Anyone in hospo would agree – your restaurant’s tables are your most valuable asset. To truly maximise your venue’s potential, it’s essential to understand how to get the most out of every seat.
In this blog, we’ll put all there is to know about table management on the – that’s right – table. From the best restaurant table management systems to optimal seating strategies and analytics, we explore why managing tables seamlessly is vital to your venue’s success.
Let’s get stuck in.
What is restaurant table management?
Restaurant table management is essentially the strategies and systems used to optimise the seating and reservation process in a venue. It involves efficiently managing tables to maximise occupancy, minimise wait times, and enhance the overall dining experience for customers.
When we think about restaurant table management, there are several things to consider:
Restaurant table management systems: Digital solutions that allow guests to book tables in advance, allowing your venue to plan seating ahead of time and reduce no-shows.
Booking diary: A booking diary allows you to assign reservations to tables and view it across different service days, times and sections in your venue. Now Book It comes with a simple-to-use diary and run sheet. This means you can not only ditch the clunky pen-and-paper reservations, but also provide your team with a real-time preview of what the upcoming service will look like.
Floor plan and layouts: Table management platforms might also include floor plans to set up, edit and visualise tables and sections. These can mirror your restaurant’s actual layout for ease of managing tables with a bird’s eye-view.
Seating arrangements: Strategically organising tables to accommodate different group sizes and maximise covers.
Real-time table availability: Keeping track of live table availability and turnover rates can help your venue better manage flow and reduce wait times.
Table booking data & analytics: Collecting data and analysing these to identify patterns in customer behaviour, peak booking times, and service covers can help you make informed decisions about staffing, resources and seating plans.
Walk-in management: Aside from reservations, table management also needs to take walk-ins into account. With Now Book It, your team has a quick view of live table availability and booking schedules to ensure walk-in covers are easy to slot in.
Benefits of table management for restaurants
Effective table management not only improves operational efficiency but also improves customer satisfaction, leading to increased loyalty and more revenue.
1. Increased covers and revenue
Managing reservations and walk-ins with strategic table management allows your restaurant to optimise table usage and occupancy. With table turnovers in the hands of your trusted table management system, you and your staff can focus on seating more guests and serving them better, boosting overall sales.
In a Now Book It venue example, the team observed that on average, 2-tops generated $69 per table while 4-tops brought in $113 per table. By deciding to seat two tables of two on the same tables, the restaurant maximised on their potential of an additional 39% in revenue.
2. Reduced wait times and better customer experience
Think about smart table management as your strategy to reduce wait times. With a shortcut command of your venue’s tables and availability, your team can seat customers quicker, improving their overall dining experience. Plus, a well-managed table management system gives you the information to accommodate customer preferences and special requests using customisable booking tags and notes.
Now Book It’s table management system also comes with automated customer communication, helping to keep guests informed about their reservations.
Streamlined efficiency and happier staff
The cost of hiring is increasing and will likely continue to do so in the future, with the labour landscape constantly evolving. Automated table management systems reduce the need for manual processes, allowing your staff to focus on what really matters to them (service and people!) rather than administrative work. Systems that integrate with your existing restaurant management software is also key, as these allow your team to work from one platform.
With a clear view of table assignments and reservations, you can also better allocate staff during busy times, ensuring efficient service and happier staff. In fact, hospitality operators that leverage the right tech in the workplace are seen as competitive and more appreciated by employees.
4. Customisation and flexibility
In cases of unexpected changes, such as no-shows or larger-than-expected groups, a flexible table management system allows for quick adjustments to seating plans. Effective table management also ensures that you’re able to customise bookings and walk-ins to your needs.
Forget trying to turn over tables in a rush or running to the back to check if sections are open. The right systems allow you to set booking intervals and open sections on the fly to keep table occupancy smoother than ever.
5. Data collection
Imagine having detailed insights like what your customers order most, your average ticket size, peak hours for bookings, and more. In today’s digital dining world, data collection is vital for venues.
Table management systems empower you to collect and organise your customers’ data in an actionable way, enabling informed decision-making. Whether it’s upselling a party’s most ordered dish or recommending a bottle of wine for a celebration, there’s so much you can do with data to improve guests’ experience while maximising revenue.
What type of hospitality venues need table management?
Table management is essential for venues to ensure operational efficiency and support both staff and customers.
Restaurants, cafes and coffeeshops, pubs, clubs and bars, wineries and breweries, multi-venue hotels and restaurant groups are among hospitality businesses that should employ table management systems.
Quick tips for optimising guest seating
Plan the flow of your space
No one knows your layout better than you. Your floor plan should include varied sections to allow every table to enjoy a unique ambience, whether it’s the bright window view for the group, private room for an intimate date or the bar seats for a quick catch-up. Make sure to prioritise comfort and avoid overcrowding so there’s space for your servers and guests to move around.
Consider what your customer wants
Depending on what kind of venue you operate, your customer base may want different things out of their table. Consider the size and dynamic of each party, and assign seats accordingly. With insightful booking data, you can also take note of regulars who may have a favourite seat.
Stay flexible to maximise covers
Use modular furniture to adjust seating arrangements as needed, such as when there are more walk-ins than anticipated. Since booked guests are typically pre-assigned seats, don’t be afraid to change things up on the fly if it means getting more out of your tables.
Automate the work with an online system
Using a seamless online table management software like Now Book It can help simplify the process in many ways. From taking bookings that allow you to plan seatings ahead to real-time updates and guest entries that empower you to accommodate walk-ins, our platform is built for the needs of hospitality venues.
How to set up seamless table management for your venue
Setting up your own table management system is easy with Now Book It.
- Connect with us and get a personalised view of the platform from our team
- Discuss your business goals and learn how Now Book It can help
- Learn about our pricing options to decide what’s right for you
- Build your floor plan and work with our onboarding team
- Go live with your table management system
Master the art of table management with Now Book It
Strategic table management is an art, and one that is critical to the success of your restaurant. By leveraging the right table management systems, you’ll be able to streamline restaurant operations, and keep staff and customers happy.
Here’s what our customers at Shelly Beach Golf Club has to say about using our system:
“Now Book It has been fantastic. The staff all find it easy to use and the team has been an absolute pleasure to work with.”
Book a demo today and uncover all the benefits Now Book It’s reservation and table management system can bring to your venue.
