13 Best Online Restaurant Reservation Systems (Reviewed) (2024)

Today's guests have a few expectations when booking a table.

Not only do they want a seamless experience from the beginning of their reservation to its end with as few interactions as possible, but they also expect real-time waitlists, reviews and recommendations from other guests, and an option to make their preferences known.

Using an online reservation system or restaurant reservation software gives customers the freedom to make a booking whenever they like without having to call you. This system helps manage table bookings efficiently and integrates seamlessly with the restaurant's website.

The best restaurant reservation systems

A quick search on Google reveals there are several restaurant reservation systems in existence. How do you know which one is right for your restaurant? What are some popular options in the restaurant management space?

To help you discover the right reservation system for you, I've reviewed the top 13 best online restaurant reservation systems and put together an in-depth analysis of each.

Explore the options below:

1. Resy

2. Eat App

3. Tock

4. OpenTable

5. Yelp Reservations

6. Table Agent

7. Tablein

8. ResOS

9. Sevenrooms

10. Servme

11. The Fork

12. Resdairy

13. Toast Tables

Resy

Resy is a versatile restaurant management tool designed to streamline reservations and improve guest experiences.

Resy pros

• Waitlist, reservations, mobile bookings, POS integration, and table management.
• Custom floor plans for bar seats, dining rooms, and patios.
• Two-way text for guest cancellations, confirmations, and delays.
• Share guest notes and preferences across devices.
• Guests input details, birthdays, and allergies via the Resy app.
• Integrates with Facebook, Trip Advisor, Airbnb, etc.

Resy cons

• The dining network is small with limited marketing help, making it less suitable for new restaurants without regular customers.

• Resy curates the restaurants it displays, so not all restaurants are visible to users. Your restaurant might not be featured even if you use their software.

• The discovery app for diners is only available in major cities.

• Customizable guest messaging, post-meal guest surveys, and POS integration are not included in the basic plan and can become expensive.

• You don't own your guest data.

Resy pricing

Resy offers three pricing tiers: Platform, Platform 360, and Full Stack.

Starting at $189 per month and POS integration, the Platform tier offers unlimited users, devices, and covers.

The Platform 360 tier costs $399 per month and offers extra features for branding and hospitality, including customizable guest messaging and a data and analytics package.

The Full Stack starts at $899 per month, offering features like high-volume network configuration and API access for restaurants looking for enterprise scale.

Note: For ticketed events, Resy charges a 3% fee from Platform users, which goes down to 2% for those upgrading to or investing in the Platform 360 or Full Stack plan.

What makes Resy different?

Resy stands out as the trendy newcomer with fantastic branding, especially in major cities. It doesn’t have network or cover fees, but its flat rate is on the pricier side—especially if you're looking to unlock all the features with the Platform 360 plan.

Eat App

Eat App is a cloud-based, cross-platform (you can use it on iPads, Desktops, and mobile phones), and a simple-to-use restaurant reservation system.

Eat App pros

• Manage staff, bookings, and guest experiences all in one spot.
• Use automated emails to encourage return visits.
• Reduce no-shows and cancellations
• Manage your waitlist at the door or online
• Utilize reports to identify trends and boost profits.
• Access excellent 24/7 customer support.
• Seamlessly integrate with popular POS systems.
• Connect with guests through SMS and two-way WhatsApp messaging.
• Gain insights into guest preferences with detailed profiles.
• Boost revenue with event ticket sales and pre-order options.
• Send booking confirmations via SMS and email.
• Integrate social media channels for direct bookings.
• Fully customize your booking widget to fit your brand.

Eat App cons

• These features are only available for Eat App customers.

Want to explore what Eat App has to offer? Book a free Eat App consultation to learn more.

Eat App pricing

Eat App offers simple pricing for their restaurant reservation system:

Free Plan - $0/month: Basic table management, access to online booking channels, and 30 cover limit.

Starter Plan - $49/month: Full table management, access to online booking channels, automated messaging, 300 cover limit, and 25 free SMS monthly.

Basic Plan - $129/month: Full table management, access to online booking channels, simple reports, guest surveys, automated messages, unlimited Covers, and 100 free SMS monthly.

Pro Plan - $229/month: Everything in the basic plan, 300 free SMS monthly, CRM and guest database, reporting and analytics, customizable design and messaging, auto guest tagging, and marketing campaigns.

For a fully integrated reservation system and table management with unlimited covers go for the $129/month plan or if you want more advanced restaurant management with rich analytics and full guest CRM the $229 plan is perfect.

If you need help deciding which Eat App plan is right for you, take the quiz.

What makes Eat App different?

Tock is a table management system that aims at improving restaurant revenue by reducing no-shows through a ticketing system that allows restaurants to take table reservation deposits and prepayments.

Tock pros

• Auto-notifications and waitlists allow you to fill last-minute cancellations.
• Pre-visit questionnaires prepare you for preferences.
• Comes with an offline mode that keeps restaurants up and running.
• Tock offers guest notes, tags, and social media integration.

Tock cons

• Tock needs you to use your own devices for access and management, but it works with any laptop, iPad, or smartphone.
• Add-on fees for events and takeout can cost 2-3% per transaction.
• Capacity and shift management are not included features.
• Tock, like OpenTable, is a marketplace reservations system, but with a smaller diner network.

Tock pricing

Tock is available in three plans: Intro, Plus, and Pro.

Intro is a free monthly plan with a 3% prepaid fee. It's geared toward pop-ups and prepaid culinary events that don't need table management software.

The Plus plan starts at $249 per month with a 2% prepaid fee. It offers a complete table management and reservation system, including prepaid experiences like a chef's counter or tasting menus.

The Pro plan starts at $749 per month. It's ideal for high volume or chef-driven restaurants, offering full features and 0% prepaid reservation fees.

What makes Tock different?

Tock introduced an innovative reservation model where restaurants take deposits upon booking, which is ideal for fine dining or unique culinary experiences like tasting menus and chef’s dinners.

While Tock still emphasizes deposit-based and prepaid reservations, it has now expanded to include all types of reservations, as well as takeout and events.

OpenTable

OpenTable offers table reservation software to organize shift summaries, automate reminders, optimize turn times, and more. Customers can see real-time availability and book tables online through your website.

Table categories increase covers by allowing bookings for the patio, bar, and other areas. It saves customer details, such as guest history and visit notes, for personalized service.

OpenTable also integrates with other platforms and provides access to 31 million diners to help fill more seats and manage reservations effectively.

OpenTable pros

• Guests can see your available bookings anytime via the app.
• Show off your restaurant with photos, menus, and safety info.
• Buy a boost to make your restaurant more visible on the app.
• Confirm reservations with guests via text messages.
• Core and Pro packages offer data collection and performance visualization.

OpenTable cons

• OpenTable leads the industry, so there's a lot of competition for visibility.
• Bigger restaurants that can pay for more visibility tend to do better than smaller ones.

OpenTable pricing

OpenTable offers a three-tiered system starting with the basic which gives you access to OpenTable's dining network for $39/month and a per-cover charge of $1.50.

The Core package offers basic table management and waitlist features for $249 and a per-cover charge of $1.

The full stack, priced at $449/month gives you access to all of OpenTable's extensive table management systems, with a per-cover charge of $1.

How is OpenTable different?

OpenTable is the largest and original reservations marketplace, offering broad exposure to a wider audience. However, this exposure comes with a cost, as restaurants pay a fee per network cover for reservations. While the marketplace can attract new customers, it can be less appealing when you also pay for returning guests.

Yelp Reservations

Yelp's reservation software has the standard features you would expect that enable you to reach more diners, give accurate wait times, assign servers, and accept bookings on your Yelp business page.

When it comes to booking, Yelp lets your prospective customers check availability and reserve places in just a couple of taps, directly from your Yelp page.

In addition, you can set up a booking widget to accept online reservations from your restaurant website. Special configurations allow you to keep track of your floor and service activity from any device, any place in the world to save time.

If you're already active on Yelp, this reservation system might be just what you need to turn your activity and presence into a profit.

Yelp pros

• Add your restaurant booking system to Yelp’s well-known business listing.
• Talk to guests via text messages.
• Promote your restaurant to Yelp’s large number of users.
• Manage your restaurant’s seating with Yelp’s Guest Manager.
• Give iPads to customers to manage their Yelp bookings.

Yelp cons

• Lacks advanced insights for managing guests and optimizing seating.
• Offers weaker marketing support compared to competitors.
• You must compete for attention with other restaurants and businesses on Yelp.

Yelp pricing

Yelp charges a flat rate of $249 per month with no cover fees, setup fees, or web access fees. The iPad is included in the cost. Features include two-way diner messaging, table management, and waitlist management capabilities.

Table Agent

Table Agent aims to help restaurants save as much money as possible by offering an affordable and easy-to-use table reservation system.

Table Agent pros

• Cost-effective restaurant reservation system.
• Accessible via the web.
• Simple, list-based approach for managing reservations.
• Digital version of a traditional reservation record book.
• Online booking widget for reservations.
• Ideal for organizing reservations with a straightforward system.

Table Agent cons

• TableAgent doesn't have a marketplace to feature your restaurant.
• TableAgent offers limited customer support.

Table Agent pricing

Table Agent offers a free-of-cost system without any monthly subscription or cover fee for the basic features.

However, for more advanced functionality, you will have to subscribe to add-ons at an added cost. For example, per transaction fee is priced at $1 or $29 for an unlimited per-month package, and SMS packages start at $20.

Tablein

Tablein provides smaller restaurants with modern capabilities to attract customers, optimize guest capacity, control kitchen staff's workload, and more.

Tablein pros

• Automatically allocates tables and manages guest turnover.
• Displays reservations on an interactive calendar or plan.
• Sends reminders to guests, reducing no-shows.
• Includes marketing features to fill empty hours and list special events.
• Increases restaurant sales.
• Ideal for small restaurants needing a basic booking tool.

Tablein cons

• Fewer features than some competitors.
• May not be best for very large places needing comprehensive management tools.

Tablein pricing

Tablein offers a free trial with free installation and live support, and two pricing plans: Standard & Premium.

The Standard plan starts at $75 per month and includes 150 bookings per month, with a $0.25 charge for each additional booking.

The Premium plan costs $115 per month and includes unlimited bookings and free installation, live support, and updates.

ResOS

ResOS is a cloud-based restaurant reservation system that offers a range of features to streamline your operations and improve guest experiences.

ResOS pros

• Allows you to set up and customize your restaurant's floor plan.
• Helps manage different party sizes efficiently.
• Enables tracking of table availability in real-time.
• Integrates with your website and social media profiles.
• Integrates with your POS system for streamlined operations.
• Allows for phone integration to manage bookings and customer interactions.
• Facilitates payment processing directly through the system.
• Gathers detailed guest data to improve service and marketing.
• Provides tools for targeted marketing based on guest data.

ResOS cons

• The initial setup of the system might be complex and time-consuming.
• Integration and advanced features can come at a higher cost.
• Staff may require training to use all the features effectively.
• Potential for technical issues or downtime, affecting operations.
• Requires a stable internet connection for optimal performance.
• Availability and quality of customer support can vary.

ResOS pricing

The ResOs unlimited tier which has all the basics for managing reservations starts at $95 per month.

Sevenrooms

Sevenrooms is a reservation and guest management platform designed to elevate restaurant operations. Sevenrooms enables you to optimize table assignments, manage reservations, and maintain a detailed guest database.

Sevenrooms pros

• Provides a mobile app for on-the-go management, allowing you to monitor and make adjustments to bookings and waitlists in real-time.
• Its integration with various platforms like Facebook and TripAdvisor helps you reach a broader audience and boost reservations.
• Good for capturing detailed customer data.
• Integrates well with various POS systems.

Sevenrooms cons

• Can be complex to navigate, especially during setup.
• Occasional glitches and some integration issues.
• No free version is available.
• Not the standard in the industry, which may lead to unfamiliarity and lost reservations.

Sevenrooms pricing

Pricing for Sevenroom varies depending on your specific restaurant type and team needs - but if you're looking for table management, reservation management, and basic integrations, it will set your restaurant back $700 per month.

What makes Sevenrooms different?

SevenRooms is a compelling option for restaurants seeking a data-driven approach to customer experience and marketing. The flat fee structure provides budget certainty, and additional features like integrated ordering can be valuable. However, if brand recognition for customer discovery is a top priority, or if back-of-house optimization is critical, exploring other options alongside SevenRooms might be wise.

Servme

Servme is a restaurant reservation system that offers an array of features to streamline the guest management processes. Servme assists you in managing reservations, optimizing table assignments, and providing excellent customer service.

Their platform facilitates direct communication between your restaurant and guests, enabling them to book tables seamlessly from your website or social media pages. Servme also offers waitlist management, ensuring that you can fill cancellations efficiently.

Pros

• User-friendly reservation and table management accessible across devices.
• Integrates with social media for direct reservations.
• Features marketing tools and CRM for personalized guest experiences.
• Allows pre-payments to reduce no-shows.

Cons

• Some users might find the features limited compared to larger, more established competitors.

Servme Pricing

Pricing for Servme is not publicized but we estimate a standard package to cost around $300 per month per restaurant.

The Fork

The Fork is an online table reservation system that improves your restaurant's visibility and makes guest bookings easier.

The Fork pros

• User-friendly interface allows diners to discover your restaurant, check availability, and make reservations online.
• Integration with platforms like TripAdvisor and Google expands your reach, while the booking widget enables direct online reservations.
• Provides guest management tools.
• A detailed customer database.
• Reporting features to track table reservation trends.

The Fork cons

• Charges commissions, reducing restaurant earnings.
• This can impact profitability due to fees.

The Fork pricing

Pricing for The Fork can vary depending on your restaurant's location and specific needs, but if your restaurant is located in the UK for example, you'll be spending $178 per month for The Fork's pro plan. In addition to the monthly subscription fee, The Fork also charges on a per-cover basis.

What makes The Fork different?

The Fork is a great option if you prioritize increased visibility and customer acquisition. However, if you're on a tight budget or need a system focused on streamlining internal operations, it might be worth exploring other options.

Resdiary

ResDiary is a user-friendly restaurant reservation and table management system that optimizes guest handling and streamline operations while in restaurants.

ResDiary's unique feature is its channel management capabilities, allowing you to connect with various online booking platforms and increase your restaurant's visibility across different channels. This feature ensures your restaurant can reach a broader audience and drive more reservations.

Resdiary offers customizable messaging and communication tools, as well as reporting and analytics features for data-driven business decisions to enhance client and guest satisfaction and revenue.

Pros

• Effective booking management and table handling.
• Automation and customization features streamline the booking process.
• Flat-fee pricing model offers good value.
• Includes email marketing tools for customer relations and event promotion.

Cons

• A complicated software interface leads to user frustration.
• Lack of effective customer support after initial setup.
• Limited flexibility in customization tools.

ResDiary Pricing

ResDiary offers three pricing options for restaurants.

ResDiary Connect will cost $89 per month and includes 150 free bookings, ResDiary Express will cost $139 per month and include 500 free bookings, and ResDiary Pro will cost $189 per month and include unlimited bookings per month.

Restaurants will also need to pay a $129 setup fee when proceeding with ResDiary. To get the full benefits of ResDiary at your restaurant, they offer a host of add-ons which will cost an average of $45 per month per add-on.

Toast Tables is a highly efficient table reservation and guest management system that seamlessly integrates with your restaurant's operations. With its intuitive interface, Toast Tables provides a wide range of features including advanced table management, efficient reservation handling, and effective communication with guests.

One of Toast Tables' highlights is its integration with the Toast POS system, creating a cohesive experience for both your front-of-house and back-of-house teams. This integration ensures accurate order information and personalized service based on guest preferences.

Toast Tables also offers waitlist management and online booking capabilities, allowing diners to easily reserve tables from your restaurant, website, or social media account profiles. Additionally, its reporting and analytics tools provide insights into reservation trends and guest behavior.

Pros

• Quick setup.
• Automatically updates table status.
• Manages server rotations and waitlist status.
• Creates guest profiles and supports 2-way SMS.
• Allows loyalty sign-ups and data-driven marketing.
• Imports floor plans.
• Compatible with iOS 12 and Android 11 or later.
• Provides accurate wait times.
• Specifically designed for restaurants.

Cons

• Limited compatibility with non-Toast systems.
• Extra costs for advanced features.
• Reliance on internet connection.
• Fewer customization options.
• Staff will need time to learn how to use it.

Toast Tables Pricing

Unlimited access to Toast Tables will cost $199 per month per restaurant.

How we chose these restaurant reservation systems

To create this review we had a look at each restaurant reservation system in this list by signing up for each product, (where possible) and assessing the ease of use and the available features.

We also looked at current reviews on sites like G2, as well as reviewed the pricing pages of each site to get up-to-date information on the price of each service.

To help get you and your team started, let’s first establish the criteria we used to evaluate the best online restaurant reservation systems.

As you do your research, there are some key considerations to look at to ensure that you’re getting your dollars’ worth when choosing a restaurant reservation system. Finding the best restaurant reservation software is crucial for meeting specific business needs amidst a variety of options available in the market.

Selecting the best restaurant reservation app is important for any restaurant owner. It's crucial to compare features and suitability for different types of restaurants, including high-end restaurants and wineries that may benefit from features like prepaid reservations. Platforms like Tock and OpenTable stand out for their ability to cater to high-volume restaurants with extensive features, integrations, and digital marketing solutions.

Features

Is the restaurant reservation system intuitive and easy to use? Does it help reduce no-shows through features like SMS notifications, emails, push notifications, and tags for previous no-show guests? Does it offer bookingwidgets to help increase your online restaurant reservations too?

Does it help you manage capacity by offering table management, customer service, and waitlisting features?

Does the restaurant reservation system streamline your front-of-house operations? Can it manage walk-ins as easily as it manages online reservations?

Cost

While cost shouldn't be the only thing you're considering, you might find that two or three of the best online restaurant reservation software are so similar that price will be the defining consideration.

Make sure there are no hidden or exorbitant fees, like installation, setup, restaurant reservation, or SMS fees. This is especially true for restaurants with high numbers of reservations.

The takeaway