Will a restaurant require vaccination proof at the door? OpenTable adds that info to its app

Restaurant vaccine requirements will be a part of information provided by online reservation app OpenTable, the company announced.

Part of Booking Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: BKNG), the service said the rollout of the function will provide users with an establishments’ COVID-19 vaccine requirements, and direct messaging to streamline communication between restaurants and diners.

To use the direct messaging feature, the company said customers will text the restaurant for the latest guidelines once a reservation is made. The option is already in place for 1,500 restaurant.

OpenTable now also allows restaurants to display COVID-19 vaccine requirements to diners. The company plans soon to launch a national list, updated in real-time, of restaurants that are currently requiring proof of vaccination.

“Dining demand in the U.S. is down 13% compared to just one month earlier with cities like Minneapolis, Seattle and New York showing significant declines. Just as restaurants were starting to rebound from a devastating 2020, the Delta variant and ever-changing mandates come as another hurdle," said Debby Soo, CEO of OpenTable.

OpenTable said its software seats more than 1 billion people per year and helps more than 60,000 restaurants, bars, wineries and other venues attract guests, manage capacity, improve operations and maximize revenue.