Let’s get real: There are several tell-tale signs that today’s most discerning diners look for when choosing which restaurant to visit next. If you know, you know.
Quirky hand-drawn logos? Check. Non-alcoholic cocktails and natural wine? Check, check. A globally-inspired menu with local ingredients? Nailed it. Some harbingers of hip can be harder to define—a moving target of what’s trending.
This year’s tiny tabletop lamps, maximalist wallpapers, and scalloped-edge plates could soon be yesteryear’s Edison light bulbs, neon signs on faux greenery walls, and mason jars as barware.
So, where does table management software fall on the barometer of what’s hot and what’s not?
According to recent headlines, some restaurants are eschewing technology and returning to the olden days of thick black books with handwritten reservations. While this throwback system may appear to add a human touch and vintage vibe at the host stand, don’t be fooled: many still rely on a digital platform behind closed doors.
Before regressing to pen, paper, and hand cramps in the name of coolness, let’s weigh the pros and cons. After all, there are plenty of good reasons we moved away from physical reservation books.
To keep your cool during peak service, you need the best table management system possible in 2025. Here are three critical questions to ask when choosing the most efficient platform for your business.
1. Is your table reservation management accessible from anywhere at any time?
What happens if your analog reservation book goes missing or gets damaged? All of the valuable information inside gets lost along with it.
The ultimate dossier, Tock collects and saves all your helpful data, including guest tags, notes, preferences, and dietary restrictions, in one easy-to-access place. This insider info can be resurfaced whenever a guest rebooks, so your team can get familiar with your guests better before they arrive and, in turn, deliver more personalized hospitality.
Regardless of your physical location or time zone, Tock is always on, allowing different members of your team the ability to access the books and dashboard whenever, wherever. Tock also keeps working when your team is off the clock, helping you to better utilize your staff while keeping labor costs low.
2. Can your seating management effortlessly convert your waitlist into covers?
Tock offers two powerful waitlists—one for walk-ins and another for sold-out experiences. Choose to use either one or both simultaneously to help keep seats filled.
Gone are the days of offering walk-ins a generic estimate of when seats will open and expecting them to wait within earshot. Instead, today’s guests expect the convenience, flexibility, and communication of receiving a text message once a table opens.
That’s why our walk-in waitlist helps your front-of-house team quickly capture guest data at the door and fill seats in less time than it takes to write down someone’s name and number. Diners can confirm or leave the waitlist with one click. You can even allow walk-ins to view their place in line, so they always know exactly where they stand—and you can keep service moving smoothly.
Our second waitlist is Notify—an innovative tool that seamlessly works behind the scenes to match reservation requests with availability, alerting guests and prompting bookings, whether weeks in advance or during dinner service. Notify also streamlines communication through SMS, avoiding chaos at the host stand.
And with Notify’s latest enhancements, you can prioritize your most valuable guests, whether they’re tagged as a Friend of Chef, Regular, or Investor.
3. Does your table reservation management surface actionable data and drive additional revenue?
Tock’s platform does so much more than reservations. In today’s digital age, detailed reports and insights can help you make informed choices and take better care of your entire restaurant. This means tracking covers, turn times, sales, and payment. Imagine doing that with your pen-and-ink book.
Tock also helps drive additional revenue with a range of tools, including Multi-Experience Tables, Add-ons, and a flexible No-Show Suite, which includes credit card holds, deposits, and prepayment. These are the kinds of tools that are becoming essential to the modern restaurant.
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A dated reservation book is bound by limitations—the number and size of its pages, the legibility of a host’s handwriting, and a lack of speed and flexibility to adapt to changes. You can depend on Tock’s easy-to-use technology to help navigate challenges confidently and make smarter moves that benefit your team and your bottom line.
Trends may come and go, but flawless hospitality never goes out of style.
