What are guest notes? Restaurant staff observations explained

Guest notes are staff observations and details recorded about individual guests to personalize future visits. For restaurants, they are the difference between treating every visit as a first visit and delivering the kind of personal service that turns guests into regulars. A single note about a peanut allergy or a favorite wine can define whether a guest comes back.

Key facts

• Definition: Written observations about guests stored in your reservation or guest management system
• Key metric: Notes per guest profile (aim for at least one note per returning guest)
• Good benchmark: 70%+ of repeat guest profiles have at least one note
• Why it matters: Personalized service based on notes increases repeat visits and average spend

The quick definition

Guest notes are the details your team records about individual guests after a visit. These notes live in your reservation system, attached to the guest’s profile, so anyone on your team can access them before the next visit. They cover everything from “severe shellfish allergy” to “prefers booth by the window” to “celebrating 10th anniversary in March.”

The goal is simple: give your team the information they need to make every guest feel remembered.

Why guest notes matter

Personalization without perfect memory

No server can remember the preferences of hundreds of guests. Notes fill that gap:

Allergy and dietary safety

This is the most important function of guest notes. A recorded allergy can prevent a medical emergency:

• Severe allergies flagged prominently on the profile
• Kitchen sees restrictions before the order arrives
• New staff are informed even if the original server is not working
• No reliance on the guest remembering to mention it every time

Team continuity

Staff turnover in restaurants averages 70-80% annually. Guest notes ensure institutional knowledge survives:

• A new server picks up where the last one left off
• Seasonal staff can deliver personal service from day one
• Part-time hosts recognize returning VIPs
• Managers see a guest’s full history regardless of who served them

How to build an effective guest notes system

1. Choose what to record

Not every detail is worth writing down. Focus on notes that change behavior:

The test: Would this note help the next server do something differently? If not, skip it.

2. Make it fast and frictionless

Guest notes only work if staff actually write them. Remove every barrier:

• Use a system that lets notes be added from a phone in under 10 seconds
• Place tablets at the host stand and server stations
• Use shorthand codes for common notes (AL = allergy, SP = seating preference, VIP = VIP guest)
• Resos lets servers add notes directly to a guest profile with a few taps

3. Standardize the format

Consistent notes are easier to scan during a busy service:

• Start with the category: Allergy, Preference, Occasion, Issue, General
• Be specific: “Gluten-free, not celiac” is more useful than “dietary restriction”
• Date important notes: “Complained about noise 2024-11-15” gives context
• Use flags for urgency: Allergies and VIP status should stand out visually

4. Review notes before every service

Notes are useless if no one reads them:

• Hosts review guest profiles for every reservation during pre-shift
• Servers check notes before approaching a table
• Kitchen receives allergy flags with every order
• Managers scan for VIPs and guests with past complaints

5. Keep notes current

Old or inaccurate notes cause more harm than good:

• Update preferences when guests mention changes
• Remove outdated information (“Pregnant” from two years ago)
• Verify allergies periodically rather than assuming
• Archive notes for guests who have not visited in over a year

Best practices

• Lead by example. When managers add guest notes, staff follow. Make it visible that leadership values this practice.
• Celebrate great notes. When a server’s note leads to a moment that delights a guest, recognize it in pre-shift. It reinforces the habit.
• Keep it professional. Notes should be factual and helpful. Never record personal judgments, physical descriptions, or anything you would not want the guest to read.
• Focus on the regulars first. You do not need notes for every single guest. Start by building detailed profiles for your top 50 returning guests, then expand from there.

Related terms

• Cover - Each guest served is a potential profile to add notes to
• No-show - Notes help flag guests with a pattern of not showing up
• Walk-in - Walk-in guests are harder to capture notes for, but waitlists help

Related: How to reduce no-shows | How to get more reservations | Large party bookings