We live in an age where convenience is king, and everyday tasks are increasingly turning digital. Unsurprisingly, more and more restaurant reservations are conducted online rather than over the phone, thanks to the rise in popularity of restaurant reservation apps.
Reservations apps for restaurants are designed to help restaurants connect with potential customers who are looking to book a table. They make it quick and easy for guests to view available time slots, make reservations, and note any special requests, like dietary requirements.
For restaurants, reservation apps help to streamline the booking process, tap into a market of new customers, gain insights into guest preferences and boost marketing efforts.
However, with so many restaurant reservation apps on the market, it can take time to understand which option is best for your business. To help, we’ve compiled a list of the seven best reservation apps for restaurants.
Lets’s dive in.
7 best reservation apps for restaurants
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1. OpenTable
OpenTable is one of the largest restaurant reservation apps in the world, with over 50,000 venues using the system worldwide.
With over 31 million global users, OpenTable is often the go-to restaurant reservation app for both Aussies and international tourists visiting Australia, so it’s an excellent option for reaching a large pool of potential customers.
As well as an online booking tool that integrates with your website, OpenTable has an extensive suite of marketing and analytics tools to empower restaurants to send customised marketing campaigns and deliver personalised experiences for guests.
For restaurants with more than one location, it’s also possible to share guest data across sites and identify performance trends across your locations within one system. Plus OpenTable integrates with Lightspeed, making it easier for you to drive reservations to your restaurant. When your guests arrive, you can assign them a table number from OpenTable that will automatically sync with Lightspeed POS.
Pricing
- Core subscription: $159 per month, including reservations, table management, marketing tools, analytics, POS integrations, and more.
- Pro subscription: $299 monthly and includes everything in the Core plan plus automated emails, guest profiles, guest preferences and staff scorecards.
2. Now Book It
Now Book It offers restaurant reservations, table management, and event and gift card services.
With the Now Book It app, it’s easy for restaurants to accept and manage online table reservations through a cloud-based table management diary and booking widget. The booking widget can be added to your website, so customers can easily make a booking, and it’s fully customisable so you can tailor it to match your brand.
It’s also possible to accept online payments, such as deposits for a booking or full payment for an event. And there’s an option to sell gift cards for your restaurant directly on your website.
Pricing
While exact pricing for Now Book It is only available on request, their website states that they charge a low, flat monthly subscription with no cover fees.
3. SevenRooms
SevenRooms is a platform that specialises in providing customer data and insights tools to hospitality businesses. They also have a product suite that allows businesses to connect with customers and enhance the guest experience.
The SevenRooms online reservation system makes offering direct reservations across your website, social channels, and email marketing easy thanks to booking links, integrations and plugins.
If you have more than one venue, SevenRooms makes it possible to share reservation and customer data between locations. This means if one of your venues is fully booked, the system will automatically offer tables at nearby sister venues, keeping guests in your ecosystem and away from potential competition.
It’s also possible to accept payment online, such as reservation deposits and charging for no-shows.
SevenRooms also integrates with Lightspeed, giving you invaluable insights into your guests’ spend and empowering you to create exceptional experiences that boost profitability and repeat business.
Pricing
Pricing for Sevenrooms is only available on request via their website.
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4. Obee
Obee is an online reservations and table management system which allows you to manage your table reservations across one or more locations. If you’re full, you can also allow guests to add themselves to an online waitlist.
Obee also lets you automatically confirm reservations, email or text booking reminders to guests, and offer alternate times to fill reservation gaps. Plus, if there are no tables for walk-in guests, you can text them when a table becomes free.
Pricing
- Obee’s Standard plan: $99 per month, which includes unlimited bookings, vouchers, events, waitlist management, marketing integrations, reporting and more.
- Branded plan: $199 per month, which allows you to customise widgets, vouchers and marketing materials to your brand and includes everything from the Standard plan.
- Plus plan: $599 per month and includes everything from the Standard and Branded plans, custom analytics, reports, and on-site training.
5. Quandoo
Quandoo is a reservation system built for growth that helps you boost your online presence and take control of your reservations.
It’s quick and easy for customers to reserve a table online via your website and social media channels. You’ll then automatically receive a notification about new bookings, cancellations or modifications. Plus, it’s also possible to add walk-ins and phone reservations into the system.
Pricing
- Basic plan: no monthly subscription, a $99 setup fee and a $3.50 fee per guest per booking. The Basic plan includes the booking widget, social media integrations, automated confirmation emails for you and your guests, a profile for your restaurant on Qunadoo’s market place and more.
- Premium plan: $99 monthly subscription, a $99 setup fee and a $3.50 fee per guest per booking. This includes everything from the Basic plan plus waitlists, guest database, real-time reporting and analytics and more.
6. The Fork
The Fork, a TripAdvisor company, is an Australian and European table reservation system available in 12 countries. In Australia, the platform has over 1 million users.
With The Fork, you’ll get a restaurant profile page on their restaurant marketplace, where customers can browse and book directly on The Fork’s website. You’ll also have access to marketing tools to decrease no-shows, such as automatic email and SMS confirmations.
The Fork also runs its own loyalty program for customers that restaurants can opt to join to gain more exposure and appeal to new customers.
Pricing
Pricing for The Fork is only available on request via their website.
7. Resy
Resy offers a table management and reservation system that allows you to optimise your table bookings pre-service, during service and post-service.
Pre-service
Pre-service features streamline your reservation process, making it easy to keep track of bookings in one easy-to-use system. Features include customisable reservations, waitlists, a floorplan editor and auto-confirm texts to guests.
During service
During service, it’s easy for staff to access guest information and preferences to deliver a personalised service.
Post-service
Gain insight into what your guests thought about your venue, staff and overall experience with post-service features like guest surveys, detailed reports, analytics, and 24/7 support.
Pricing
- Basic plan: $189 monthly, including reservations, waitlist and table management, standard reporting, and 24/7 support.
- Pro plan: $299 per month and includes everything in the Basic plan, plus customisable guest messaging and post-meal guest surveys.
- Enterprise plan: $899 per month and includes everything from the Basic and Pro plans plus the option to add 10+ locations, unlimited custom reports and API access.
All plan prices are exclusive of GST.
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What to look out for when choosing a reservation app for your restaurant
Restaurants are spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing a reservation app for their restaurant. When narrowing down your options, keep the following in mind to ensure you opt for the best reservation app that suits your business needs.
- Does it integrate with your point of sale? If not, there are handy intermediary apps, like Doshii, that make integrating apps with your POS quick and easy.
- What other add-ons and features come with the system?
- Can it scale with your business?
- Are there flexible plans and pricing options?
- Is it user-friendly, and is there an option to demo the product?
With these points top of mind, picking the best restaurant reservation app for your business should be much easier. You’ll quickly reap the benefits of an efficient booking system that attracts customers, streamlines reservations and empowers you to enhance the guest experience.
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