Seven years into running <a href="https://www.exploretock.com/ruins-spokane">Ruins</a> in downtown Spokane, owner Tony Brown knew it was time for a new era. The 40-seat bar and restaurant, which is known for switching up its eclectic, locally-sourced menu every week, had never accepted reservations before. Historically, walk-ins-only worked for Brown and his 12-person staff, many of whom have been with Ruins since it opened. 
But over time, guests began to ask for a way to book tables in advance. So Brown signed up for the first platform he looked into: OpenTable. But he and his team soon experienced its shortcomings. 
“It seemed a little robotic and not friendly,” Brown says. He also had issues with the platform’s everyday performance and customer support. “OpenTable always had weird little glitches, and it was kind of difficult to speak to anyone when we needed help.”
In 2022, Brown switched from OpenTable to Tock. He liked what he’d seen at other Spokane restaurants and wanted that flexibility and ease for Ruins. 
“It just seemed more geared towards our type of restaurant,” Brown says. “Creative, versatile, personal. It was perfect for what we were doing.”
Guests have responded to the change, too. Here’s how Tock’s all-in-one reservation platform helped Ruins increase covers by 16% while streamlining reservation data and providing a top-tier guest experience. 
<h3>Challenge</h3>
Juggle online reservations and heavy walk-in traffic. 
<h3>Tock Solution</h3>
Tock’s easy-to-use interface and robust table management tools provided Ruins the ability to gradually integrate features and get more out of the platform as the team became comfortable with their new table management strategy. 
“For the first six months, we didn&#8217;t even enter walk-ins on the platform, but it&#8217;s become beneficial to do that, because we now have more data at our disposal,” Brown says.
By tracking reservations and walk-in guests, Brown and his team are able to begin each shift with valuable information that helps operations run smoothly. 
“I like the idea of knowing what we&#8217;re getting into for service for the night,” he says. “Before, it was like, if people come, people come. Now, table assignments are mapped out for us already and we have all the information we need. It makes life easier.” 
<h3>Results</h3>
<ul>
<li>Service runs more smoothly with guest information all in one place.</li>
<li>Tracking reservation and walk-in data in one place gives operators more control.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<h3>Challenge</h3>
Manage special dinners, events, and everyday reservations on a single streamlined platform. 
<h3>Tock Solution</h3>
In addition to standard dining room reservations, Ruins hosts a variety of experiences, like kitchen table tastings and collaborative dinners with regional winemakers. Highlighting upcoming experiences alongside reservations on the restaurant’s Tock page helps drive guest awareness and boost sales while making promotion a breeze for the team. 
When Brown needed support while customizing the dates for kitchen table dinners, Tock’s team was helpful and easy to reach. 
“They walked me through it and helped me out,” he says. “Tock is good for that. I feel like I can get a hold of somebody in a flash if I need to.”
<h3>Results</h3>
<ul>
<li>Promoting experiences and events on Tock increases visibility and boosts sales.</li>
<li>Accessible support makes new experiences and features simple to implement.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<h3>Challenge</h3>
Provide a frictionless guest experience and increase covers overall. 
<h3>Tock Solution</h3>
Ruins started accepting reservations due to guest demand, and since switching to Tock, patrons have responded positively. In the restaurant’s first 12 months on Tock, covers increased by 16% over the previous year on OpenTable. 
“Everyone&#8217;s been happy with it. It’s been a good response,” Brown says. “Our Tock page is easy to find, and it&#8217;s easy for guests to make a reservation without having to put in too much information.”
<h3>Results</h3>
<ul>
<li>User-friendly guest experience keeps patrons coming back.</li>
<li>Visibility and ease of use led to a 16% increase in covers over OpenTable.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Request a demo to learn more about switching to Tock. If you’re already a customer, talk to hospitality about launching an experience today.

Ruins restaurant owner Tony Brown stands behind the bar.

Discover how Tony Brown, owner of Ruins in Spokane, boosted covers by 16% and improved guest experiences after switching from OpenTable to Tock's flexible and user-friendly reservation platform.

Case Study: Tony Brown and Seattle Restaurant Ruins

The owner of creative, casual Spokane restaurant Ruins prefers Tock’s intuitive, flexible interface and responsive customer support.

James Beard Award semi-finalist chef Tony Brown knew as soon as he signed up for OpenTable that it wasn&#8217;t the right fit for his Washington restaurant, Ruins.
&nbsp;
In 2022, he switched to Tock for a more “creative, versatile, and personal experience” for his business and his guests.

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Ruins saw a 16% increase in covers after switching from OpenTable

“Restaurants are one of those industries that just get nickel-and-dimed by many vendors,” says RJ Tursi, owner of <a href="https://www.exploretock.com/exile-brewing-company/">Exile Brewing Co.</a> in Des Moines, Iowa. “It&#8217;s a low-margin business where you really have to do your best to control your costs.” 
Around three years ago, Tursi had to make a choice to keep the cost of Exile’s reservation platform under control. At the time, he used OpenTable, which was set to increase fees—a monthly charge in addition to per-cover charges as high as $1 for each guest. 
With multiple dining spaces and special events offered throughout the year—including its popular SnowGlobe Des Moines holiday pop-up—Exile Brewing needed a reservation platform that could do it all for a lot less than OpenTable was charging. It was time to go in a different direction. 
After Tursi got a look at Tock’s features, he realized that the versatile, all-in-one table management tool could seriously enhance Exile’s operations for one flat, affordable monthly rate. “As I was seeing all the features Tock had, I realized we could exploit those to really dial in our pop-up SnowGlobe experience,” he says. 
Now, Exile uses Tock year-round for everyday dinner reservations, beer garden bookings, one-off beer dinners, holiday events, and weekly brewery tours. 
Here’s how Tock’s robust, customizable tools helped Tursi and his team increase covers by more than one-third in their first year on the platform—32.97%, to be exact. 
Challenge
Reduce overhead costs for table management software. 
Tock Solution
When OpenTable’s fees were set to increase, Tursi knew it was time to make a change. In addition to a monthly fee to use the platform, he recalls that Exile had to pay $1 for every reservation made on OpenTable and $.25 per cover for bookings through other sources. With a high-volume, revenue-driving event like SnowGlobe—which takes over Exile’s entire space for several weeks with eye-popping Christmas-themed decor—the costs became astronomical. 
“When you&#8217;re running thousands of people through, that adds up,” Tursi says. “There&#8217;s no reason to be charging like that. When Tock came along for $250 a month, period, it was a no-brainer.”
By switching to Tock, Exile cut costs significantly and made budgeting that much easier with a low, flat rate. 
Results
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">No per-cover fees, cutting overhead and increasing profitability.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Flat monthly fee simplifies budgeting.</li>
</ul>
<figure id="attachment_71440" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-71440" style="width: 800px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-71440" src="https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/EXILE24_SnowGlobe-10-800x571.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="571" srcset="https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/EXILE24_SnowGlobe-10-800x571.jpg 800w, https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/EXILE24_SnowGlobe-10-1008x720.jpg 1008w, https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/EXILE24_SnowGlobe-10-768x549.jpg 768w, https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/EXILE24_SnowGlobe-10-1536x1097.jpg 1536w, https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/EXILE24_SnowGlobe-10-150x107.jpg 150w, https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/EXILE24_SnowGlobe-10-1512x1080.jpg 1512w, https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/EXILE24_SnowGlobe-10.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-71440" class="wp-caption-text">Exile&#8217;s annual holiday pop-up, known as SnowGlobe, will return this season.</figcaption></figure>
 
Challenge
Boost profitability and streamline the flow of guests for a high-volume holiday experience. 
Tock Solution
Guests responded to SnowGlobe in a big way—which meant that parties wanted to spend longer than their allotted 90 minutes among the colorful Christmas lights and holiday cheer. But the impact on turn times meant longer waits for other guests. 
“People want to hang out for a really long time because the place looks incredible and it&#8217;s a great atmosphere, and that was really holding us back,” Tursi says. 
Staff customized the experience pages and guest reminders for SnowGlobe to emphasize the 90-minute limit when booking and in pre-visit emails. The increased communication helped manage guest expectations and keep turn times on track. 
On the back end, Exile used Tock’s automatic pacing function to turn over the entire restaurant every 90 minutes, evening out the volume of guests and preventing the staff from getting overwhelmed. 
“With that 15-minute pacing function, we wouldn&#8217;t just get blasted at certain points and then kind of slow at other points,” Tursi says. “We just had this nice steady flow of people coming through.”
Results
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Customizable experience pages and guest communications help set expectations. </li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Automatic pacing ensures even guest flow, even for a high-volume experience.</li>
</ul>
<figure id="attachment_71409" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-71409" style="width: 800px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-71409" src="https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Exile-Brewing-Tock-c13d254f-746e-4fe5-b013-6684a7c1e100-EDITED-800x539.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="539" srcset="https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Exile-Brewing-Tock-c13d254f-746e-4fe5-b013-6684a7c1e100-EDITED-800x539.jpg 800w, https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Exile-Brewing-Tock-c13d254f-746e-4fe5-b013-6684a7c1e100-EDITED-1068x720.jpg 1068w, https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Exile-Brewing-Tock-c13d254f-746e-4fe5-b013-6684a7c1e100-EDITED-768x518.jpg 768w, https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Exile-Brewing-Tock-c13d254f-746e-4fe5-b013-6684a7c1e100-EDITED-1536x1035.jpg 1536w, https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Exile-Brewing-Tock-c13d254f-746e-4fe5-b013-6684a7c1e100-EDITED-2048x1380.jpg 2048w, https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Exile-Brewing-Tock-c13d254f-746e-4fe5-b013-6684a7c1e100-EDITED-150x101.jpg 150w, https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Exile-Brewing-Tock-c13d254f-746e-4fe5-b013-6684a7c1e100-EDITED-1602x1080.jpg 1602w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-71409" class="wp-caption-text">The busy patio at Exile.</figcaption></figure>
 
Challenge
Manage high-volume experiences alongside everyday service to smooth operations and maximize revenue.
Tock Solution
SnowGlobe isn’t Exile’s only holiday pop-up. Throughout October, the business’s beer garden and upstairs dining room host The Haunting at Exile, with Halloween-themed decor, drinks, and food, plus ticketed events like a beer dinner and a pumpkin carving contest. Elsewhere in the space, regular service continues as usual. 
Exile needed a table management tool that would offer the flexibility to manage multiple experiences taking place throughout the space. Tock features, like Multi-Experiences Tables, allows them to do just that. 
“It’s great how you can assign experiences to tables and then offer those experiences during the same availability window,” he says. “It makes taking reservations way easier than writing it down on paper and trying to lay everything out. The way Tock puts the puzzle together for you automatically is pretty sweet.” 
Results
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Robust features enable businesses to pull off ambitious, creative experiences alongside regular service.</li>
</ul>
 
Request a demo to learn more about switching to Tock. If you’re already a customer, talk to hospitality about launching an experience today.

The Des Moines restaurant and brewery needed an alternative to OpenTable’s ever-increasing fees for their holiday pop-up experience.

Exile Brewing Co. boosted covers by 30% and streamlined holiday operations with Tock

The Des Moines restaurant and brewery needed an alternative to OpenTable’s ever-increasing fees for their holiday pop-up experience. 


Article

You can’t be overdressed for dinner at <a href="https://www.exploretock.com/canlis/">Canlis</a>, the 74-year-old Seattle fine dining restaurant, set in a stunning mid-century modern building. All year long, third-generation owners and brothers Mark and Brian Canlis lead a team of more than 100 staff members through the restaurant’s standard seven-course tasting menu of New American and Pacific Northwest fare.
But on New Year’s Eve, the Canlis team transforms the restaurant for an annual blowout costume party. Each year has a different theme to get guests excited about dressing in costume and dancing into the night. 
“The parties we throw are super fun, elaborate, and not fancy, but it’s still fine dining, because there&#8217;s that intentionality behind it,” says dining room manager Kelsey Thibodeau. “It&#8217;s on brand because it&#8217;s purposeful.”
In 2023, Canlis chose a Midnight on the High Seas theme. For one night, the restaurant itself was transformed. The team created a ball pit “sea,” installed a mechanical bull dressed up as a shark, and turned their dance floor into the deck of a pirate ship, complete with a mast.
“We put this much intention and planning into every single day, but for the parties, we’re just doing it differently,” Thibodeau says. “The community involvement is huge.”  
Putting on a New Year’s Eve bash à la Canlis takes months of planning and strict attention to detail. The last thing the team wants is to be worrying about setting up the event on their reservation platform or putting out fires with guest communication, especially as everyday business ramps up in December. With support from Tock, they’re able to provide flawless service day to day while ensuring that big events like Midnight on the High Seas go off without a hitch. 
“I&#8217;ve used Tock now at two fine dining restaurants, and I can attest that it is a wonderful platform,” Thibodeau says. “I really enjoy it.”
Here’s how Canlis uses Tock to provide the impeccable guest experience that’s been its signature for generations—and execute big, creative events like Midnight on the High Seas, which brought in $139k in revenue.
<figure id="attachment_71395" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-71395" style="width: 800px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-71395 size-medium" src="https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Canlis-NYE2023-Crimson-Haze-60-800x533.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="533" srcset="https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Canlis-NYE2023-Crimson-Haze-60-800x533.jpg 800w, https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Canlis-NYE2023-Crimson-Haze-60-1080x720.jpg 1080w, https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Canlis-NYE2023-Crimson-Haze-60-768x512.jpg 768w, https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Canlis-NYE2023-Crimson-Haze-60-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Canlis-NYE2023-Crimson-Haze-60-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Canlis-NYE2023-Crimson-Haze-60-150x100.jpg 150w, https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Canlis-NYE2023-Crimson-Haze-60-1620x1080.jpg 1620w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-71395" class="wp-caption-text">The dining room transforms every New Year&#8217;s Eve.</figcaption></figure>
&nbsp;
Challenge
Manage online reservations in a way that’s streamlined, modern, and efficient—but allows for a personal, intentional touch. 
Tock Solution
Canlis uses Tock for their standard tasting menu reservations as well as special events. This provides guests with one convenient, frictionless way to book while storing essential information for the staff on a single platform. The service team pulls reports from Tock to plan each night’s seating arrangements by hand and review detailed guest data before the pre-shift meeting. 
“Canlis is very much a maitre d’-driven restaurant. Each night, we’re figuring out, what&#8217;s the vibe? Where are these people going? What energy needs to be created?” Thibodeau says. “We’re keeping in-depth notes on our guests for every occasion, learning about people before they come in, and trying to create the best fit for their evening. Tock makes it easy to manage all this information.”
Results
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Robust data collection and customizable layouts streamline table management for staff.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Guests enjoy a convenient online booking process that still allows staff to personalize seating and service.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<figure id="attachment_71397" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-71397" style="width: 800px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-71397 size-medium" src="https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Canlis-NYE2023-Crimson-Haze-16-800x533.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="533" srcset="https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Canlis-NYE2023-Crimson-Haze-16-800x533.jpg 800w, https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Canlis-NYE2023-Crimson-Haze-16-1080x720.jpg 1080w, https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Canlis-NYE2023-Crimson-Haze-16-768x512.jpg 768w, https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Canlis-NYE2023-Crimson-Haze-16-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Canlis-NYE2023-Crimson-Haze-16-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Canlis-NYE2023-Crimson-Haze-16-150x100.jpg 150w, https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Canlis-NYE2023-Crimson-Haze-16-1620x1080.jpg 1620w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-71397" class="wp-caption-text">When it comes to decorating for special events, Canlis doesn&#8217;t hold back.</figcaption></figure>
&nbsp;
Challenge
Create and promote polished, engaging special events alongside everyday reservations. 
Tock Solution
With Tock’s robust, versatile platform, Canlis can manage business-as-usual reservations and special experiences all in one place. Thibodeau values the platform’s simple, intuitive interface for creating experiences like the New Year’s Eve bash.
“Events are really intuitive to build in Tock,” she says. “It prompts you with all the things someone might have a question about, so you can&#8217;t forget to include anything. That’s really helpful when you&#8217;re planning something big.” 
Once an event goes live, Tock’s clear, easy-to-navigate interface guides guests smoothly through the booking process while highlighting each unique offering. 
“From the guest perspective, Tock is very easy to use. There’s no question about what to do when you&#8217;re trying to get a ticket for something, which is really great,” Thibodeau says. “You build it out, set the time, and you can sit back and relax while watching it get booked, which is really wonderful.”
Results
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Intuitive, reliable tools make creating events simple and easy.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Experience pages are clear and convenient for guests to navigate.</li>
</ul>
<figure id="attachment_71400" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-71400" style="width: 800px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-71400 size-medium" src="https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Mushroom-e1725372044782-800x468.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="468" srcset="https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Mushroom-e1725372044782-800x468.jpg 800w, https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Mushroom-e1725372044782-1232x720.jpg 1232w, https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Mushroom-e1725372044782-768x449.jpg 768w, https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Mushroom-e1725372044782-150x88.jpg 150w, https://tock.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Mushroom-e1725372044782.jpg 1497w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-71400" class="wp-caption-text">Canlis uses Tock to manage ordinary reservations alongside special events.</figcaption></figure>
&nbsp;
Challenge
Reach support staff and get answers fast when questions arise.
Tock Solution
Whether it’s business as usual or a one-night-a-year event, issues with table management software can make or break an event or service and affect a restaurant’s bottom line. Tock prides itself on providing accessible, top-tier support and training tools to ensure smooth sailing and quick resolutions for its customers. 
“I love that the team is there to answer questions when I have them,” Thibodeau says. “Tock is so open to our feedback. In every conversation I&#8217;ve had with them, the team has always been very receptive and excited about the future.” 
Results
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Responsive customer support saves time, streamlines operations, and keeps guests happy.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Request a demo to learn more about switching to Tock. If you’re already a customer, talk to hospitality about launching a holiday experience today.

The iconic Seattle restaurant goes all out for its NYE party, engaging guests while maintaining its impeccable brand. 


How Canlis uses Tock to ring in the New Year—and earn $139k in revenue

The iconic Seattle restaurant goes all out for its annual New Year's Eve party, engaging guests while maintaining its impeccable brand. 


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