Apple Maps Japan in-app restaurant reservations

Kagaku.com Inc. subsidiary Tabelog is one of the restaurant data suppliers for Apple Maps Japan. The recent Tabelog v6 app update added Apple Map third party extension support for restaurant reservations. Reservations are straightforward and similar to what OpenTable does in America.

After you install the Tabelog app it will show up in the Settings>Maps. When you tap on a restaurant that supports Tabelog reservations Apple Maps will display a reservation button.

Apple Maps Japan Restaurant Reservations can be added with the Tabelog app.

If the restaurant supports Tabelog reservations Apple Maps displays a reservation button

Tap reservations and you can set the date, time and number of people.

Choose a time from Apple Map

Change the date, time and number of people

Once you set the reservation and tap “Continue in Tabelog” you’ll get the inevitable ‘Sign in with Facebook, Google ID, Yahoo Japan ID, etc.’ This is where it falls down for me because you still have to enter name and telephone number after login with a Yahoo JAPAN ID. I have not tested the other login methods, it may be a smoother experience with a Kagaku.com ID that has a name and phone number attached.

Even after login you still have to enter name and phone number.

It’s a nice exercise but I doubt many people will actually use it: restaurant search results in Apple Maps do not indicate which restaurants accept Tabelog reservations. It’s much easier to search in the Tabelog app which has a handy in-app map that displays a Google Map with Tabelog pin overlays indicating nearby restaurants that take reservations and vacancy. Chalk up another miss for Apple Maps.