Square Announces Integration with OpenTable in Canada

Company also releases new mobile POS solution to help restaurants increase efficiency and revenue

Today, technology company Square announced it is expanding its integration with OpenTable, a global leader in restaurant technology, into Canada. This is the first Table Management (TMS) integration for Square, designed to help businesses in the food and beverage industry – especially full-service restaurants – better accommodate walk-ins, speed up operations, keep track of revenue, improve turn-times and seat more guests, all while providing greater visibility to diner and reservation insights. These features allow servers to better personalize service based on diners’ unique preferences to create exceptional experiences.

Square launched its initial integration with OpenTable in the US, UK and Australia last year and is now expanding into Canada.

Jad Sfeir, co-owner of J’s Steak Frites in Toronto, ON, has been using the Square ecosystem, including Square for Restaurants Plus and Square Online, since opening his restaurant in May 2022. The restaurant has been on OpenTable since June 2022.

“In the beginning, we only took walk-ins and were extremely busy during our first month, but eventually some people stopped coming because they figured they wouldn’t be able to get in. We realized we needed to start taking reservations if we wanted to keep the house full,” said Sfeir. “With this integration, we can now streamline many areas of our business – anything that makes my job easier and allows me to focus on the food is something I’m eager to try.”

The POS integration is available to Square for Restaurants Plus subscribers and requires an OpenTable Core or Pro account. It is just one of many ways Canadian restaurants are adopting technology to better manage operations. In fact, Square’s recently released Future of Commerce report revealed that 39 per cent of restaurant owners and managers in Canada said automation could help fill critical gaps for booking reservations, when businesses were not fully staffed.

“Square is committed to helping our sellers succeed, and one way we can do that is by continuing to grow our ecosystem of dedicated products and services for restaurants of all types and sizes,” said Lisa Fong, Head of Product, Restaurants at Square. “We know from listening to our Canadian sellers that integrating reservation platforms with their Square tools was a top request and we’re delivering on this feature to help restaurants thrive in 2023.”

In addition to the OpenTable integration, the company also launched the Square for Restaurants mobile POS in Canada in October 2022, giving servers the power of an all-in-one point of sale device in their apron pocket. Square for Restaurants mobile POS can run with the Square Terminal or on the newly introduced Restaurant Mobile POS Kit, which features a custom case for Samsung A13 5G that also holds the Square Reader for contactless and chip payments.

Square for Restaurants mobile POS helps servers cover more tables without having to run back and forth to the countertop point of sale device, even when they are short-staffed. Labour shortage has been an ongoing challenge in the food and beverage industry, with Square’s 2023 Future of Commerce report showing 40 per cent of restaurants in Canada have been short-staffed for more than two years, and 70 per cent overall remain short-handed today.

Square for Restaurants mobile POS helps restaurants run table service more efficiently with fewer trips and fewer errors, ultimately increasing profitability. Scaffidi’s Restaurant & Tavern, a family-owned, full-service restaurant in Steubenville, Ohio, saw a 22 per cent increase in alcohol sales since implementing Square for Restaurants mobile POS due to faster ordering and preparation.

For more details about the Square and OpenTable integration in Canada, click here. For more information about how Square helps restaurants of all types and sizes, visit Square.ca.