This Valentine's Day, call — don't click — to book dinner

State of play: Apps like OpenTable charge restaurants up to $500 in monthly subscription fees plus $1 per seat that's booked.

Yes, but: Their services can drive more business by exposing restaurants to a growing number of users, according to BistroChat, an online publication covering restaurant industry trends.

The big picture: Competition among restaurant booking apps has heated up in recent months, with some partnering with credit card companies and offering restaurants cash incentives to use their services, the New York Times reports.

What they're saying: Customers often don't realize the costs of using the apps, which influences menu prices, Chris Diebel, managing partner of Bubba, tells Axios.

The intrigue: There are at least seven major platforms used by U.S. restaurants, and using a single app can overlook seat availability.

Case in point: Bubba, Court Avenue Brewing, Table 128 and Exile Brewing are among the local restaurants that use the booking service Tock but are not listed on OpenTable.

The bottom line: Calling your favorite restaurant to book directly is often a better option, Diebel said.