Libro's Rise: How Commission-Free Tech Is Reshaping Restaurants

MONTREAL, QC – February 11, 2026 – Montreal-based restaurant technology firm Libro has announced a landmark 2025 fiscal year, having seated over 11 million guests and achieving double-digit revenue growth. The company’s expansion, which saw it add more than 650 new restaurant locations across North America, signals a growing shift in the hospitality industry as restaurateurs increasingly seek to break free from the costly commission-based models that have long dominated the market.

The Restaurant Rebellion Against Commissions

For years, the digital reservation landscape has been controlled by a few major players, such as OpenTable and Resy, which offer visibility on their popular consumer-facing apps. However, this exposure comes at a significant cost. Many of these platforms operate on a fee-per-diner or commission model, charging restaurants for every guest booked, even those who reserve directly through the restaurant's own website. These fees, combined with policies that often keep valuable guest data siloed within the third-party platform, have become a major pain point for operators striving to protect their slim profit margins.

Libro's recent success is a direct reflection of a growing industry-wide movement toward technological independence. The company offers its guest management platform on a flat-rate, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) subscription basis, entirely free of per-guest commissions. This model is resonating with a wide range of establishments, from independent fine-dining venues to expanding multi-location hospitality groups.

The core of this appeal lies in control. By using a platform like Libro, restaurants retain full ownership of their guest data. This is a critical advantage in an era where data is currency. Owning this information allows restaurants to build direct relationships with their patrons, power their own marketing campaigns, and cultivate loyalty without a third-party intermediary. Competitors like Resy, owned by American Express, often position full data ownership as a premium feature, while OpenTable is known to leverage restaurant guest data for its own marketing initiatives. Libro’s approach democratizes this capability, making it a standard feature rather than a costly add-on.

AI on the Menu: Driving Efficiency and Engagement

Beyond the financial benefits, Libro’s 2025 growth was fueled by significant investment in product innovation, particularly in artificial intelligence. The company introduced a suite of AI-assisted tools designed to streamline operations and enhance the guest experience. These features help automate guest communications, manage online reviews, and support targeted marketing efforts, allowing staff to focus on in-person hospitality.

This strategic focus on AI aligns perfectly with broader trends in the hospitality sector. According to industry analysts at Gartner, AI is projected to handle half of all customer interactions in the restaurant industry by 2026. From chatbots managing reservations to predictive analytics helping with inventory, technology is becoming indispensable for running an efficient and profitable operation.

Libro has also bolstered its platform by expanding integrations with major digital ecosystems like Meta and TripAdvisor. These integrations are designed to increase a restaurant's online visibility and drive direct demand, funneling potential diners to the restaurant’s own fully branded booking page rather than a third-party marketplace. This strategy reinforces the company’s core mission: empowering restaurants to control their online presence and capture reservations without paying costly referral fees, effectively turning their own websites and social media profiles into powerful, commission-free booking channels.

A Blueprint for North American Expansion

While Libro has long been a dominant player in its home province of Québec, 2025 marked its arrival as a formidable force across the continent. The addition of over 650 locations in Canada and the United States underscores a successful expansion strategy that goes far beyond regional strongholds. The company has demonstrated its platform's appeal to a diverse clientele, gaining significant traction among premium and fine-dining restaurants as well as regional and national hospitality groups that require scalable solutions.

This expansion was supported by a seed funding round in early 2023 from Montreal-based institutional investors Fondaction and BDC, providing the capital to accelerate product development and market penetration. The company's ability to attract and serve larger, multi-location brands is a key indicator of its platform's maturity and robustness.

“2025 was a pivotal year for Libro,” said Lorne Schwartz, President of Libro, in a recent statement. “Restaurants are increasingly looking for technology that gives them greater control over their guest experience and drives more revenue. The traction we’re seeing outside of Québec and with multi-location brands gives us strong momentum heading into 2026.”

This momentum suggests that the desire for more equitable and powerful technology is not a niche demand but a widespread industry imperative. As restaurants of all sizes continue to navigate a complex economic environment, the ability to maximize revenue, own customer relationships, and improve operational efficiency has become a matter of survival. The success of platforms championing direct, commission-free solutions indicates a fundamental power shift in the restaurant technology ecosystem. For many operators, the future of reservations is not about being listed in a directory, but about building their own brand and fostering a direct connection with every guest who walks through the door.