = $2,238/year
• Direct system at $49/month: $588/year
• Annual savings: $1,650

Scenario 2: Mid-volume bistro

• 400 covers/month, currently on OpenTable Core
• OpenTable cost: (400 x $1.00 x 12) + ($249 x 12) = $7,788/year
• Direct system at $79/month: $948/year
• Annual savings: $6,840

Scenario 3: Busy urban restaurant

• 800 covers/month, currently on OpenTable Pro
• OpenTable cost: (800 x $1.50 x 12) + ($499 x 12) = $20,388/year
• Direct system at $99/month: $1,188/year
• Annual savings: $19,200

In Scenario 3, the savings alone could fund a part-time marketing position dedicated to driving direct traffic.

The discovery argument, and why it’s overstated

The strongest argument for third-party platforms is discovery: they bring you new diners who wouldn’t have found you otherwise. This is a real benefit, but it is often overstated.

Most bookings come from guests who already know you

Industry data consistently shows that 60-80% of restaurant bookings come from repeat guests or people who found the restaurant through Google, social media, word of mouth, or walking by. Only a fraction come from browsing a platform’s marketplace.

If most of your bookings originate from guests who already intend to eat at your restaurant, you are paying per-cover fees for bookings that would have happened anyway through a direct channel.

Google is the real discovery engine

When someone searches “Italian restaurant near me,” they find you on Google, not on OpenTable. Ensuring your Google Business Profile is optimized and your website has a clear booking button captures this traffic directly. Reserve with Google integration lets guests book straight from search results without visiting a third-party platform.

A hybrid approach can work

Some restaurants keep a basic third-party listing for incremental discovery while routing the majority of bookings through their own system. If you take this approach, track the source of each booking carefully. You may find that the platform delivers fewer new guests than you assumed.

For a detailed comparison of platforms, see OpenTable vs Resos and our full list of OpenTable alternatives.

How to transition to direct booking

Switching from third-party to direct booking does not have to happen overnight. A phased approach minimizes risk.

Step 1: Set up your direct booking system

Choose a commission-free system that covers your needs. Key features to look for:

• Online booking widget for your website
• Automated SMS and email reminders
• Guest database with notes and history
• Google Reserve integration
• Table management (if you need it)

Resos offers all of these features with no per-cover fees, making it a straightforward replacement for most third-party platforms. For a full evaluation framework, see how to choose a booking system.

Step 2: Promote your direct booking channel

Update every touchpoint to drive guests to book directly:

• Add a prominent “Book Now” button on your website
• Enable Reserve with Google on your Business Profile
• Include direct booking links in email signatures and social media bios
• Add QR codes to menus, table cards, and receipts
• Train staff to mention direct booking when taking phone reservations

Step 3: Track and compare

Run both systems in parallel for 4-8 weeks. Track:

• Booking volume by source
• New vs. returning guest ratios per channel
• Total cost per channel
• No-show rates by channel

This data tells you exactly how much incremental value the third-party platform delivers versus what you can capture directly.

Step 4: Reduce or eliminate platform dependency

Based on your tracking data, decide whether to downgrade, maintain a minimal listing, or fully cancel your third-party subscription. Most restaurants find that after promoting direct booking for a few months, the third-party platform contributes fewer new guests than expected.

Common objections addressed

“OpenTable is where diners look for restaurants.”

Google is where diners look for restaurants. OpenTable is where some diners complete a booking after finding a restaurant elsewhere. The search behavior starts on Google, and you can capture that traffic directly.

“I’ll lose visibility if I leave.”

You’ll lose visibility on the platform’s marketplace, but most restaurant searches happen on Google, Instagram, and through word of mouth. Invest the money you save into channels you control.

“It’s too complicated to switch.”

Modern booking systems import guest data from existing platforms. The transition typically takes 1-2 weeks of running both systems in parallel. Your guests barely notice the change.

“The per-cover fee is small.”

Small per cover, large in aggregate. A $1 fee on 500 monthly covers is $6,000 per year. That is not small. And unlike a flat subscription, it grows every time your restaurant gets busier.

How to measure the impact

After transitioning to direct booking, track these metrics monthly:

If new guest acquisition dips after leaving a platform, invest some of your savings into Google Ads or local SEO. You’ll still come out ahead financially while maintaining control over your booking channel.

The bottom line

Third-party booking platforms served a purpose when online restaurant reservations were new and diners needed a centralized place to find and book restaurants. That era is over. Today, guests search Google, check Instagram, and visit your website directly. They don’t need an intermediary, and you shouldn’t pay for one.

The math is clear. A mid-volume restaurant saves $5,000-15,000 per year by switching to direct booking. Beyond the dollar savings, you regain ownership of your guest relationships, your brand experience, and your business data. Those are assets that compound in value over time.

Start by calculating what you currently pay in per-cover fees and subscriptions. Compare that to a flat-rate alternative. Run both systems in parallel for a month. Let the data guide your decision.

Related guides: How to choose a booking system | OpenTable vs Resos | OpenTable alternatives | Free restaurant booking software