Shanahan’s on the Green:

Delve into OpenTable’s strategy for an iconic Dublin steakhouse

Fast facts

	Restaurant name: Shanahan’s on the Green
	Type of restaurant: Independent
	Location: Dublin
	Year founded: 1998

Shanahan’s on the Green is a Dublin gem, serving up some of the finest steaks and fresh seafood across from St. Stephen’s Green in D2. Its Oval Office Bar, adorned with presidential memorabilia, goes one step further by adding a dash of history to the dining experience. Indeed, Operations Manager Louise Doyle says, “Shanahan’s on the Green has a great history and is probably one of the best-known restaurants in Dublin.”

After having worked at Shanahan’s in 2012, Louise was thrilled to return as Operations Manager in 2022. OpenTable was already up and running at the time, helping the restaurant manage reservations. However, Louise knew they could get even more out of the many features OpenTable offers with its restaurant management software. So, she set to work activating the OpenTable diner network and putting the marketing features to good use.

Shanahan’s on the Green saw immediate positive results. “We are now at the stage where 70% of our overall bookings come in through OpenTable. We’ve literally seen an increase of, I would say, maybe 200% – on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday – over reservations previously.”

“We are now at the stage where 70% of our overall bookings come in through OpenTable.”

Fast facts

	Restaurant name: Shanahan’s on the Green
	Type of restaurant: Independent
	Location: Dublin
	Year founded: 1998

Shanahan’s on the Green is a Dublin gem, serving up a symphony of succulent steaks and fresh seafood. Its Oval Office bar, adorned with presidential memorabilia, goes one step further by adding a dash of history to the dining experience. Indeed, Operations Manager Louise Doyle says, “Shanahan’s on the Green has a great history and is probably one of the best-known restaurants in Dublin.”

After having worked at Shanahan’s in 2012, Louise was thrilled to return as Operations Manager in 2022. OpenTable was already up and running at the time, helping the restaurant manage reservations. However, Louise knew they could get even more out of the many features OpenTable offers with its restaurant management software. So, she set to work activating the OpenTable diner network and putting the marketing features to good use.
Shanahan’s on the Green saw immediate positive results. “We are now at the stage where 70% of our overall bookings come in through OpenTable. We’ve literally seen an increase of, I would say, maybe 200% – on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday – over reservations that were made overall for the day.”

Attracting new & first-time diners with OpenTable Restaurant management software

According to Louise, “there was a huge level of new guests coming to our restaurant that had never visited before.” These diners included a mix of out-of-town visitors and local Dubliners. Thanks to OpenTable, “suddenly this restaurant is presented to them in a format of reviews, the menu, the availability – everything is so accessible.”

The results were impressive. “We have definitely hit a market,” Louise says, “We see times where 30-40% of our guests are first-time diners. I don’t see how we would have achieved that in any marketing channel if it hadn’t been through OpenTable.”

“It’s the only booking system I’ve seen that incorporates a whole network and marketing tool into the system itself.”

Louise Doyle, Operations Manager
Shanahan’s on the Green

Personalised guest experiences made easy with OpenTable

Personalisation is central to creating a quality guest experience for all diners. “The OpenTable system is fantastic in that it gives us the opportunity to add guest notes to the booking system,” Louise says. Thanks to the table management system, she adds, “we can be very familiar with our guests by asking them for information only once.” In this way, guests feel valued as people, not just covers.

This level of personalisation is as beneficial for the restaurant’s staff as it is for guests. As Louise explains, staff can’t see guests in the Oval Office Bar, as it is located on the lower ground floor. However, OpenTable gives them “the fantastic feature of being able to check our guests in… We can let the front desk know whether the table needs to be reset, whether guests are on their desserts, if bills have been paid. It’s a huge help when you’re in service on a really busy night.”

From easy online bookings and smooth guest experiences to the suite of marketing and supportive features for staff, Louise says the benefits of OpenTable’s restaurant management software are invaluable.

“For me, OpenTable is the only solution that I would ever work with in a restaurant setting.”

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