FAQ · Updated October 8, 2026
The Reserv FAQ
Straight answers about how The Reserv works today — hosting, joining, reservations, money, safety, and support. If something here is out of date, tell us at [email protected].
The basics
- What is The Reserv?
- The Reserv is a plan-first dating app, live in Austin, Texas. Instead of browsing profiles, you browse real dinner plans — a restaurant, a night, a time, and an open seat — then request to join one or host your own.
- Where is The Reserv available?
- Austin, Texas, on the App Store for iPhone. It is not on Android, and it is not live in other cities. The Reserv launched in Austin in September 2026.
- Who can use The Reserv?
- Adults 18 and over. You enter your date of birth at sign-up, and anyone under 18 cannot finish creating a profile. Age is self-reported; there is no ID check.
- What is the difference between hosting and joining?
- A host books a table and publishes the plan; guests browse plans and request the open seat. Hosts choose who joins. You can do both — host one night, join someone else’s another.
Hosting a plan
- How do I host a plan?
- Pick a restaurant from the Austin list and set your party size, book the table on OpenTable inside the app, and let The Reserv check the booking. Then choose who pays, add an optional description, and publish. Full steps are in the hosting guide at thereserv.io/resources/how-to-create-a-date-plan.
- Do I need a reservation before I can post a plan?
- Yes. A plan can only go live after The Reserv has checked your OpenTable booking against the restaurant, time, and party size. There is nothing to upload — the check happens automatically after you book inside the app.
- Can I host with a friend?
- Yes. You can host solo or invite a co-host for a Double Date. The co-host has to accept the invitation before the plan is published.
- Can I edit a plan after publishing?
- On a solo plan you can update the description. The restaurant, night, time, and party size come from the verified booking, so to change them you cancel the plan and create a new one.
- How many plans can I host at once?
- Up to three active hosted plans at a time.
Joining a plan
- How do I join a plan?
- Browse open plans as a list or on a map, open one to see the restaurant, time, payment preference, and host, and tap Request to Join. No opening line is required. A request is not a confirmed seat until the host accepts it.
- Do I need my own reservation to join?
- No. The host makes and holds the reservation. If the host accepts your request, your seat is part of their booking.
- How many requests can I have open?
- Up to three active requests at a time. If a plan is full, you can join its waitlist.
- When does chat open?
- Only after the host accepts your request. If a request is passed, cancelled, or one of you blocks the other, the chat becomes read-only.
- Will I get a notification when someone messages me?
- Not as a push notification today. The Reserv sends email and push for new requests, accepted requests, seat openings, and cancellations, but chat messages only alert you while the app is open, so check your chats before the date.
Reservations and changes
- Does The Reserv book the restaurant?
- No. The host books on OpenTable inside the app, and the reservation belongs to the host. The Reserv checks the booking and never books, pays for, changes, or cancels it.
- Which restaurants can I use?
- A curated list of 60+ Austin restaurants that take OpenTable reservations. Resy, Tock, and phone bookings are not supported. The current list is at thereserv.io/austin.
- Can a host cancel a plan?
- Yes, in the app. Cancelling the plan does not cancel the restaurant booking — the host must cancel or change it on OpenTable within the restaurant’s cancellation terms.
- Can a guest back out?
- Yes. You can withdraw a pending request, or cancel your seat after being accepted. If plans change, tell the host in chat as early as you can.
Money
- Is The Reserv free?
- Yes. Free to download and free to use, with no subscriptions or in-app purchases.
- Who pays for dinner?
- Whoever the plan says. Every plan shows the host’s payment preference — Splitting it, Host treats, or Guest treats — before anyone requests a seat. You pay the restaurant directly; The Reserv never processes the bill.
- Are there any fees?
- Not from The Reserv. Some restaurants set their own cancellation or no-show terms on OpenTable; those apply to the host’s booking, between the host and the restaurant.
Safety and support
- Does The Reserv verify people?
- No. The Reserv verifies the host’s restaurant booking, not identity. There are no ID, photo, or background checks, and a verified booking does not guarantee that anyone shows up.
- How do I block or report someone?
- Open their profile and choose Block or Report. Reporting asks for a reason and an optional note and blocks the person by default. The person you report is not told who reported them.
- How do I delete my account?
- In the app, go to Profile and choose Delete my account. You can also request deletion at thereserv.io/delete-account.
- How do I contact The Reserv?
- Email [email protected] for help, [email protected] for a safety concern about a user or plan, and [email protected] for privacy requests.