Online vs phone reservations: which is better for restaurants?

Online reservations are better for most restaurants. They capture bookings 24/7, reduce staff workload, eliminate booking errors, and enable automated confirmations and reminders. Phone reservations still matter for VIP guests and complex requests, but online should be your default channel.

Restaurants that rely primarily on phone reservations miss 30-40% of potential bookings that happen outside staffed hours. When guests can’t book at 10pm on a Tuesday night while planning their weekend, they often move on to a competitor with online availability. Meanwhile, your staff spends valuable service hours answering the same questions and manually recording details that a booking system handles automatically.

Key takeaways

• Main insight: Online booking captures more reservations with less staff effort
• Best approach: Offer both channels, but encourage online as the default
• Biggest win: 24/7 booking availability without additional staffing
• Common mistake: Forcing online-only and alienating phone-preference guests

The case for online reservations

Online booking systems outperform phone reservations on nearly every operational metric. Here’s why they should be your primary channel.

24/7 availability captures more bookings

Your restaurant is staffed maybe 10-12 hours a day. Guests think about dining reservations at all hours. Industry data shows 25-40% of online restaurant reservations happen outside typical business hours, including late nights, early mornings, and during your busiest service periods when staff can’t answer phones.

Every missed call is a potential lost booking. Online systems never miss a call, never put guests on hold, and never close.

Reduced booking errors

Phone reservations introduce multiple error points: mishearing names, writing wrong times, transposing party sizes. Staff taking reservations during busy service are distracted and rushed.

Online booking eliminates most of these errors. Guests select dates and times from available options. They type their own names and contact information. The confirmation goes directly to their email for verification.

Staff time savings

The average phone reservation takes 2-4 minutes. That includes greeting, asking about date and time, checking availability, possibly offering alternatives, recording guest details, and confirming everything. Multiply by 20-30 calls daily and you’re looking at 60-120 minutes of staff time.

Online reservations take zero staff time to process. The system handles availability, records details, sends confirmations, and stores everything automatically.

Automated confirmations and reminders

Phone reservations require manual follow-up. Someone has to call or text guests to confirm and remind them. Most restaurants skip this step because it’s time-consuming.

Online systems automate the entire confirmation flow:

• Immediate booking confirmation
• 48-hour confirmation request
• 24-hour reminder with easy cancel option

Automated reminders alone reduce no-show rate by 30-50%.

Better guest data collection

Phone reservations produce handwritten notes that get lost or can’t be read. Important guest preferences disappear when the server who took the call goes home.

Online booking creates a permanent record automatically. Guest preferences, dietary restrictions, and special occasion notes attach to the reservation and sync to your guest database. You build institutional knowledge without extra effort.

When phone reservations still make sense

Online booking is better for most situations. But phone reservations remain valuable for specific cases.

VIP and high-value guests

Your best regulars expect a personal touch. The guest who spends $500 every month wants to call and hear a familiar voice. That’s relationship building, not transaction processing.

Keep phone reservations available for guests who genuinely prefer them. Just don’t let preferences of a few drive your entire booking strategy.

Complex requests and special events

Large party bookings, private dining inquiries, and multi-course tasting experiences often need conversation. The guest wants to discuss menu options, timing, and special arrangements. Online systems can capture the initial request, but follow-up calls add value.

Older demographics

Some demographics genuinely prefer phone contact. If your clientele skews older, phone reservations matter more. But don’t assume, as many guests over 60 book restaurants online regularly. The key is offering both channels without forcing either.

Last-minute changes

When a guest is running late or needs to modify a booking urgently, a phone call often resolves things faster than navigating a website. Keep your phone line staffed during service hours for these situations.

Comparison table

How to transition from phone to online

Moving from phone-primary to online-primary booking takes a few weeks of intentional effort. Here’s how to do it without disrupting operations.

Step 1: Set up your online system

Choose a booking system that integrates with your website and Google Business Profile. Key features to prioritize:

• Real-time availability display
• Automated confirmation and reminder messages
• Guest database with notes and history
• Mobile-friendly booking flow

If you don’t have a booking system yet, Resos’s Reserve with Google integration lets guests book directly from search results.

Step 2: Promote online booking everywhere

Make online booking the obvious choice:

• Add booking widget prominently to your website
• Enable Reserve with Google on your business profile
• Include online booking link in email signatures
• Add QR codes to physical materials (menus, table tents, receipts)

Step 3: Train staff to redirect

When guests call for reservations, train hosts to:

1. Take the reservation (never turn away a booking)
2. Mention online booking: “For future reservations, you can also book online anytime at our website”
3. Offer to send a link via text

The goal is gentle encouragement, not forced adoption.

Step 4: Measure the shift

Track weekly:

• Phone reservations vs. online reservations
• Time of day for online bookings (especially after-hours)
• Staff time spent on phone reservations
• Booking error rates by channel

You should see online percentage climb steadily over 4-6 weeks.

Managing both channels

Most restaurants should offer both online and phone reservations indefinitely. Here’s how to manage them together.

Single source of truth

All reservations, regardless of source, must flow into one system. When a host takes a phone reservation, they enter it into the same system guests use online. No separate paper books or spreadsheets.

This prevents double-bookings and ensures every reservation gets the same confirmation and reminder flow.

Consistent confirmation process

Phone reservations should trigger the same automated confirmations as online bookings. After entering a phone reservation, the system sends immediate confirmation via email or SMS.

This closes the loop on potential errors. If the guest got the wrong date confirmed, they’ll catch it immediately.

Guest preference tracking

Note how guests prefer to book. If someone always calls, don’t push them online. If someone usually books online but calls for special occasions, that’s meaningful information.

Your guest database should track booking preferences alongside dining preferences.

Common mistakes to avoid

Forcing online-only too quickly

Eliminating phone reservations entirely alienates guests who genuinely prefer them. The goal is encouraging online, not mandating it.

Hiding the phone number

Some restaurants bury their phone number to push online booking. This frustrates guests who need it and damages trust. Keep contact information visible.

Neglecting the phone experience

If staff sound annoyed when answering reservation calls, guests notice. The phone channel should feel welcoming even as you encourage online booking.

Not training on the new system

Hosts who aren’t comfortable with the booking software create friction. They might take phone reservations on paper “just this once” and create double-bookings.

Ignoring after-hours bookings

Online bookings made at 11pm need the same confirmation flow as those made during service. If your system requires manual acceptance, someone needs to process after-hours bookings each morning.

The bottom line

Online reservations outperform phone reservations for availability, accuracy, efficiency, and guest follow-up. They capture bookings 24/7 while reducing staff workload and booking errors.

But phone reservations still matter for VIP relationships, complex requests, and guests who genuinely prefer them. The winning strategy isn’t choosing one or the other. It’s making online booking the default while keeping phone available for exceptions.

Start by setting up your online booking system and promoting it consistently. Train staff to gently redirect phone callers toward online booking for next time. Track your channel mix and watch online percentage climb. Within a few months, you’ll capture more reservations with less effort.

Related guides: How to get more restaurant reservations | How to reduce no-shows | How to choose a booking system