Restaurant reservation system design — which screens and rules should be defined before checkout?

Definitely do not include a table selection screen. The minute you let customers pick a corner table or a window seat, floor operations grind to a halt. Just let them pick a general zone like indoors or terrace; leave the rest to the maître d' on the floor management screen.

You absolutely must set up a temporary cart hold duration on the database side to prevent double bookings. Once a user picks their time and party size and proceeds to checkout, that table block should be held for 8 minutes. If the process isn't completed before the timer expires, it should release automatically; otherwise, your capacity gets locked up for nothing on Friday nights.

In our similar-sized venue, weekend no-shows completely stopped once we introduced a 10 GBP per person pre-auth rule. Before that, we'd lose at least two tables every Friday with zero notice. We set the cancellation window to 24 hours, and no one complained.

tell the agency to really focus on the mobile UI most bookings come through phones. and don't make the special requests field mandatory, only name and phone, otherwise it bogs down the flow.

What's your cutoff for large parties? For bookings over say 6 or 8 people, have you considered having the system prompt them to contact the restaurant directly instead of running an instant pre-auth? Larger tables often require a set menu or a fixed deposit policy.

Do not skip the booking confirmation and calendar integration screen. Customers should be able to add the event to their phone calendar with a single tap on the completion screen. Additionally, sending an immediate automated email and text message containing their booking reference and the cancellation policy will prevent operational disputes.

Here is the screen sequence you should give your designer: 1) Party size, date, and time selection, 2) Seating area preference (if any) and allergy notes, 3) Name, phone, and email input, 4) Card pre-authorization details and cancellation policy agreement, 5) Booking reference and add-to-calendar screen.

Exactly and not many people know this. People defend habits not processes. Resistance comes from there.

Hope this helps.

The most overlooked point about restaurant reservation system design is this: People defend habits, not processes. Resistance comes from there.

Mistakes made on the restaurant reservation system design side are usually reversible but expensive.

im writing this so you dont make the same mistake. tbh when making a decision first look at what data you have on hand.

correct me if I'm wrong.

You're right.

I think it's hard to be that definitive about restaurant reservation system design. When making a decision, first look at what data you have on hand.

Noted, thanks.

Don't miss this: Implementing a change request process doesn't slow things down, it speeds them up.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

I was thinking the same thing. Processes without records never improve, because you don't know what to fix.

This is my opinion, I'm not claiming it's absolute truth.

I agree with this. If you get three different answers on a topic, the question was asked wrong.

Proven by experience.

Let me summarize the topic, since several different answers were given. People defend habits, not processes. Resistance comes from there.

If you have questions, write them; I'll answer as best I can.

thanks this was very helpful. taking notes for two weeks yields better results than a six-month estimate.

just because everyone does it doesn't mean it's right and this is my opinion I'm not claiming it's absolute truth.