by Bob Tedeschi

...And while RestaurantRow customers must wait for e-mail confirmation of their reservations, on OpenTable the reservation is confirmed immediately on the Web site.

OpenTable users can also browse by neighborhood, price or cuisine type, and send invitations to others by e-mail to join the dining party, along with maps and directions.

A Surge in Business
According to Thomas Layton, OpenTable's chief executive, the company secures reservations on behalf of about 390,000 people each month, more than 10 times the number served two years ago. The Web site will list nearly 3,000 restaurants by the end of the year, he said...