Choose Tock if prepaid, ticketed dining is core to your concept; choose Resy if you want flat-fee premium reservations without collecting deposits. Tock’s pay-upfront model virtually eliminates no-shows on tasting menus and experiences, while Resy delivers upscale positioning and American Express reach at a predictable monthly cost. Both sit at the premium end of the market.
Key takeaways
- Tock: Ticketed and prepaid dining pioneer, $79-769/month, 2-3% prepayment fees on lower tiers, best for tasting menus and experiential concepts
- Resy: Flat-fee premium reservations, $249-899/month, no per-cover or transaction fees, Amex-owned, best for upscale a la carte dining
- No-shows: Tock’s prepayment all but eliminates them; Resy relies on standard reservations and policies
- Both are premium-priced: budget-conscious restaurants will find better value elsewhere
Tock vs Resy at a glance
| Tock | Resy | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Fine dining, ticketed events, tasting menus | Upscale a la carte dining |
| Pricing | $79-769/mo + prepay fees | $249-899/mo flat |
| Free tier | No | No |
| Per-cover fees | None | None |
| Transaction fees | 2-3% on prepaid (lower tiers) | None |
| Reservations from | $199/mo (Essential) | $249/mo (Basic) |
| Standout | Prepaid/ticketed dining | Amex integration, premium brand |
| Contracts | Typically annual | Often annual |
Quick verdict
Tock is the right choice if your restaurant runs on tasting menus, ticketed seatings, or prepaid experiences. Letting guests pay for the full meal at booking virtually eliminates no-shows, which matters when one empty seat on a $300 tasting menu is a real revenue hit. Tock was built by Alinea Group co-founder Nick Kokonas for exactly this model, and it remains the category leader.
Resy is the right choice if you run an upscale a la carte restaurant that wants premium brand positioning and American Express reach with predictable, flat pricing and no prepayment friction. It is the more conventional reservation experience of the two.
Neither is built for budget-conscious or casual restaurants. If cost is a primary concern, see the affordable alternative below.
Tock vs Resy pricing comparison 2026
Tock pricing
Tock uses tiered subscriptions with transaction fees on prepaid bookings:
| Plan | Monthly fee | Prepayment fee | Key features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base | $79/mo | 3% | Waitlist, table management, events (no reservations) |
| Essential | $199/mo | 2% | Reservations, takeout, core experiences |
| Premium | $339/mo | Lower % | POS integration, premium support, advanced tools |
| Premium Unlimited | $769/mo | 0% | All features, no transaction fees |
See Tock pricing for current rates (as of June 2026).
Resy pricing
| Plan | Monthly fee | Key features |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $249/mo | Reservations, table management, guest profiles |
| Pro | $399/mo | Advanced CRM, marketing tools, priority support |
| Enterprise | $899/mo | Custom integrations, dedicated account manager |
No cover fees on any Resy plan. See Resy for restaurants for details (as of June 2026).
How the costs actually compare
Both are flat subscriptions, so the real difference is prepayment fees and your entry plan:
- A restaurant taking standard reservations pays Tock Essential $199/mo vs Resy Basic $249/mo, close once you factor support and features.
- A restaurant collecting deposits or selling tickets pays Tock’s 2-3% transaction fee on top of the subscription (unless on the $769/mo Premium Unlimited), while Resy has no equivalent fee but also no native prepaid-experience engine.
- At scale, Tock’s Premium Unlimited ($769/mo) removes transaction fees; Resy Enterprise ($899/mo) adds dedicated support and integrations.
Tock vs Resy features compared
| Feature | Tock | Resy |
|---|---|---|
| Online reservations | Yes (Essential+) | Yes |
| Prepaid / ticketed dining | Yes (core strength) | No |
| Deposits | Yes | Limited |
| Table management | Yes | Yes |
| Guest profiles | Yes | Yes |
| Waitlist management | Yes | Yes |
| Marketing / CRM tools | Yes (higher tiers) | Yes (Pro+) |
| Amex integration | No | Yes |
| Network discovery | Smaller, experience-led | Smaller, upscale |
| Transaction fees | 2-3% on prepaid | None |
Is Tock right for your restaurant?
Tock makes sense if:
- Prepayment is essential. Tasting menus, chef’s counters, and ticketed events where guests should pay upfront.
- No-shows are expensive. High-value covers where an empty seat is a major loss.
- You sell experiences. Wine dinners, classes, and special events fit Tock’s ticketing model natively.
- You can use the lower tiers carefully. Reservations require Essential ($199/mo), and prepay fees apply below Premium Unlimited.
Is Resy right for your restaurant?
Resy makes sense if:
- You run upscale a la carte service. Premium positioning without a prepaid model.
- You want flat, predictable costs. No per-cover or transaction fees at any volume.
- Your guests use American Express. Amex ownership means cardholder marketing and visibility.
- You value brand association. Resy is tied to trendy, high-end dining in major metros.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Tock and Resy?
Does Tock or Resy charge cover fees?
Which is cheaper, Tock or Resy?
Is Tock better than Resy for fine dining?
Are there cheaper alternatives to Tock and Resy?
The bottom line
Tock and Resy solve different problems at the premium end of reservations. Tock is the specialist: prepaid and ticketed dining that protects revenue on high-value seatings, built for tasting menus and experiences. Resy is the upscale generalist: a polished, flat-fee reservation platform with American Express reach.
If your model depends on guests paying before they arrive, Tock is hard to replace. If you want premium a la carte reservations with predictable costs, Resy fits. For restaurants where neither the prepaid engine nor the premium price tag is necessary, a flat, affordable platform will serve the same core need for far less.
Related comparisons: Tock vs Resos | Resy vs Resos | OpenTable vs Resy | OpenTable alternatives