The best booking platforms during Covid-19

As the newly introduced 10pm curfew takes hold, managing queues and capacity has proven increasingly challenging for bars and restaurants. While some have chosen to remain true to their walk-ins only policy, others have turned to booking tech to help them abide by the ever-changing Covid rules and regulations.

But, with such a saturated market, and so many jumping on the hospitality tech bandwagon, how can you choose one that’s both effective and good value for money? To help you find the right one for you, this week, we turn the attention of our review series to online booking platforms. 

Let’s get into it…

Open table

Open table are one of the big dogs of the booking platform world, and with significant customer reach, they’re widely viewed as a reliable way to book, a key factor to consider when choosing a provider. They’re currently running their open door programme in response to Covid19, which includes impressive price cuts and an enhanced restaurant management system.

👍 

• Reach of over 31 million diners per month and access to global diner network
• Customisable website widget
• SMS/email communication
• Some fees waived
• Reputation management 

👎 

• Open table has an effective customer feedback tool, but this means that any negative reviews have a very large, a very public audience. With consumer patience and consideration to be at what appears to be an all time low (apparently people have forgotten how to behave during lockdown) it may be one to watch out for. 

💰

Open table offers various packages starting at £39 month-to-month, but their open door scheme promises no subscription fees until 31st March and no cover fees until the end of 2020. 

Would we recommend it? ✔️ 

Resy 

Resy has seriously set the bar when it comes to Covid19 relief, waiving 100% of fees for existing restaurants and new sign ups while encouraging other providers to do the same, just as we did. With an automated capacity monitoring system and mobile waitlist, it’s the ultimate choice for reducing crowding and maintaining distancing. 

👍

• Guest bios, birthdays, allergies and dietary restrictions are included which we think adds a really nice touch 
• Data and insights to maximize covers and revenue (super important in the current climate)
• Automated capacity monitor 
• Mobile waitlist so guests can queue remotely 

👎 

• Resy offers some great features but you may find yourself having to upgrade or spend a little more to access all of them. Prices start on the higher end of the scale at £133 per month.
• You also can’t list your restaurant on their booking platform without using their reservation system 

💰

Free until 2021

Would we recommend it? ✔️(but watch out for the hefty from 2021)

ResDiary 

Resdiary is another platform committed to helping restaurants navigate Covid19, they’ve waived certain fees and have also introduced new tools for social distancing and an online order and takeaway integration. 

👍

• Bespoke widgets and email communications
• No booking commissions
• Online payments and Pre orders
• Option to book a demo before signing up 
• 200 million diners each year

👎 

• We couldn’t find anything that really sets Resdiary apart from the crowd, but there’s a lot to be said for a reliable, robust platform that does the job 
• Quarterly contracts mean they take large chunks of money and you’ll also have to cover a £99 set up charge

💰

Prices start at £89 and run through to £245 per month

Would we recommend it? ✔️It’s got the potential to get expensive, but we like what ResDiary has to offer.

Quandoo

Qaundoo market themselves as a product to optimize restaurants operations and visibility and ‘elevate’ dining. This sounds great – but we’d really like some specifics to get our teeth into. For us, it’s all about bang for your buck, and after a couple of minutes on their website, it still wasn’t clear. 

👍

• Direct bookings through social media
• SEO and social advertising support
• Interactive table management 
• Free basic package 

👎 

• Nothing in terms of Covid19 support 
• Prices aren’t advertised
• Potentially time consuming to set up 
• Enquiry needed – very little info upfront 

💰

As we didn’t fancy booking a demo, we couldn’t tell you!

Would we recommend it? ❌ In the current climate, transparency is key so we don’t love the fact you have to request a demo for prices and packages. 

Favourite Table 

Favourite Table are all about flexibility (that’s already a tick from us) offering unlimited booking for a fixed monthly rate. It’s quick to set up and aims to provide an all-encompassing service. 

👍

• Capacity management 
• 10 minute set up 
• Review management 
• Waiting lists
• Facebook Integration
• Booking rules 

👎 

• Nothing specifically tailored to Covid19, but plenty of features that would help
• £50 one-off set up charge

💰

£69 per month regardless of usage

Would we recommend it? ✔️fixed fees remove any chance of unexpected cost, which is super important at a time where every little counts, so we’ll let them off for the set up charge.

What booking platform do you use? Do you agree with our reviews? Let us know

Emily Attwood

Emily Attwood is a limber content creator and social media manager, also studying English Literature. Between that, you might find her writing for news site, 'The Tab', or taking on powerful thought pieces for 'Culcher Magazine'. She's an upcoming writer, ready to make waves and certainly one to watch.