Restaurant reservation systems are becoming increasingly popular, with Yelp Reservations being one of the largest providers.
Since Yelp Reservations caters to needs similar to other reservation systems, choosing the right one for your restaurant can be challenging.
To assist you in making an informed decision, we will compare Yelp Reservations with other reservation systems, taking into account features, pricing, compatibility, and more.
Yelp aims to help restaurants manage guests, track reservations, and improve customer service at its core.
However, its approach significantly differs from other reservation systems.
We have put together a list of the best and most current restaurant reservation systems:
Yelp Reservations
Yelp is a restaurant review platform founded in 2004. It also offers software for restaurant reservations and table management, giving restaurants access to Yelp's large user network.
According to Yelp's website, 78% of users search for restaurants on Yelp
Yelp provides restaurant businesses with a table management solution and an online reservation platform that is aimed at consumers.
The online platform claims to provide eateries with increased exposure by utilizing its vast network of diners. Customers are more likely to book reservations after looking for a restaurant on Yelp because it is the main search engine for restaurants.
But with so many users on the network, it's hard for businesses to stand out. Smaller businesses' exposure is further restricted by Yelp Ads, which allows eateries with bigger budgets to buy top search positions through sponsored posts.
Products
Yelp offers three products to help restaurants better manage guests, build customer relationships, and reach new customers:
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Yelp Reservations and Table Management: This product gives restaurants access to Yelp’s customer-facing reservation platform, which takes reservations both online and through other methods, and provides other management features such as waitlist management, table management, and more.
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Yelp Connect: This social portal exclusively for restaurants allows them to share daily updates about deals, events, and more with users on the Yelp app and other Yelp platforms. This helps restaurants better market themselves and communicate with existing and potential customers.
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Yelp Ads: This product enables restaurants to buy top positions on Yelp’s search platform for better reach and exposure.
Further reading
Pricing
Yelp Reservations & Table Management System features:
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Online reservations through yelp.com and booking widget
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Customizable floor plan
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Table management
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Waitlist management
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Server management
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Two-way diner messaging
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Basic reporting and analytics
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Display available time slots for same-day reservations based on user queries
Yelp Reservations & Table Management
Yelp’s reservation and table management system costs a flat $249 per month. This includes online reservations, iPad access, waitlist management, and all other features. There is no setup fee. Yelp does not charge a per-cover fee.
Yelp Connect
Yelp Connect, Yelp’s social platform, costs an additional $199 per month.
Advantages of Yelp Table Management
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Access to one of the largest diner networks in the world
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No per-cover fee
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Two-way communication between you and your guests
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Efficiently manage reservations and customer flow through your Yelp business page
Disadvantages of Yelp Table Management
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High competition on Yelp’s consumer-facing reservation platform
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No POS, phone, or payment integrations
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You must use Yelp’s reservation system to list your restaurant on their booking platform
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Competitors can easily advertise on the platform against your restaurant
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No access to partner reservations like Google, Facebook, Tripadvisor, etc.
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Basic feature set compared to other systems
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Lack of developer tools or sandbox environments for testing and integration
“One of the biggest challenges with Yelp reservations is overbooking. It’s easy to accidentally accept too many reservations, especially if you’re not using a reservation management system. This can lead to disappointed customers and lost revenue.” - Restaurant Owner
Eat App
Eat App is a top-rated restaurant reservation and table management platform that helps restaurants improve efficiency and revenue. The reservation system offers real-time reservations, marketing automation, and guest data management.
The platform is known for helping restaurants optimize their host stand and automate tasks, saving them numerous hours each month. The trusted system also allows restaurants to understand their customers’ preferences by collecting and analyzing data, which can help them build better relationships. This includes insights into food quality and customer feedback on menu items, which are crucial for enhancing the dining experience.
>>> Give Eat App a try, it's free.
Eat App features real-time table and waitlist management, communication tools, feedback collection, and a fully customizable floor plan.
It's the ideal hospitality platform for restaurant owners and managers who want to improve their operations and enhance the customer experience, regardless of their tech expertise.
Eat App is easy to use, even for staff with limited technical experience. The platform offers a generous free plan with a wide range of features, and its higher-tier subscription options are reasonably priced.
Overall, Eat App is a good choice for restaurants of all sizes and tech expertise levels. It is a comprehensive and affordable platform with a wide range of features.
Pricing
- Free - $0/month (up to 50 covers per month)
- Starter - $69/month (up to 500 covers per month)
- Basic - $139/month (unlimited covers per month)
- Pro - $239/month (guest experience tools included)
Find your ideal plan here.
Resy
Resy is a popular restaurant reservation system that offers a number of features that can help restaurants increase their online bookings.
One key feature of Resy is its customizable floor plan, allowing restaurants to create a virtual representation of their dining room and display it on their website and social media, increasing visibility and making it easier for customers to find available tables.
Another notable feature is its online booking widget, which can be embedded on a restaurant’s website or social media pages. This enables customers to book a table directly from the restaurant’s site, specifying the date, time, and party size, without needing a third-party site.
Resy also integrates with American Express, allowing customers to earn reward points when making reservations through Resy, providing an incentive for booking through the platform.
Resy charges a flat monthly fee for access to its restaurant management system, making it a more affordable option than other reservation systems that charge a commission fee per cover.
Overall, Resy is a solid option for restaurants seeking a reservation system with features that boost online bookings, with the added benefit of a flat monthly fee.
Pricing
- Basic — $249/month
- Pro — $399/month
- Enterprise — $899/month
TheFork
TheFork is a European restaurant management system that provides essential reservation and table management features. It partners with TripAdvisor to boost restaurant visibility and reach potential customers.
The platform offers email marketing tools but lacks CRM functionality. Its paid tiers charge high reservation commissions, which can be a major drawback for restaurants.
Key benefits of TheFork:
- Increased visibility: TheFork partners with popular platforms like TripAdvisor and Google, so your restaurant will be seen by more potential customers.
- Effortless online booking: Diners can check availability and make reservations online with a few taps.
- Efficient guest management: TheFork provides a suite of tools to help you manage reservations, including a comprehensive customer database and reporting features.
- Data-driven insights: Track reservation trends and make informed business decisions with TheFork's analytics.
Pricing
- Free — With a commission on the average amount spent by customers who book through The Fork website and Google reservations.
- Pro — £139/month
HostMe
Hostme is a reservation management system that focuses on waitlist and seating management. Its key features include real-time table management, waitlist management, and guest messaging.
With Hostme, you can easily communicate with your guests through in-app messaging. Hostme also integrates with popular all-in-one POS systems.
Pricing
- Piccolo — $59/month
- Mezzo — $109/month
- Grande — $169/month
Eveve
Eveve is a reservation system that helps businesses maximize floor efficiency by allowing them to take real-time bookings through live online booking pages with real-time availability.
One of Eveve's key features is its full availability function, which suggests alternative dates to guests when their preferred ones are fully booked. This helps minimize lost bookings and enhances customer satisfaction.
Eveve also boasts an auto-populated customer database based on daily activity, giving businesses valuable insights into their guests' demographics and preferences.
The platform also offers remote access, allowing businesses to monitor and manage reservations from anywhere, making it ideal for those with multiple locations or those needing to access their reservation system on the go.
Eveve is a comprehensive reservation system that helps businesses:
- Maximize floor efficiency with real-time bookings and live online booking pages.
- Reduce lost bookings with full availability, which offers alternative dates to guests when their desired ones are fully booked.
- Improve customer satisfaction with features like guest messaging and remote access for reservation management on the go.
- Gain valuable insights into customers with an auto-populated customer database based on daily activity.
Pricing
Eveve's pricing is typically between $150 and $300 per month, with no additional fees per diner.
However, pricing is not publicly disclosed, so restaurateurs should request a demo from Eveve's website to get a quote tailored to their specific needs.
TableAgent
TableAgent is a simple and affordable reservation system designed to save restaurants money.
Accessible via the web, TableAgent uses a "list" based approach to reservation management, making it easy for restaurant staff to use, even if they are not tech-savvy.
TableAgent also offers an online booking widget for reservations, allowing customers to make reservations directly from the restaurant's website.
While TableAgent does not have the same level of features as some other reservation systems, it is a good option for restaurants looking for a simple and affordable solution.
Pricing
TableAgent offers a free plan with basic features like online booking and reservation management.
For more advanced features like payment processing and SMS notifications, you can upgrade to a paid plan.
Paid plan pricing:
- Per transaction fee: $1 per transaction or $29 per month for an unlimited plan.
- SMS packages: Start at $20 per month.
Please note that prices are subject to change. For more information, visit the TableAgent pricing page.
OpenTable
OpenTable is a popular restaurant reservation service that offers a wide range of features to help restaurants reach a broad customer base and manage their reservations.
The platform has a wider global reach than other reservation systems, with a presence in over 20 countries. It also offers more advanced features, such as integrations with other restaurant software and tools, and better marketing and promotional tools.
OpenTable is more expensive than other reservation systems, but it has a lower commission fee per reservation. It also has a more polished and user-friendly interface.
Overall, OpenTable is a good choice for restaurants that are looking for a comprehensive and feature-rich reservation management system.
Pricing
OpenTable subscription options:
- Basic: $39/month + $1.50 per cover + $0.25 per booking widget cover
- Core: $249/month + $1 per cover
- Pro: $449/month + $1 per cover
Tock
Tock is a comprehensive restaurant reservation platform that offers a wide range of features.
The platform is a good option for restaurants of all sizes, but it is especially well-suited for restaurants that offer tasting menus or other unique dining experiences.
Tock is also a great choice for restaurants that want extensive control over their reservation process.
Pricing
Tock subscription options:
- Plus: $249/month with a 2% fee on prepaid reservations
- Pro: $749/month with no fee on prepaid reservations
- Enterprise: Contact Tock for more information on their premium plan
TableIn
Tablein is a modern reservation software solution for small restaurants. It helps businesses attract customers, optimize guest capacity, control kitchen staff workload, and increase sales.
Key features:
- Online and phone reservations: Tablein allows customers to make reservations online or by phone.
- Interactive calendar or floor plan for table allocation: Tablein provides an interactive calendar or floor plan that helps restaurants allocate tables efficiently.
- Guest reminders: Tablein can send reminders to guests about their reservations, which can help to reduce no-shows.
- Marketing features to fill empty hours and list events: Tablein offers marketing features to help restaurants fill empty hours and list events.
Limitations:
- No table management features: Tablein does not offer table management features, such as the ability to track the status of orders or send messages to tables.
- No POS integration or server management features: Tablein does not integrate with POS systems or offer server management features.
Overall, Tablein is a good option for small restaurants that are looking for a basic but effective reservation system.
Pricing
Tablein offers a free trial with free installation, live support, and two paid pricing plans: Standard and Premium.
Standard Plan
- $75 per month
- 150 bookings per month (with an additional $0.25 charge for each booking over 150)
- All features included
- Free live support
- Free updates
Premium Plan
- $115 per month
- Unlimited bookings
- Free installation
- Free live support
- Free updates
Which plan is right for you depends on the size and volume of your business. If you are a small restaurant with a few hundred bookings per month, the Standard plan may be sufficient.
If you are a larger restaurant with a high volume of bookings, the Premium plan may be a better value.
Sevenrooms
SevenRooms is a reservation and guest management platform that helps restaurants elevate their operations.
It offers a suite of tools to streamline reservations, improve table utilization, personalize the guest experience, and boost revenue.
Here's how SevenRooms can help restaurants:
- Streamline reservations: SevenRooms makes it easy to manage reservations from all channels, including direct bookings, online booking platforms, and phone calls.
- Improve table utilization: SevenRooms provides insights into guest behavior and preferences to help restaurants optimize their table utilization.
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Personalize the guest experience: SevenRooms' guest database allows restaurants to track guest preferences and provide personalized experiences.
- Boost revenue: SevenRooms' integrations with various platforms help restaurants reach a broader audience and boost reservations.
Overall, SevenRooms is a powerful platform that can help restaurants improve their operations and profitability.
Pricing
SevenRooms pricing is tailored to the specific needs of your restaurant, but a basic plan with table management, reservation management, and basic integrations starts at $700 per month.
Which Yelp Reservations alternative is best for you?
The best Yelp Reservations alternative for you will depend on your specific needs and budget.
Eat App is a comprehensive reservation and guest management platform that offers a wide range of features, including online booking, table management, guest CRM, marketing tools, and reporting. It is a good option for restaurants of all sizes, but it is especially well-suited for larger restaurants with complex reservation needs.
>>> You can try Eat App, free of charge. No credit card details required.
Tock is another comprehensive reservation and guest management platform that offers a wide range of features, including online booking, table management, event management, pre-payment processing, and guest CRM. It is a good option for restaurants of all sizes, but it is especially well-suited for fine dining restaurants and restaurants that offer tasting menus.
Yelp Reservations is a simple and easy-to-use reservation system that is well-suited for small restaurants. It offers basic features such as online booking, table management, and guest management.
Ultimately, the best way to decide which Yelp Reservations alternative is right for you is to try out a few different options and see which one works best for your restaurant. Most of these services offer free trials, so you can experiment without any risk