Restaurant Reservations In F&B Industry
Presuming that you are someone working in the food and beverages industry, of course, you are aware of the reservations side and there are certain team members assigned to taking restaurant reservations either by phone call, email, etc… As you might know, reservations help restaurants organize better, reduce wait times for guests, and provide a more pleasant dining experience. While not always essential, especially for smaller or less busy restaurants, they are very important for popular or high-demand restaurants.
Benefits Of Taking Restaurant Reservations
- Planning
While taking restaurant reservations, helps the restaurant plan for the number of guests they will have. This way, they can make sure they have enough staff and food to serve everyone properly. - Avoiding The Wait Time
Also as mentioned above, guests don’t have to wait long for a table if they have a reservation. It makes the dining experience smoother and more enjoyable. - Managing The Space
Might be that some restaurants have a limited number of tables, in this case reservations help them manage their space efficiently and ensure everyone gets a seat without overcrowding. - Special Occasions
If someone is celebrating a special event, like a birthday or anniversary, they can reserve a table to ensure they have a spot and for the team to arrange all their requirements such as decorations, table allocations, etc. - Better Service
Knowing how many guests to expect helps the restaurant provide better service. They can be prepared and ensure each guest has a good experience.
Now that we all have a better idea of why is so important on taking restaurant reservations in the food and beverages industry, we need to make sure our team is trained pro and follow the sequence of service properly while taking a reservation. Keep in mind that are different ways a reservation might be done, but today we will share the sequence of service of taking restaurant reservations via phone call, as it’s the classic and most popular way. Apart from phone call, a restaurant reservation can be made from the internet, with an app, via email and much more ways.
SOP – Taking Restaurant Reservations
| SOP Name: | Taking Restaurant Reservations Via Phone Call |
| Department: | Food And Beverages |
| Objective: | Sequence Of Service Training |
| Purpose: | To Train The Staff And Maintain The Company’s Standard Sequence Of Service |
| Restaurant Type: | All Types |
| Action/Situation | How To Do It |
|---|---|
| Answering The Phone And Greeting | • The phone should be answered withing 3 phone rings, or less than 30 seconds • Greet the caller while smiling (as the guests can understand if you are not smiling) Answer the phone politely: “Good [morning/afternoon/evening], thank you for calling [Restaurant Name]. My name is [your name] How may I assist you?“ |
| Reservation Details | • Let the guest speak first and hear carefully all the requests/inquiries • Ask for the date: “For which date would you like to reserve?“ • Ask for the time: “At what time?“ • Ask for the number of people: “How many guests will be at your party?” • Offer the guest a choice of seating if applicable: “Do you have any preferences about the table allocation, if you would like to sit near the window, smoking area, or by the band? etc..“ • Make sure you inform the guest of any promotions, or theme lunch/night, package, etc… the restaurant might have on that particular day. |
| Check Availability And Collect Contact Information | • Check the reservation system or book to see if there is availability at the requested date and time. • If available, confirm with the caller: “We have availability at that time. Shall I book it for you?” • If not available, offer alternatives: “I’m sorry, we are fully booked at that time. Would [alternative time] work for you?” • Ask for the guest’s name: “May I have your name, please?” • Ask for a contact number: “Can I have your phone number, please?” • Optionally, you may ask for an email address: “May I also have your email address for the reservation confirmation?“ • Inquire if the contact or his guests have any allergens or dietary requirements.: “May I know if you or anyone of your guests have any allergy to a specific item or any special dietary requests so we can coordinate with our culinary team accordingly?” • Inquire if there are any special requests or occasions: “Is there any special occasion or specific requests we should be aware of?” |
| Confirming The Reservation | • Repeat all the details to ensure accuracy: “Just to confirm, I have a reservation for [name] on [date] at [time] for [number of people]. Is that correct?“ • If your system provides a confirmation number, share it with the caller: “Your reservation confirmation number is [number]. Please keep this for your reference.“ • If your system sent a text message or an email as a reservation confirmation memo, mention to the guest as well. |
| Thank the Caller and Conclude | • Thank the caller and offer additional assistance: “Thank you, [name]. We look forward to seeing you on [date]. If you need to make any changes, please give us a call. Have a great day!“ |
As you read above the procedures, SOP and steps of taking restaurant reservations make sure you have as well a Reservation Policies implemented at your restaurant in case of:
- Reservation time limits.
- Cancellation policies.
- Group reservation policies.
- Any deposit requirements for large parties or special events.
All the images in this article are taken from Pixabay (not copyrighted and free commercial use). Feature image from Bimpos.
