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Product · Published October 8, 2026

Does The Reserv book the restaurant? How reservations work

No — the host does, on OpenTable, without leaving the app. The Reserv's job is to check that the booking is real before the plan goes live. The reservation stays the host's the whole time.

For hosts: book, then the app checks

  1. Pick a supported restaurant. Plans use a curated list of 60+ Austin restaurants that take OpenTable reservations. See the current list on the Austin page.
  2. Book on OpenTable inside The Reserv. The app opens the restaurant's OpenTable page. You choose the night and time there and complete the booking, in your name.
  3. The Reserv checks it automatically. Once the booking goes through, The Reserv checks it against the restaurant, the time, and the party size. There is no screenshot to upload and no calendar to connect.
  4. Then the plan can go live. A plan cannot be published without a booking that passed the check.

For guests: nothing to book

Guests never make their own reservation. The host's booking covers the whole party, and an accepted guest's seat is part of it. Your responsibilities are simple: request only plans you can make, show up on time, and tell the host early in chat if something changes. How joining works.

What “verified” does and doesn't mean

  • It means a matching OpenTable booking existed for that restaurant, time, and party size when the plan was published.
  • It doesn't mean anyone's identity has been checked. The Reserv does not run ID, photo, or background checks.
  • It doesn't guarantee that the host or a guest attends, or that the restaurant keeps the table if the booking is later cancelled on OpenTable.

Safety detail is in safety and trust.

When plans change

  • The Reserv never changes or cancels the reservation. Only the host can, on OpenTable.
  • Hosts can cancel the plan in the app — and should cancel the OpenTable booking too, within the restaurant's cancellation terms. Where we know a restaurant's policy, the app shows the deadline on the host's plan and sends a reminder before it.
  • The night and restaurant can't be edited on a solo plan, because they come from the verified booking. Cancel and create a new plan instead.
  • Guests can withdraw a request or cancel their seat after acceptance.

Frequently asked questions

Does The Reserv book the restaurant for you?
No. The host books the table on OpenTable, inside The Reserv, and the reservation is in the host’s name. The Reserv then checks that the booking matches the plan’s restaurant, time, and party size before the plan can go live. The Reserv never books, pays for, changes, or cancels the reservation.
Can I use any Austin restaurant for a plan?
No. Plans use a curated list of 60+ Austin restaurants that take OpenTable reservations, because that is the booking The Reserv can verify. Restaurants that book through Resy, Tock, or by phone are not supported.
Do guests need their own reservation?
No. The host makes and holds the reservation for the whole party. If the host accepts your request, your seat is part of their existing booking.
Does a verified reservation mean the date will happen?
It means the booking existed when the plan was published. It does not guarantee that anyone attends, and it says nothing about who a person is. The Reserv does not run identity or background checks.
Can the host change the restaurant or time after publishing?
Not on a solo plan. The restaurant, night, time, and party size come from the verified booking; only the plan description can be edited. To change the night, the host cancels the plan and creates a new one, and handles the OpenTable booking on OpenTable.
What happens if the host cancels?
The host can cancel a plan in the app, but that does not cancel the restaurant booking — the host has to cancel or change the reservation on OpenTable directly, within the restaurant’s own cancellation terms. Where The Reserv knows a restaurant’s cancellation policy, it reminds the host before the deadline.

Next

Ready to host? Read the hosting guide and download The Reserv on the App Store. Money questions are answered on the pricing page.