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Are you looking to reduce the hassle of no-shows, overbookings, or endless phone calls for table reservations at your diner or restaurant? Welcome to a new approach to restaurant management.
Software can take care of these annoying tasks in an efficient and user-friendly way.
Let's get one thing straight before moving on. We're not here to rank or play favorites.
Instead, we want to lay out our selection of awesome restaurant reservation software solutions. Each of them has a unique recipe for success.
Whether you run a cozy little bistro or a sprawling chain of eateries, you'll find a solution in this list that caters to your needs. These software can help you grow your business and enhance your restaurant’s online reputation.
Many of the brilliant companies on our shortlist offer much more than reservation systems. They might be churning out cutting-edge point-of-sale systems, AI-driven marketing tools, or even entire restaurant management suites. But today, we're putting the spotlight solely on their reservation systems.
Let's dive into the realm of restaurant reservations without further ado.
Bon appétit!
Libro
If you're searching for a restaurant reservation software that does more than just fill up tables, you’ve gotta check out Libro. This platform is all about creating a personalized dining experience for your customers.
With Libro, you can wave goodbye to pricey third-party reservation sites and take full control of your online customer experience. This fully branded system ensures you maintain a direct relationship with your diners, using data from each reservation to foster loyalty and encourage repeat customers.
Libro understands the power of Google's reach, integrating a one-click reservation feature that allows customers to book tables directly from your restaurant’s business profile on Google Search or Google Maps.
The advantages don’t stop there. Libro's network expands your digital footprint by adding your reservation button to its partner platforms. This helps you increase restaurant visibility and attract the right customers.
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One of North America's leading online reservation solutions
Libro is integrated with NiceJob to help restaurants easily automate the process of acquiring and sharing customer reviews and referrals.
Pricing
- Free trial: No
- Cost: Plans start at $115/month
Eat App
Eat App has become the go-to choice for thousands of hospitality businesses worldwide. Its flexible reservation management system allows for direct bookings and the merging of multiple booking channels - all from one tool and free of cost.
With Eat App, you can manage your reservations, walk-ins, and guests, increasing footfalls and profit via direct reservations from your website, social media, and third-party booking channels.
The software ensures everything is managed on one platform, with online reservation widgets, quick guest processing, automatic capacity optimization, direct payments, and smart table allocation. This is paired with automated messaging for a streamlined experience for both your team and your guests.
Additionally, Eat App allows quick connections to your booking channels, including Instagram, Google, your website, and TripAdvisor. This helps increase direct reservations, eliminate cover fees, and get better reviews.
Pricing
- Free trial: No
- Cost: Free plan available. Paid plans start at $34/month.
OpenTable
OpenTable is an industry standard in the world of restaurant reservation platforms. It provides a comprehensive, user-friendly, and reliable solution for establishments of all sizes. It's an all-in-one solution designed to maximize seatings, streamline operations, and set your business up for success.
OpenTable leverages its large network of diners and industry-leading tools to attract more guests when you need them, turning one-time visitors into regular customers with top-notch management tools. It enables you to serve the best hospitality possible, ensuring guests keep coming back for more.
The platform lets you manage and monetize a full range of dining experiences. OpenTable offers fast and comprehensive support available in over 240 languages 24/7. This ensures you can focus on what matters—welcoming guests and running your business.
OpenTable pricing
- Free trial: No
- Cost: Pricing plans start at $39/month
Yelp Guest Manager
Yelp Guest Manager offers dining establishments the chance to join the largest restaurant consumer network in the US. The platform provides reservations, waitlist features, and takeout features to a staggering 11,000+ restaurants.
A key advantage of Yelp Guest Manager is its ability to attract guests on both Yelp and Google. Restaurants can purchase one reservation and waitlist system and showcase their available tables to searching guests on Yelp, Google Search, and Google Maps. This dual-platform visibility increases your restaurant's exposure and leads to more bookings.
At the core of the platform is the ease of booking a table. Through its reservation, waitlist, table management, and takeout features, booking a table on Yelp or Google becomes as easy as a few clicks. This simplicity aids in seating more guests, as evident from the 433 million diners who have booked a table using Yelp Guest Manager since 2017.
Pricing
- Free trial: No
- Cost: Plans start at $99/month
TableAgent
TableAgent is unique in the realm of restaurant reservation systems because it's free. This cloud-based system allows restaurants to make, manage, and access reservations at any time from any device. This including phones and tablets, all without any monthly setup fees or software to install.
Apart from being a robust reservation platform, TableAgent also offers the option to collect upfront online payments and booking deposits, further streamlining the reservation process and mitigating the risk of no-shows.
TableAgent is a secure system that enjoys global popularity, with millions of reservations and thousands of users around the world. They include traditional restaurants, bars, wineries, breweries, farms, schools, retirement communities, churches, and special ticketed events.
Pricing
- Free trial: NA
- Cost: Free. Paid add-ons are available
Eveve
Eveve is a leading name in the global restaurant reservation software industry, one that provides a robust, comprehensive, and user-friendly system. It has gained the trust of some of the world's busiest restaurants and handles more than seven million online bookings annually. Eveve's goal is to increase your profits by enabling you to accept more reservations, seat more diners, and turn casual diners into regular patrons.
Starting in 2007, Eveve has made significant strides in restaurant reservations to become the largest independently owned reservation supplier worldwide. It has seated more than 20 million online diners and supports over 2,000 smaller restaurants across 24 countries, maximizing their reservations and revenue.
Despite being originally founded in the UK, Eveve has found its largest market in the USA, where it manages more than four million online diners per year across restaurants in 27 states.
What sets Eveve apart are its available features and comprehensive support system. The platform offers the most sophisticated tools to prevent over and underusing tables, thus maximizing your profits. All clients are assigned a designated account manager to ensure they reap the full benefits of the booking system.
Pricing
- Free trial: No
- Cost: Custom quote
Tablein
Tablein is an innovative restaurant reservation system that aims to streamline your daily operations by automating tasks such as email replies, social media chats, and phone calls. The platform allows your guests to book a table online 24/7, taking the pressure off your team and offering convenience to your customers.
By accepting table reservations online and round the clock, Tablein not only helps you save time but also expands your client database. This enhanced accessibility is a game-changer in the restaurant business, providing a competitive edge and making your clients feel more comfortable.
A standout feature of Tablein is its real-time availability check. When a client books a table online, Tablein checks availability in real-time and assigns a table automatically. This eliminates any chances of overbooking and ensures a smooth experience for your guests.
Pricing
- Free trial: 14-day free trial
- Cost: Plans start at $99/month
simpleERB
simpleERB is an intuitive electronic reservation book designed with simplicity in mind. This comprehensive restaurant diary and booking management system makes booking guests, managing stay times, setting up sittings, implementing socially distanced table plans, and taking payments effortlessly. It's your one-stop solution to securing credit card holds, ending no-shows, and handling several other restaurant management tasks.
The user-friendly platform is free to start and offers affordable packages with a monthly contract and no lock-in policy. The flexible model allows you to pause your plan and restart it anytime. Whether your business is scaling up or down, you can modify your plan according to your needs.
Using simpleERB is a breeze - it works on any PC, Mac, or iPad without the need for special hardware. It takes 30 minutes to get started and offers unlimited tables, areas, devices, and users, with the added convenience of a drag-and-drop reservation move. You can also use simpleERB to monitor your restaurant remotely and live.
Pricing
- Free trial: 250-cover free trial.
- Cost: Plans start at $23.48/month.
Hostme
Hostme is a world-class table reservation system that ensures restaurants never miss a booking. You can accept online reservations from your website or the Hostme reservation site.
Hostme's Waitlist Management allows guests to queue up online. This waitlist software eliminates the cost of pagers. Besides it improves the guest experience by notifying them via text whenever their table is ready.
The platform covers 47 countries and is translated into nine languages. Hostme helps restaurants seat more than three million guests every month. This shows its reliability and effectiveness.
Pricing
- Free trial: 14-day free trial. No credit card required.
- Cost: Plans start at $59/month
How Birdhouse Wingerie & Bar Gained 300% More Reviews in One Month with NiceJob
See case study
Restaurant reservation system: important things to look out for
Choosing the right restaurant reservation system can enhance your customer experience. Here are some key factors to consider when selecting an online reservation software for your establishment.
1. Easy-to-Use Interface
The reservation system should be easy for both your staff and customers to use. For customers, the booking process should be straightforward and quick, requiring only a few clicks to complete. For staff, the backend system should be intuitive, allowing them to manage, monitor, and accept reservations.
2. Real-time availability and automated table management system
One of the most important features to look for is real-time availability. The software should automatically update available slots as soon as a booking is made, reducing the risk of overbooking. Likewise, the system should manage bookings, cancellations, and alterations.
3. Customer database and personalization
The system should allow restaurants to collect and manage customer data, including their contact information, preferences, and reservation history. Such guest management tools enable restaurants to personalize customer experiences. This makes your guests feel valued and more likely to return.
4. Integration with other platforms
A good online reservation system should be able to integrate with the restaurant website and social media channels. Integration makes it easier for potential customers to make reservations, regardless of the platform they are using.
5. No-show and late cancellation management
Your chosen reservations management software should offer ways to reduce no-shows and late cancellations. That could include features like reservation deposits, automated reminders, and clear cancellation policies.
6. Analytics and reporting
Finally, having access to guest data, insights, analytics, and reports can help you understand customer behavior and service preferences. This information can be valuable in making strategic decisions for your restaurant.
Having a reservation system is a step in the right direction. However, managing your restaurant's online reputation is equally important. This is where NiceJob can help.
NiceJob is a reputation marketing platform designed to help businesses collect more online reviews. It automates the process of requesting reviews from customers, making it easier than ever to build a strong online reputation.
Remember, good reviews can boost your restaurant's visibility online. This helps you attract new customers and increase your revenue. Try NiceJob today with a 14-day free trial, no credit card required!
