OpenTable's new rules have a Seattle business leader calling foul

A Seattle business leader contends a major online restaurant reservation service is making changes this week that may violate Washington’s consumer protection laws and he wants the attorney general to get involved.

The president of the Seattle Latino Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce has asked state Attorney General Nick Brown to assess if the revised agreement terms OpenTable is implementing Thursday “unfairly restrict restaurant choice and competition.”

Marcos Wanless, the chamber’s founder, contends the updated language will require restaurants using OpenTable to effectively make it the primary table management system for customers.

“This is not simply a contract dispute. It raises broader questions about fair competition, small business autonomy, and whether a dominant platform can impose terms that make it impractical for restaurants to use alternative tools or channels,” he wrote in his April 9 letter to Brown.

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/04/15/opentables-new-rules-have-a-seattle-business-leader-calling-foul/