Reservations and waitlists

Reservation systems decide how a dining room fills. They take bookings from the restaurant's website, Google, social profiles and the platform's own app, place guests on a floor plan, run the waitlist on a busy night and send confirmation and reminder texts that cut no-shows.

The bigger difference between them is the guest data. Every booking builds a record of visits, party size, spend if the system connects to your POS, and notes such as allergies and anniversaries. Some platforms treat that as the restaurant's data to use in its own marketing. Others keep diners inside their own network and app, which brings new guests but makes the relationship partly theirs.

Look at how fees work. Some charge a flat subscription, some add charges per cover booked through their network, and prepaid experiences and deposits may carry payment fees. Ask about deposits and card holds for large parties, how cancellations and no-show fees are handled, and what you can export if you move.

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4 AI restaurant tools in reservations and waitlists

OpenTable

Reservation network and table management system, with guest profiles, waitlists and bookings from the OpenTable app and site.

  • Mobile app

Resy

by American Express

Reservation platform and app owned by American Express, with table management, waitlists and booking notifications for restaurants.

  • Mobile app

Tock

by American Express

Reservations, prepaid experiences, events and takeout ordering for restaurants and wineries, part of American Express.

SevenRooms

Guest experience platform for reservations, waitlists, guest profiles, direct ordering and marketing, used by restaurants and hotels.

Match the system to how you seat. A small neighborhood restaurant that turns most tables from walk-ins mainly needs a good waitlist that texts guests when their table is ready. A tasting-menu restaurant with two seatings a night needs deposits, prepaid tickets and firm cancellation rules. A busy group with several venues needs guest profiles shared across locations so a regular is recognized wherever they book.

Ask how the system handles large parties, private dining inquiries and bar seating, and whether hosts can override the floor plan quickly on a busy night.

Questions about reservations and waitlists

Do I pay per reservation?

It depends on the platform and the channel. OpenTable has charged for some network bookings on top of a subscription, while other systems price by plan. Ask for the fee on each channel: your own website, Google, and the platform's own app.

Can I take deposits or prepayments?

Yes, most systems here support card holds, deposits or prepaid tickets. Tock was built around prepaid experiences and events, and SevenRooms and Resy support deposits for certain tables or dates. Check how refunds and no-show charges are handled.

Who owns the guest data in a reservation system?

Read the terms. Platforms that run a diner app often limit how you can use the contacts of guests who found you there. SevenRooms markets itself on the restaurant owning the guest data. Ask what you can export and use for your own email or text marketing.

Do reservation systems connect to the POS?

Many do, which lets guest profiles show spend and favorite dishes. Ask which POS systems are supported for your platform and whether the connection updates in real time or once a day.

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