Travelling is as much a culinary experience as it is an adventure. In fact, diving into the cuisine of another country is an adventure itself. But there are challenges when travelling abroad. You want to be sure that your food is safe and is prepared in the best possible way. You may also want to steer away from tourist-trap restaurants and eat like the locals.
The best way to achieve this is using a restaurant booking app or website.
Planning an international vacation? Make sure that you are using an international prepaid SIM card.
Zomato
Previously known as Urbanspoon, Zomato is a worldwide app that is specifically designed to search for and discover new places to eat at or even order in from.
Best Features:
- Find the best around you with Domino’s, Pizza Hut, McDonald’s, Starbucks, Subway, Burger King, Dunkin’ Donuts, Baskin Robbins, Pizza, Pasta, Noodles, Dal Makhani, Biryani, Butter Chicken, Pancakes, Salads, Cakes, Burgers, Dimsums, Sushi…and a lot more.
- Access restaurant details. Look up restaurant menus, ratings, reviews, photos, contact details, map directions, and all the other essential information you need for your next meal – all in one place. Also, rate restaurants to help other foodies make informed decisions.
- Book a table to avoid queues. Avoid standing in waiting queues at restaurants by booking a table in advance.
Pricing: Free
Downloads: Zomato: Food Delivery & Dining (iOS) 4.6 star rating, Zomato: Food Delivery & Dining (Android) 3.7 star rating, 100 million downloads.
Make sure that you are using a top travel app when planning your next vacation.
Further reading: Top 110 Best travel apps (2022 International tourist guide).
OpenTable
The OpenTable app is your one-stop-shop for everything dining.
Best Features:
Scan restaurant menus, photos, and millions of verified diner reviews from over 50,000+ restaurants worldwide;
Find the best of your city (or plan your next trip!) with our editorial guides; and
Streamline your booking experience with new features such as direct messaging with restaurants hot table alerts.
Pricing: Free
Downloads: OpenTable (iOS) 4.9 star rating, OpenTable (Android) 3.9 star rating, 5 million downloads.
Curious to know which apps are the most popular?
Further reading: Top 10 most downloaded travel apps (2022 Tourist guide).
The Michelin Guide
The new Michelin Guide app allows you to find and book, free of charge, the best restaurants and hotels from all over the world, all carefully selected by experts.
Best Features:
- Restaurant finder 15 000 restaurants selected by the Michelin Guide, both nearby and around the world;
- Search restaurants by the type of cuisine, by name or by chef. Filter the map by Michelin rating: 1, 2 or 3 Michelin star restaurants; and
- Benefit in real time from new restaurant addresses unearthed by our inspectors.
Pricing: Free
Downloads: The MICHELIN Guide (iOS) 4.8 star rating, The MICHELIN Guide (Android) 4 star rating, 500 000.
Are you still wondering what a travel app is and why you need one?
Further reading: What are travel apps & why every tourist needs them.
TheFork
TheFork allows you to discover and book the right restaurant for every occasion, at the best price. Easily find a restaurant around you by activating your localization. Find TheFork in the biggest cities of France, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland, Portugal, Denmark, Sweden, and Brazil.
Best Features:
Book FREE online. No more need to call, book in 3 clicks on the TheFork application, a company part of the Tripadvisor, and receive an immediate confirmation by email;
Take advantage of exclusive offers up to 50% off. Thousands of restaurants offer you discounts of up to -50%. No surprise, the promotion is automatically applied according to the conditions indicated at the time of your booking;
Benefit from more than 20 million reviews from our community to guide you
Pricing: Free
Downloads: TheFork – Restaurants bookings (iOS) 4.8 star rating, TheFork – Restaurant bookings (Android) 4.6 star rating, over 10 million downloads.
Considering using a travel SIM card?
Further reading: What is a travel SIM card? (2022 international travellers guide).
Quandoo
With Quandoo, you can conveniently book tables at eateries in your area in next to no time.
Best Features:
- Dine Out Like A Local. Breakfast in Berlin? Lunch in London? Dinner in Singapore? Wherever you find yourself in the world, Quandoo’s expert tips and interactive map will guide you to the must-visit restaurants and cafes near you.
- Be In The Know Before You Go. Check out restaurant photos, read what other foodies have to say and peruse menus to see what signature dishes you should order; and
- Take Control Of Your Bookings. Make, edit and manage reservations in one shared space – no queues, no answering machines.
Pricing: Free
Downloads: Quandoo:Local Restaurant Guide (iOS) 4.8 star rating, Quandoo: Restaurant Bookings (Android) 4.6 star rating, over 10 million downloads.
There are significant benefits to using a travel SIM card.
Further reading: Benefits of a travel SIM card (2022 International tourist guide).
5 Best Restaurant Booking Websites
| Name | Description | Best for | Searches on Google | Cost |
| OpenTable.com | This website/app has not only conquered the US as the major reservation service for all 50 states plus the nation’s capital, but it has stretched north, south, east and west to land in Australia, Austria, Canada, Caribbean, China, Costa Rica, Dubai, El Salvador, Germany, Hong Kong/Macau, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Panama, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Switzerland and the U.K. | Restaurant searches and bookings | Over 30 million | Free |
| MyTable.com | This Euro-centric website/app will help you secure a table in major cities of the following countries: Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Monaco, Spain and the U.K. | Restaurant searches and bookings | Over 30 million | Free |
| TravelingSpoon | TravelingSpoon helps you connect with locals for culinary adventures. Focused on a more holistic approach to food (in other words, the entire process of preparing a meal,) you can often book a complete food experience. | Restaurant searches and bookings | Over 30 million | Free |
| Zomato | Zomato lets you book meals at restaurants. The app’s real value comes from its sheer size, often covering places poorly served by other apps. With Zomato, you can make reservations in 24 countries, from Australia and New Zealand to Chile, India, Poland, and more. | Restaurant searches and bookings | Over 30 million | Free |
| Zagat | Zagat reviews are brief but beautifully crafted and insightful summaries of the views and opinions of regular diners. | Restaurant searches and bookings | Over 30 million | Free |
Navigating another country can be challenging, especially when you do not know the language. Many translation apps now include a feature where you can take a photo of a menu tat is in a foreign language, and when you upload it onto your translation app, the menu will be presented to you in English.
Restaurant booking apps FAQ
- What are some of the most important things to consider when booking a restaurant in a foreign country?
Make sure that you dine with a purpose. Have a clear vision of what you want (casual dining or Michelin Star dining) and make use of the apps filters. Don’t be scared to ask your hotel for recommendations and don’t be scared to gravitate towards smaller, lesser known restaurants that wont be tourist traps.
- Are all restaurant booking apps the same?
All restaurant booking apps work off the same principle of using a combination of geo-location and diner reviews to make restaurant recommendations. Some apps include more restaurants than others and other apps may have different filters than their competitors.
- Do I have to have a permanent internet connection when using a restaurant booking app?
Yes. Restaurant booking apps use a combination of geo-location and diner reviews to make restaurant recommendations based on your search criteria.
- How do restaurant booking apps make their money?
The majority of their money is made of advertisements. However, some apps may offer in-app purchases and some apps get a commission from restaurants based off the number of bookings that are made at the restaurant through the app.
- Will my preferred restaurant booking app be available in my language of choice?
Most apps are designed in English. However, most top apps allow you to change the language of the app to your language of preference.
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