OpenTable rebrand shows “openness and reliability”

Restaurant reservation service OpenTable has been rebranded with a new identity, which has been designed to represent “openness and reliability” according to the company, which wants the brand to focus on the dining experience rather than just the act of booking.

The main icon has been designed by Californian consultancy Tomorrow Partners, which has also worked on strategy while most brand activation has been handled in-house by OpenTable.

OpenTable claims to seat 16 million diners each month through online bookings across more than 32,000 restaurants globally.

The red circular icon and its accompanying cut-out has been designed to show the connection that is forged between diners, restaurants and their communities, according to Tomorrow Partners, which says it also shows how OpenTable is always looking to “find the perfect fit for a customer”.

Tomorrow Partners created the icon after engaging “diners, restaurateurs, and industry experts” across the US, Europe and Asia and says it developed “service design opportunities” to increase the value it offered to restaurant partners and build the relationship between diner and restaurant.

Documentary-style photography used in campaigns shows “real people” enjoying food with friends or relatives, says Tomorrow Partners.

A new strapline “The Table is Just The Start” demonstrates how OpenTable has moved on from just offering transactions to “a broader experience of dining out” according to OpenTable.

OpenTable’s chief executive says: “We want to strike a more emotional chord with diners and restaurant staff.”

Last year the brand was renamed, changing its name from Toptable to OpenTable. Now the rebrand will roll out globally.