Your Tablevoice AI host pulls availability and seating options directly from OpenTable. If your dining areas aren't named clearly in OpenTable, the AI can't describe them clearly to your guests - or worse, can miss available tables entirely.
Why this matters
Tablevoice asks OpenTable two questions on every call: where can this guest sit, and when is each area available. We use the dining area names you've configured to tell the caller what their options are: bar seating, the patio, the main dining room, the chef's counter. If a table isn't assigned to a named area, OpenTable groups it under "Other," which causes a problem, since your AI host might read this name to guests wanting to book.
Before — generic "Other"
Caller: Can I book for 2 at 7?
AI host: We have availability. Where would you like to sit — Other or Dining Room?
Caller: …Other? What's that?
After — clearly named areas
Caller: Can I book for 2 at 7?
AI host: We can offer the main dining room or a seat at the bar. Which would you prefer?
Caller: The bar sounds great.
How to set up dining areas in OpenTable
1. Sign in to OpenTable for Restaurants. Log in at restaurant.opentable.com on your computer (this can't be done from the iPad app).
2. Open Availability Planning → Floor Plan. From the main menu, go to Availability Planning, then Floor Plans. Pick the floor plan you want to edit.
3. Click each table and assign a dining area. Select a table on the floor plan. In the table's settings, find the Dining Area field and choose a clearly named area — e.g., Dining Room, Bar, Patio, Chef's Counter, Private Room. Add a new area from this menu if you don't see the right one.
4. Make sure no table is left as "Other". Any table without an assigned dining area gets grouped under "Other" by default. Walk through every table and assign one — including the bar, the patio, and any premium seats.
5. Set the right table type. While you're there, make sure each table's Table Type matches the seating (Standard, Bar, High-top, Counter, Outdoor). This helps OpenTable — and your AI host — set the right expectation with guests.
6. Publish your changes. Click Publish at the top of the floor plan editor. Tablevoice picks up the new names automatically — no action needed on our side.
See what your AI host sees, and choose what it offers
Tablevoice gives you direct visibility into the dining areas it pulls from OpenTable. In your Tablevoice dashboard, go to Configurations → Integrations → OpenTable → Dining Areas. You'll see every area the AI host has access to, exactly as it sees them.
From this same screen, you can toggle off any area you don't want the AI to offer over the phone. Because Tablevoice has access to your full OpenTable inventory, hiding an area on our side is often the cleanest fix — no floor plan rework required.
This is especially useful for:
VIP-only or hold-back tables (e.g., a chef's table or window booth you reserve for in-person requests)
Walk-in only seating like a first-come bar or counter
Private dining rooms that should be routed to your events team instead of booked online
Premium areas with their own deposit, minimum spend, or approval flow
The two approaches work together: rename your areas in OpenTable so the ones the AI does offer sound right to a caller, then use Tablevoice to silence the ones it shouldn't be offering at all.
Naming tips that pay off
Your AI host reads area names out loud, so write them the way you'd want a host to say them. Use plain English — Main Dining Room not MDR, Bar Lounge not Bar 2. Skip codes, abbreviations, and internal labels like Section A.