Dive Brief:
- Uber and OpenTable have entered a strategic partnership to pair Uber’s ride hailing and delivery services with OpenTable’s restaurant network across the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Australia and Ireland, the companies said Monday in a press release.
- The companies will develop integrations across Uber Eats, Uber and OpenTable apps in the coming months to offer dining reservation access, transportation options and membership benefits.
- The partnership will give more than 1 million restaurants additional opportunities to drive revenue, further engage with existing customers and attract new ones.
Dive Insight:
This isn’t the first time Uber has partnered with another app to boost customer acquisition. Last year, Uber Eats teamed with Instacart to offer Instacart’s customers access to restaurant delivery. Grubhub also has a long-term partnership with Amazon, offering Amazon Prime members free Grubhub+ membership and access to Grubhub delivery via Amazon’s website and apps.
The first phase of Uber’s partnership with OpenTable will include the ability to book a restaurant reservation and get a ride, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in a statement, adding that he expects the partnership will enhance the value of its Uber One membership program, which has grown to 30 million members globally. The companies will roll out additional features and further integrate services over time, according to the press release.
“Dining, delivery and transportation are all intimately connected. This partnership strategically positions OpenTable to make those daily experiences as integrated and frictionless as possible for both restaurants and diners,” Debby Soo, CEO of OpenTable, said in the press release.
Uber could also gain additional access to more restaurants as it works to grow market share in food delivery, where it lags behind DoorDash. OpenTable works with over 60,000 restaurants worldwide, according to the press release. Uber has been growing its delivery consumer base, and Q4 2024 was its seventh straight quarter of growth among its monthly active platform consumers, particularly in the U.S., U.K., Canada and Mexico, Khosrowshahi said in Q4 2024 prepared remarks.
