Recipes / Shopping
Agent books a restaurant table
Usability researchers tested booking a restaurant with ChatGPT's agent; it worked but took about 11 minutes and needed human input.
App vs bot, side by side
| Old app / habit | Bot | |
|---|---|---|
| Tool | Reservation apps | ChatGPT agent |
| Monthly cost | Not reported | ChatGPT paid plan |
| Setup | None (already in use) | None · Beginner |
| Your time | Baseline | Negative: about 11 minutes on forms vs about 2 minutes by hand (NN/G) |
| Maintenance | Handled by vendor/you as before | Supervise. |
| Privacy | Data stays with the app vendor | Agent fills forms with your details. |
Full comparison
| Replaces | Reservation apps |
|---|---|
| Bot / agent stack | ChatGPT agent |
| Monthly cost before | Not reported |
| Monthly cost after | ChatGPT paid plan |
| Setup time | None |
| Time saved | Negative: about 11 minutes on forms vs about 2 minutes by hand (NN/G) |
| Skill level | Beginner |
| Reliability | 1/5: NN/G calls it 'Successful, Shaky, and Slow'; needed human input. |
| Maintenance | Supervise. |
| Privacy & data | Agent fills forms with your details. |
| Best for | Watching where agents are headed |
| Not for | Anyone in a hurry |
Pros and cons
Pros
- Did complete the booking
Cons
- Far slower than doing it yourself
How it works
- Describe booking
- Answer clarifications
- Approve submit
Source and evidence
NN/G: 'Successful, Shaky, and Slow'.
Read the original Research source ↗
“Not reported” means the source doesn't say. We never fill gaps with guesses. Numbers marked “per author” or “vendor claim” are the source's own and weren't independently tested. Source re-checked 2026-10-15.
Plain-text summary (for search and AI assistants)
Agent books a restaurant table. Replaces Reservation apps with ChatGPT agent. Cost before: Not reported. Cost after: ChatGPT paid plan. Setup: None, Beginner. Time saved: Negative: about 11 minutes on forms vs about 2 minutes by hand (NN/G). Reliability 1/5: 1/5: NN/G calls it 'Successful, Shaky, and Slow'; needed human input. Best for: Watching where agents are headed. Not for: Anyone in a hurry. Source: https://www.nngroup.com/articles/impressions-chatgpt-agent/
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