Blog: restaurant reservation tips, page 5

Illustration of a relaxed Australian restaurant owner behind the counter of a sunny bistro, checking a guest list on a tablet with a small glowing padlock above the screen

Restaurant management 25 September 2026 12 min read

Restaurant customer data and privacy law in Australia: the honest guide

Here is the part most guides bury: if your restaurant turns over A$3 million or less a year, the Privacy Act 1988 probably does not apply to you at all. That is not the end of the story. The Spam Act binds every business, a new privacy tort commenced in 2025, and your guest list is still your most valuable asset. The honest Australian guide.

Australian restaurant owner checking a fully booked calendar on a tablet in her harbourside venue, with Sydney Harbour and sailboats visible through the windows

Comparisons 25 September 2026 11 min read

Restaurant booking systems in Australia: the honest 2026 comparison

TheFork left, Quandoo is closing, and every local booking system starts at a paid subscription. Here is the honest Australian comparison, with real prices in AUD.

Illustration of a proud restaurateur holding a checklist outside a freshly opened Australian corner restaurant at golden hour

Restaurant management 25 September 2026 15 min read

How to open a restaurant in Australia: the step-by-step guide

Business structure, ABN and GST, council registration, the Standard 3.2.2A food safety supervisor, state liquor licences and RSA, award penalty rates: every step to open a restaurant in Australia, in the right order, with the official links.

Colleagues in summer clothes raising glasses at a long festive table on a sunny Australian rooftop terrace, with prawn platters and a pavlova overlooking the harbour

Reservation management 25 September 2026 11 min read

Christmas function bookings in Australia: how venues fill November and December

December is the peak of the Australian restaurant year, and the function enquiries start landing in August. Here is how to package, price and protect your end-of-year season, from minimum spends to deposits and pre-orders.

Montréal restaurant owner standing at a crossroads on a cobblestone street, holding a reservation tablet and looking at two diverging signposts

Comparisons 25 September 2026 8 min read

Libro alternative: what Canadian restaurants should do after the OpenTable acquisition

Libro built its name on commission-free reservations. Now it belongs to OpenTable. Here is what the acquisition actually changes, what remains open, and your real alternatives.

Restaurant host welcoming a walk-in couple at the entrance while another guest shows his reservation on his phone, with a busy dining room behind

Reservation management 14 August 2026 12 min read

Walk-ins vs reservations: finding the right mix for your restaurant

All reservations, walk-in only, or a deliberate mix of both? Each model wins in a different restaurant. Here is how to choose yours, how many tables to hold back, and why overbooking is a trap for restaurants even though it works for airlines.

British restaurant owner at the counter of a fish and chip shop, calculator in one hand and a menu in the other, reviewing a stack of receipts

Restaurant management 14 August 2026 13 min read

VAT on restaurant food in the UK: rates, takeaway rules and worked examples

Eat-in at 20%, cold takeaway at 0%, and a dozen traps in between. A plain-English guide to VAT for UK restaurants, with worked examples in pounds.

Illustration of a full restaurant dining room on Valentine's evening, candlelit tables for two, with the owner checking a fully booked floor plan on a tablet

Reservation management 14 August 2026 12 min read

Valentine's Day restaurant reservations: the playbook for your biggest nights of the year

February 14 does not get a do-over: demand lands on a single night. Here is the complete method for peak dates, from the set menu to the D-30 run sheet, including protection against the year's worst no-shows.

Illustration of a restaurant owner checking his ranking on a tablet on a sunny terrace, tourists dining behind him

Visibility and marketing 14 August 2026 14 min read

Tripadvisor for restaurant owners: what still deserves your time in 2026

Tripadvisor has lost ground to Google, but writing it off would be a mistake, especially if you serve tourists. Here is what still deserves your time: the listing, the ranking, fake reviews, and what you should think twice about paying for.

Restaurant owner in an elegant American dining room comparing two matching host podiums under one shared banner, one stacked with dinner tickets and the other holding an open reservation ledger

Comparisons 14 August 2026 10 min read

Tock vs Resy in 2026: comparing two platforms with the same owner

Tock and Resy both belong to American Express and are now sold from the same pricing page. Here is what actually still separates them, with verified prices, and when neither is the right fit.

Restaurant team gathered around the counter sharing out the evening's tips from a glass jar

Restaurant management 14 August 2026 13 min read

Tips and service charges in UK restaurants: the 2026 rules explained

Since 1 October 2024, UK restaurants must pass 100% of tips and service charges to staff, keep records and publish a written policy. Here is what the Tipping Act really requires.

Diner owner at the counter after closing, sorting bills and coins from a glass tip jar next to a notepad and calculator

Restaurant management 14 August 2026 14 min read

Tipping and the tip credit in US restaurants: what owners must get right

The tip credit, tip pooling, service charges and the new federal tips deduction: the rules a US restaurant owner actually has to follow, with the primary sources.