Platform FAQs
Platform safety
How does OpenSeat verify that guests are who they say they are?
In the case of free-to-attend events, OpenSeat currently is unable to verify guests and thus hosts must use their own discretion when accepting requests. We are currently working on a verification system to provide greater assurance to hosts on this issue.
For pay-to-attend events in the South African context, by requiring that all guests provide FICA-linked bank card details and a RICA-linked cellular number, OpenSeat is able to cross-check whether the stated names of users correspond with their FICA & RICA details.When a bank card is initially added, an OTP verification process will ensue, making sure that the profile owner is highly likely to be the owner of both the FICA-linked card and RICA-linked cell phone number.
Are OpenSeat Venues verified?
No. Beyond official OpenSeat partners, any venues used for OpenSeat meals and events are not verified, although this may change in the future.
Can OpenSeat be held liable if anything goes wrong?
OpenSeat facilitates event hosting, managing guest lists, payments and communicating with guests. Beyond these domains that OpenSeat has control over, as a purely online intermediary, it cannot guarantee that events hosted via the platform will occur 100% with safety or according to plan. Any use of the platform is at both host and guests’ own risk. OpenSeat cannot be held liable for any damages to property or injuries arising from accidents or criminal acts that occur in the context of an event facilitated by OpenSeat.
Please see the the T&C’s regarding OpenSeat meals and see also Exclusions and limitations to OpenSeat’s responsibility and liability
What procedures should guests or hosts follow if anything bad happens at an OpenSeat event?
In the event that anything bad happens at an OpenSeat event, both guests and hosts should follow certain procedures to ensure that the appropriate action is taken. These procedures vary depending on the severity of the incident.
If something criminal has occurred, the first and foremost step is to report the incident to the police. This will allow for an official investigation to take place and appropriate legal action to be taken against the perpetrator(s). After reporting to the police, it is also important to notify OpenSeat by contacting us at support@openseat.co.za. This will help OpenSeat understand the situation and provide any necessary support to the affected parties.
If something non-criminal but inappropriate has occurred, the procedures are slightly different depending on who is responsible for the behaviour. If the host is responsible for the inappropriate behaviour, it is important for guests to include this information in their review of the host on OpenSeat. This will help other potential guests make informed decisions about whether or not to attend events hosted by that individual.
If a guest or multiple guests were responsible for the inappropriate behaviour, it may be necessary to report their behaviour to OpenSeat. This will help OpenSeat understand the situation and determine if any further action is necessary, such as banning those guests from future events. Guests can report such incidents by contacting OpenSeat at support@openseat.co.za.
Are OpenSeat events safe?
OpenSeat goes to great lengths to ensure that everyone who participates on our platform is safe by making sure everyone is (a) known and verified, (b) can make informed decisions, (c) can rate hosts and events.
Private OpenSeat events are safe, as hosts already know the people invited, or send invites on the basis of recommendations from other invited guests.Safety only becomes relevant for public events in cases when a guest unknown to the host (or their social circle) requests to join, and usually this question is asked in the context of public events that occur in a private venue. In such cases, the answer to this question is usually ‘Yes’ but much depends on the judgement of the OpenSeat host, just as it would for events that are not facilitated by the OpenSeat platform.
The host plays an important gatekeeper function and it is incumbent upon them to feel comfortable with hosting an unknown guest at their meal, especially if it is taking place behind closed doors at a private venue, like a home, and where the number of seats are relatively low. Moreover, an element of good hospitality is ensuring that public guests are likely to be who they appear to be, and thus the host will need to perform a degree of vetting on all guests who request an open seat. As a platform, we do not encourage hosts to accept an unknown guest’s request if their profile is devoid of any helpful identifying details (i.e. their profile picture, biographical details, social media handles or website). Hosts must use their own discretion and err on the side of caution. If you attend an event as a guest and feel that your host has been negligent in their gatekeeping function, please indicate this in your event and host review.
OpenSeat Differentiators
Is this platform only for foodies and fine dining experiences?
No, the OpenSeat platform is not only for foodies and fine dining experiences. While food and a shared meal are central to the OpenSeat vision, the food offering can range from fancy feasts to simple suppers, whether prepared by the host personally or by a third party caterer. The most important aspect of an OpenSeat event is that an effort at good hospitality is made. Good hospitality is signaled by how thoughtfully the table or event environment is prepared, and how well the host interacts with guests. So, regardless of the level of formality or culinary complexity, as long as the host is hospitable, the food is good – however humble – and the environment is welcoming, OpenSeat events can cater to a variety of tastes and preferences.
Does conversation have to be a central element of an OpenSeat event?
No. Conversation does not have to be the central element of an OpenSeat event. However, for events that primarily focus on socialising or food, we encourage hosts to be intentional about fostering good conversation between all participants. Extreme situations aside, eating food and engaging in conversation co-occur naturally – but being intentional can help people to be more authentic and go beyond small talk.
OpenSeat events will feature a spectrum of conversations, ranging from casual banter to deep topical discussions. Depending on the kind of event, hosts are encouraged to pay attention to the conversational arcs among their guests and help guide conversations, whether for the whole table or among smaller groups. Ideally, hosts would seek to include those on the periphery and elevate their voices in table conversation: making the stranger feel welcome is central to good hospitality. Also, depending on the event purpose, some conversations may benefit from broaching the intended topic before guests arrive, so that they have time to prepare or reflect on the topic for themselves.
What are the primary use cases for OpenSeat?
There are arguably five main functions that the OpenSeat platform enables, in line with its ethos, aims and current functionality:
Facilitating social discovery and access: OpenSeat makes it easy to connect with new neighbours and expand your social circle by creating low-pressure events, often attended by existing friends, family and colleagues – but also facilitating discovery of people who are one or two degrees of separation away from you.
Facilitating community building and access to new communities: With OpenSeat, you can create and host communities or clubs that don't yet exist in your area, as well as facilitate regular meetings for existing interest-based clubs and communities. This makes it easy to connect with like-minded people and build new social networks.
Facilitating special occasions and dinner parties: OpenSeat simplifies admin for experienced hosts of dinner parties, allowing them to host meals that are fully or partially funded by guests. It also provides a helpful guest attendance and payment facilitation service for other occasions like birthday parties, engagement parties, graduation parties, and more, which is particularly relevant when these are being organised on behalf of the subject(s) of the special occasion.
Facilitating skill development around a meal: OpenSeat is an ideal platform for hosting meals with a skill development theme, such as instructionals or how-to events for origami making, sushi, breadmaking, or language skills (i.e. conversation practice). The platform facilitates skill development within the context of food, with payment for the event inclusive of all the value provided by the hosts.
Facilitating connections within larger institutions: OpenSeat can help institutions host more intimate introductory or networking events for a cohort of new members, employees, students or successful candidates – thereby facilitating and building friendships and meaningful connections in professional and other institutional contexts.
Is OpenSeat available in other countries?
OpenSeat has not officially launched beyond South Africa, and its payments occur in South African Rand (ZAR) – however, the platform is location-independent and thus may be used overseas should hosts and guests wish to do so.
OpenSeat and other platforms
How is OpenSeat different from AirBnB Experiences?
OpenSeat and AirBnB Experiences are different in their scope and focus. While AirBnB Experiences offer a broad range of activities, often independent of food and with no seats in sight, OpenSeat is specifically centred on facilitating authentic interpersonal connections through shared meals around a table.
As of April 2023, OpenSeat's platform fee per attending guest is only 8.5%, with a minimum of R4.50, while AirBnB's experience platform fee is 20% of the cost per attendee. This means that OpenSeat charges significantly less for acting as an intermediary between hosts and guests.
How is OpenSeat different from Meetup.com?
Meetup.com and OpenSeat differ in their approach to facilitating events. While Meetup allows communities, clubs, and groups to organise events, OpenSeat emphasises hospitality and the shared experience of food and meals around a table. Meetup.com also uses a different platform funding model, with hosts having to subscribe to a service in order to organise events.
Where payments are facilitated by the Meetup.com platform, the charges (inclusive of PayPal or Stripe fees) appear to be between 5-8% of the booking fee. However, many events on Meetup.com are labelled as "Free" despite actually costing something, requiring attendees to pay in-person or through other means and increasing the hassle factor for both hosts and guests. In contrast, for pay-to-attend events, OpenSeat charges a straightforward platform fee of 8.5% per attending guest (with a minimum of R4.50). Free-to-attend events are free!
How is OpenSeat different from Quicket or Webtickets?
Unlike Quicket and Webtickets, OpenSeat is not a generic event ticketing and payment platform, but rather a platform that facilitates the hosting of food and table-mediated social experiences, where guests can connect with each other – it has a specific niche. OpenSeat's focus is on smaller, more intimate gatherings, as opposed to Quicket and Webtickets’ focus on larger events.
In terms of fees, OpenSeat charges a platform fee of 8.5% per attending guest, with a minimum fee of R4.50; there is no cost for hosting events. On the other hand, Quicket.co.za charges a commission of 4.9% (ex VAT) and R5 per booking, which are deducted from the host's payouts. For Webtickets, hosts pay 3.5% (exclusive of VAT) on each ticket sold to guests to the platform, and all guests or customers pay a R7.50 booking fee per ticket.