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How to prevent 5 common data security threats restaurants face
Explore common data threats and specific fraud prevention tactics to help protect your business.
OpenTable Trust & Security Center
For over 25 years, OpenTable has built a trusted, reliable platform for diners and restaurants. Whether you’re booking a table or managing a busy restaurant, we’re committed to protecting your privacy, ensuring fair treatment, and keeping our platform safe.
OpenTable is dedicated to compliance with the highest global standards to protect your information at every step. We’re proud to align our practices with the following frameworks.
System and Organization Controls 2
Our SOC 2 Type II compliance, validated by independent audits, demonstrates our commitment to robust controls across security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy.
Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard
We follow strict controls to protect your payment card information and keep every payment secure, in accordance with the latest PCI DSS standards.
General Data Protection Regulation
Trust is paramount. That’s why we rigorously uphold data privacy rights across Europe, giving you control over the use of your personal data.
California Consumer Privacy Act
We empower California residents with control over their personal information in accordance with the California Consumer Privacy Act.
Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act
We respect the privacy of our Canadian users and operate in compliance with Canada’s PIPEDA legislation.
Data Privacy Framework Extensions
OpenTable is committed to upholding international data transfer standards. We participate in and comply with the EU-U.S. DPF, the Swiss-U.S. DPF, and the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. DPF for the transfer of personal data from the EU, Switzerland, and the UK.
Want to dive deeper?
OpenTable partners: Contact your Account Manager for access to specific compliance certificates.
Our guests’ personal and financial information deserves the highest level of protection. That’s why we build privacy and security into everything we do—from encrypting your data during booking to storing it securely.
We encrypt your data in transit and at rest.
We’re here 24/7, monitoring for threats and taking action to help protect your account and peace of mind.
We follow global privacy laws like GDPR and CCPA—giving you transparency and control.
Every restaurant on OpenTable is vetted to ensure real, high-quality dining experiences.
We display restaurants’ booking and cancellation policies clearly so you know before you book.
We expect—and enforce—respectful behavior from guests and staff alike.
OpenTable enables restaurants to run secure operations and protect what matters most: their guests, data, and reputation. From fraud prevention to transparent policies, our platform is designed to earn and keep your trust.
We safeguard your guest data with industry-standard security protocols and compliance.
User-friendly tools help you manage user permissions so you can protect sensitive data.
We help you use your guest data responsibly to grow your business.
Only verified guests can leave reviews—and we moderate for fairness and respect.
Paid promotions never replace organic search results so guests only see honest availability.
No hidden fees—our pricing and commissions are clear and easy to understand.
“Your Security and Trust matter—whether you’re managing your restaurant on OpenTable or a guest making a reservation. We’ve implemented strong safeguards to protect your data, creating a secure environment for every interaction. You can trust OpenTable to prioritize your peace of mind, ensuring a safe and seamless experience for all.”
Chris Kennedy
SVP – Technology Operations & CISO at OpenTable
We’re committed to keeping your restaurant running smoothly—and securely. That means being upfront about security practices and platform performance, while continually investing in our infrastructure to stay ahead of emerging threats.
We’re committed to keeping your restaurant running smoothly—and securely. That means being upfront about security practices and platform performance, while continually investing in our infrastructure to stay ahead of emerging threats.
We’re committed to keeping your restaurant running smoothly—and securely. That means being upfront about security practices and platform performance, while continually investing in our infrastructure to stay ahead of emerging threats.
Empower your front-of-house and management teams with these simple, effective practices to keep information safe and stop issues before they start.
Use unique, complex passwords—and update them often. Set role-based permissions and never share login credentials.
Keep POS terminals and tablets secure by locking screens when unattended and keeping your operating systems up to date.
Be discreet with printed or written guest information. Dispose of sensitive data securely and follow your restaurant’s privacy policy.
Watch out for suspicious emails or requests for sensitive information like login details. Verify requests through trusted channels.
Establish a clear process for staff to report potential security concerns immediately.
Malware and shady browser extensions can steal your login info. Only install trusted tools and keep software up to date.
Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of protection to your accounts—from OpenTable for Restaurants to email and banking.
Avoid shared credentials by setting up separate accounts for each staff member. It keeps your data secure and makes tracking easier.
Restaurants own their data, and guests own their data.
Guest data entered by a restaurant into its OpenTable system is owned by the restaurant, including any data collected when a guest makes a reservation over the phone or walks in.
Guests who come to OpenTable’s consumer-facing properties to make a reservation maintain ownership of their data. Since OpenTable is a consumer marketplace where millions of diners make reservations via OpenTable properties, we process a vast ecosystem of guests and guest-related information. We will securely share this information with restaurants to enhance your business – as long as the guest grants us permission to do so. Gaining and maintaining guests’ trust is critical for OpenTable to service our restaurant partners with guest demand, and ultimately keeps restaurants compliant with privacy laws as well.
As long as guests grant OpenTable permission to share their information, we securely share it. By agreeing to OpenTable’s Privacy Policy, the guest grants OpenTable certain rights to use their data – including the right to share their data with restaurants. Any restrictions on what OpenTable can share with restaurants is determined by what scope of data the guest agreed to in OpenTable’s Privacy Policy.
Guests who book through OpenTable may opt out of certain data-sharing activities through their account preferences. In cases where guests choose to opt-out, OpenTable is required by law to honor guest choice about how their information is used and shared. This is a requirement for OpenTable to stay compliant with privacy laws, as well as protect restaurants from risk.
OpenTable operates as a data processor, merely facilitating the reservation process and enabling guests to access restaurants for booking.
OpenTable’s use of a restaurant’s data is limited to the rights and permissions granted in the Client Agreement. That restaurant data is used for the limited purposes of promoting the restaurant on OpenTable properties, helping guests to make restaurant bookings, and enabling the restaurant reservation.
OpenTable also aggregates and anonymizes data to better service guests and restaurant partners.
All data received by the restaurant is handled in compliance with applicable data privacy laws and is processed and stored based on our robust, SOC 2 certified security program.
At OpenTable, we prioritize the security of your payment card information. When you enter your card details to make a reservation or payment, your information is encrypted using secure protocols during transmission. OpenTable does not store your payment card information. Instead, we partner with trusted, PCI-compliant payment processors who handle and store your data securely. We require these processors to keep your information secure and confidential.
At OpenTable, we prioritize privacy and are transparent about how we handle guests’ personal information. As permitted by applicable law, we share guest data with trusted partners—such as restaurants, service providers, and advertising partners—to enhance the dining experience and improve our services.
For more information, view the “How We Share Your Information” section of our Privacy Policy.
OpenTable’s SOC 2 Type II compliance, validated by an independent auditor, proves that we rigorously safeguard your data with robust, consistently effective controls. This means you can trust us to protect your information and ensure the reliability of our services, giving you peace of mind.
OpenTable employs a comprehensive array of security measures and controls to safeguard restaurant accounts, which include:
To report a concern, please contact our customer support team.
OpenTable implements device verification to enhance data security. When a restaurant user logs in from an unfamiliar network, sensitive guest information, also known as Personally Identifiable Information (PII), such as email addresses or phone numbers, will be obscured. This measure helps protect PII from unauthorized access. Device verification is also required for critical guest-facing features like creating or editing Experiences, defining Booking Policies, and sending direct marketing communications among others, ensuring that only verified devices can manage these sensitive interactions.
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