OpenTable launched way back in 1999, initially as a restaurant management system and later as OpenTable.com, a website for making restaurant reservations online. With 31,000 restaurants around the world using its booking engine, and 15 million diners booking tables every month, it has become the standard bearer for all restaurant booking platforms.
But there are other great tools out there that are worth your consideration. Here are 7.
1. Ureserv
Cost: $60 per month
An online restaurant reservation and table management system that has been developed by a restaurant owner for restaurant owners.
Its cloud-based system offers you an easy, efficient, and affordable way to handle reservations in real-time from your website or Facebook page, but it will not help you reach a wider audience beyond them, in the way that OpenTable can.
2. Eveve
Cost: $200 per month
Perhaps OpenTable’s most direct competitor. The restaurant booking system is expanding aggressively into global markets and its cloud-based solution also facilitates table management. Try it out.
3. Bookatable
Cost: Negotiable
Listings on Bookatable will gain wider exposure for your brand: your restaurant will also be listed on local, national and international partner websites such as tastecard.co.uk.
The company is headquartered in London and has a very strong UK presence, so it could be a good option for operators based in Britain.
Cost: £40 per month
This dedicated restaurant listing resource not only helps people decide what to eat, it also shows them where to eat and how to get there.
Its price includes unlimited online bookings through your own website or favouritetable.com.
With no hidden fees, and complementary social media advertising, FavouriteTable is a newer booking engine that operators should at least take a look at.
5. Freebookings
Cost: Free
With no complicated contracts, no hidden fees and no lock-ins, Freebookings offers you a basic reservation service that will take bookings from your website.
It will not, however, provide you with advanced features such as mobile-optimised websites, advanced table management, email marketing, reporting and access to a partner marketing network to bring your restaurant more reservations. For these you will need to upgrade to a paid service.
Cost: Free
As long as you have claimed your Yelp page – and why would you not have done so? – this is a free service. It allows you to book a reservation from your Yelp business listing on either mobile, tablet or desktop computers. It also features table and wait list management services.
7. Resdiary
Cost: £49 per month
A commission-free online reservation system, which provides a booking platform and table management that is comprehensive and easy to use for both your restaurant and its guests.
Headquartered in the UK, and with a growing UK presence, Resddiary’s bookings are capped but a higher monthly fee can take you to unlimited reservations. Making it the perfect if you’re a restaurateur looking to scale quickly.
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