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How to earn IHG One Rewards points with OpenTable restaurant bookings

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If you’re booking a restaurant – even a casual dining one – soon, remember that you can earn IHG One Rewards points when you book restaurants online.

I have used this myself a few times, and find it an easy 150 points. In fact, I’m using it today because we are going out for my daughter’s birthday.

The IHG service is a white label version of OpenTable and most of the restaurants which appears there should be bookable.

earn IHG One Rewards points with OpenTable

However, it appears that restaurants which require a credit card deposit, or the submission of a credit card number, in order to book are not available.

Via this page of the IHG website, you can make restaurant reservations globally.

The majority of restaurants offer 150 IHG One Rewards points per booking, but you get 500 points if it is the first time you have used the service.

earn IHG One Rewards points with OpenTable

This clearly isn’t the deal of the century – I would value 150 IHG One Rewards points at around 60p!  The ‘first user’ deal is more worthwhile with the 500 points being worth around £2.

If you have multiple people with IHG accounts in your household, you can change the lead name on the booking each time to get multiple ‘first user’ bonuses between you.

One upside is that the points count towards IHG One Rewards status unless something has changed in recent months.  I can also say, from my own previous experience, that they post promptly.

You can book here.

PS.  One interesting quirk is that many hotel restaurants, IHG and non-IHG, appear on OpenTable.  If you have a hotel stay lined up and know you will be eating in the hotel, why not book your table via OpenTable in advance?


IHG One Rewards update – April 2024:

Get bonus points: IHG One Rewards is offering 2,000 bonus points for every two cash nights you stay (not necessarily consecutive) between 1st April and 31st May 2024. You can read our full article here and you can register here.

New to IHG One Rewards?  Read our overview of IHG One Rewards here and our article on points expiry rules here. Our article on ‘What are IHG One Rewards points worth?’ is here.

Buy points: If you need additional IHG One Rewards points, you can buy them here.

Want to earn more hotel points?  Click here to see our complete list of promotions from IHG and the other major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.

Comments (11)

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  • Martin says:

    Why can’t I see this open table offer?
    I’m in Australia where open table is available

  • CamFlyer says:

    I find that many restaurants that are otherwise on Opentable are not available through the IHG link, or else have more limited availability. I have given up even checking. The service that offers VS points is much more useful.

  • Philondon says:

    I prefer to collect Virgin points with https://www.squaremeal.co.uk/
    100 points per booking and you sometimes get points when you eat somewhere without booking if your credit card is registered with the website.

  • Southlondonphil says:

    I’ve only used it a handful’s of times as too many restaurants seem to return no availability no matter what day or time you pick. However, each time I have managed to successfully book a table I have received 500 points not 150, so looks like you get additional points for status (I’m currently Diamond)

  • Kristina says:

    Link takes me to the app and I cannot find this on the app anywhere…

  • JD says:

    Its mad how difficult this option is to find if you go straight to the IHG website. Its almost like they dont want you to find it

  • Edward Ziff says:

    I just tried to book the Ivy in St Johns Wood London…when I tried Open Table directly I could book exactly when I wanted however remembering the offer, when I tried booking through IHG’s website it wouldnt take it stating the restuarant was booked up within 2 1/2 hours of the time I needed.
    Has anyone else had this problem?wanted.and .

    • Chas says:

      I frequently have the same problem at other restaurants I try. Rob references this in the article in relation to restaurants that require a credit card number to secure the booking. I rarely try this booking route as a consequence now.

  • TJ says:

    IHG Extras is useful if you are booking restaurants abroad, esp the US where the selection is less limited.

    Otherwise for Europe you are much better off with The Fork (lots of restaurants, 50% offers plus their own loyalty scheme which provides a £20 voucher when you’ve collected 1000 Yums and a £50 voucher at 2000 Yums).

    In the UK, Squaremeal is generally my go to option unless The Fork have any major offers going.

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

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