Sydney has an appetite for apps

Sydney is finally catching up with the rest of the world to shift its restaurant booking habits online.

While half of all restaurant tables are currently reserved via the internet in international foodie destinations like San Francisco, more than 95 per cent of Australians still phone in when trying to book a meal.

But with Aussie eateries gradually improving their online presence and the launch of local restaurant booking apps, the tables are starting to turn.

Restaurant rating and booking site Dimmi CEO Stevan Premutico said recent research showed that more than 60 per cent of telephone calls to restaurants were not answered the first time.

"We've all had that experience of calling a restaurant during service, no one answers, you leave a message but no one gets back to you," he said.

In the past, it wasn't a major problem but Mr Premutico said potential customers no longer had the patience to keep trying.

"We've become a whole lot more spontaneous and on-the-go," he said. "The average lead time for restaurants used to be seven days but now we're finding that more than 30 per cent of bookings are made within 24 hours."

Dimmi's smart-phone app links to more than 800 NSW restaurants, including top Sydney establishments, and includes an augmented reality function whereby users use their smart-phone's camera display to scan the surrounding area for restaurants and their ratings.

"It's basically a 3D view of every restaurant that's in proximity with all the information you need to make a quick, informed decision," Mr Premutico said.

Spearheading the push towards online restaurant booking is Sydney's Three Blue Ducks, which takes almost all of its bookings over the internet.

Chef and co-owner Darren Robertson said that from a restaurateur's perspective, online booking simply made life easier.

"Most people are always online anyway so it's not a big deal any more," he said.

Source: The Herald Sun, 4 August 2012