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opentable wiki

the basics:
1. create an account at opentable.com. i believe you assign your default metro area when you make your account.
2. use the website to find restaurants in the neighborhood of your choice. you can pick a specific neighborhood if you know it. there is a hidden map feature, accessed through an upside-down raindrop.
3. pick the location, time, and number of people in your party. note that some places impose min/max party size.
4. you can also find 1000-point times for certain locations, which appear on the list of times with a "+."

using points:

• start here to access the list of restaurants that accept opentable gift cards.
• gift cards are sent via email.
• OT gift cards are either tied to a specific restaurant, or you can choose a generic card that can be redeemed later (if anyone has done this, please update the wiki as to whether you still have to choose the restaurant and redeem online)
• note: the number of restaurants that accept OT gift cards is significantly smaller than the number of restaurants that award OT points.

tips and tricks:

• if a location is not busy or the receptionist is forgetful, they might not remember to check you in, so it doesn't hurt to ask.
• you often can be early or late and still get points, but the flexibility depends on the specific restaurant.
• sometimes they can be flexible on the party size - this is particularly useful if it's just yourself (for places with a min of 2), or you have a large party.
• if a place doesn't credit, usually an email to OT will get it credited. you might need a receipt as proof.
• some places credit your points as soon as you check in with the restaurant, while some can wait until several hours later.
• some restaurants allow reservations but do not award points. some have point-earning times and non-point-earning times. and some really sneaky places give points made through OT, but not through the OT/reservations link on the restaurant's own website. worse, they may set a "session cookie" that ensures your reservation is flagged "no points," so your best bet is to close and reopen your browser to reset the session cookie before making the reservation (or canceling and rebooking).
• don't forget that OT has nothing to do with how you pay for a meal. so it "stacks" with chase first friday bonuses, rewards network, restaurant.com certificates, coupons, etc.