It is 10:45pm. The kitchen is closing, the team is cleaning down, and nobody is looking at the website. Meanwhile, three people have sent messages: one wants a table for six on Saturday, one asks whether you can do a birthday dinner for twelve next Friday, and one wants to know if you have vegan options before booking. By the time the manager reads them at noon the next day, two have booked elsewhere.
Restaurant booking enquiries after hours are common, because diners plan their next meal out when they have time: in the evening, often while you are at your busiest or already closed.
When diners plan
People think about where to eat at predictable times: at work in the afternoon, and at home in the evening. The evening is often when group dinners and special occasions get organised. Those are exactly the hours a restaurant cannot answer messages.
The same timing problem affects many businesses. Estate agents see it with buyers browsing on Sunday nights, as described in buyer enquiries that arrive on Sunday night.
What diners ask
- Do you have a table for this date and time?
- Can you take a group of twelve?
- Do you have vegan, gluten-free or children's options?
- Is there parking?
- Can you do something for a birthday?
- Do you have outdoor seating?
Most can be answered from your website, if the information is there.
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Capturing booking requests properly
Visitor: Can we book a table for 6 on Saturday at 7:30? Assistant: I can pass your request to the team. Could you confirm your name, a contact number and any dietary needs? If you'd rather book straight away, the online booking page shows live availability.
The request arrives with everything staff need to confirm in one message. SpideyChat for restaurants captures these at any hour, or points guests to your booking system. It does not write into your reservations itself. More on this in how restaurants capture bookings after service.
Group and occasion enquiries matter most
A table for two is one booking. A birthday dinner for twelve might be the best table of the week. These enquiries deserve particular care: capture the date, numbers, budget and occasion, and flag them for a manager to follow up first thing.
Dietary questions before booking
Many guests will not book until they know the menu works for them. Vegan, gluten-free, nut-free and children's options are the usual questions. Label your menu clearly online, and be honest about cross-contamination risks. An assistant should repeat what your menu says and suggest guests confirm serious allergies with staff when they arrive.
Urgent versus routine
Some late-night messages are urgent, like a guest who left a bag or had a problem with a meal. The general approach to triaging urgent after-hours messages is covered in after-hours emergencies. Most, though, are routine questions that can be answered instantly.
Other businesses with the same problem
Any business that closes in the evening while customers are still planning faces this. Locksmiths are an extreme example, with urgent requests at all hours, covered in an AI receptionist for locksmiths.
Fill the gaps in your website first
Make sure your site covers menus with dietary labels, opening hours, group booking rules, parking and accessibility. Then try an assistant on your restaurant website and ask it tonight's questions, or see the features.