Restaurant booking system: 10 questions before you choose

In short: Before choosing a booking system, decide two things: whether you need a marketplace that brings you new guests or your own system for the bookings you already get, and what it will cost in total, not just the subscription. The 10 questions below help you compare any provider on the same criteria.

Marketplace or your own booking system?

There are two different approaches, and many venues use both:

• Booking marketplace: a platform where guests look for where to eat. It brings you new guests, but usually with a fee per booking or per person, and the guest "belongs" to the platform first.
• Your own booking system: the tool you use to manage all your bookings, from the phone, your website, Instagram and Google. It organises the guests who already look for you.

The questions below are mainly about the second, but most apply to both.

The 10 questions

1. Is there a commission on bookings from my own website? This is the question most often forgotten. Ask separately for each channel: website, booking form on another site, Google link, phone, walk-in. A booking from your own guest, through your own channel, shouldn't cost you a commission.
2. Can I enter phone bookings and walk-ins in the same place? If phone bookings stay on paper and online bookings in the system, availability is never right. All bookings should be in one place.
3. Can I set up my floor plan and assign bookings to tables? For restaurants with many tables, indoor and terrace, a floor plan and table assignment make the difference at peak times. Ask whether you can join tables for large groups and move a booking to another table.
4. Can guests book from Google? Many guests find you on Google Maps. Ask whether you can add a booking link to your Google Business Profile and whether bookings from there are charged.
5. Does it work in Greek? For your staff, but also for the guest who books. Ask about support in Greek too, and when it is available.
6. Can I take my guest data with me? Your guest list is one of a restaurant's most valuable assets. Ask whether you can export it (e.g. to Excel) and import your existing list from another system.
7. How do deposits work? If you want deposits on busy days, ask where the money goes, who takes a commission and what the payment provider charges.
8. Can I manage bookings from my phone? Bookings arrive even when you're not at the venue. Ask whether there is an app and notifications for every new booking.
9. What is the total cost? Add up subscription, commissions per channel, extras (e.g. messages, deposits) and any setup fee. A cheap plan with commissions can cost more than a pricier one without.
10. What commitment is there and how do I cancel? Monthly or annual subscription, contract length, cancellation terms. Ask for them in writing.

Tip: ask for a demo with your own floor plan and a real Saturday-night scenario. See how quickly you can enter a phone booking, move a group and find a free table.

How WellBooked answers the 10 questions

1. Commission on bookings from your site: No. Bookings from your website, booking form and Google link carry no commission. A per-guest commission applies only to completed bookings that come from WellBooked Social.
2. Phone and walk-ins: Yes, they are entered in the system and update availability (Pro).
3. Floor plan and tables: Yes: floor plan per area, table assignment, moving bookings, one booking on multiple tables, alternative suggestions when nothing is available (Pro).
4. Google: Booking link for your Google Business Profile, with no commission (Standard).
5. Greek: Greek platform; the WellBooked Manager app works in Greek and English.
6. Guest data: One guest database from online, phone and walk-in bookings, with Excel export and import from another system (Pro).
7. Deposits: Through your own Stripe account, with an amount per person and the weekdays you choose. WellBooked takes no commission; Stripe fees apply (Pro).
8. Mobile: WellBooked Manager app with notifications for every new booking.
9. Cost: Free €0 · Standard €19/month + VAT (€180/year) · Pro €49/month + VAT (€468/year). On the monthly Standard and Pro subscription, the first subscription month is free.
10. Commitment: Monthly or annual subscription. You can cancel at any time: it stays active until the end of the period you've already paid for and then ends. The digital tools (website, digital menu, Link Hub, etc.) work while the subscription is active.