At First Table, we are dedicated to creating a win-win solution for both restaurants and diners. Diners get to discover new restaurants, while restaurants enjoy increased off-peak bookings, incremental revenue, and new customers.

In this article:

• Repeat diners
• Turning diners into loyal customers 
• Over-ordering 
• Additional guests

To maintain this win-win environment, First Table provides comprehensive T&Cs and special conditions tailored to each venue. As a valued First Table restaurant partner, familiarising yourself with these T&Cs is crucial. This ensures you maximise the benefits of our platform and know how to address any issues with diners taking advantage of our offer. Here are some common situations and solutions to handle them:

Repeat diners

One of our primary goals is to introduce your venue to a diverse range of new diners. Here’s how we manage repeat diners:

• Booking limits: Guests can book more than once at your venue but not twice in a row. They need to book a table elsewhere before becoming eligible to book another table with you.
• Account restrictions: We can limit bookings to one per account per month, two months, three months, etc. While this is not a default setting, it’s something we can enable for you at any time.
• Encourage variety: While we can't prevent diners from creating new accounts, repeat visitors often order different dishes and bring new friends, providing your venue with more exposure.

Turning first-time visitors into loyal customers

When diners book through First Table, we capture their details with their consent. Here’s how you can leverage this information:

• Retargeting: Use these contacts for targeted email and SMS campaigns to entice first-time visitors to return as full-paying customers.
• Long-term growth: By nurturing these fresh, first-time visitors, you can turn them into loyal customers, fostering long-term growth for your venue.

To download your marketable contact list and for strategies to maximise this information, click here.

Over-ordering

First Table’s standard T&Cs include a fair use policy that diners agree to upon booking. This helps set expectations to avoid over-ordering. However, if you feel that a First Table diner is not complying with this rule, here are a few suggestions on how we can help:

• Educate your staff: Ensure your staff are aware of these special conditions. They can advise customers on reasonable food orders based on portion sizes and remind them of these conditions if they are being abused.
• Proactive FOH team: The most effective way to prevent over-ordering is for your front-of-house team to address it at the time of ordering, rather than dealing with leftovers later. This proactive approach ensures diners are informed and mindful of their choices.
• Special conditions: If leftovers or over-ordering are a concern, special conditions can be added to address this. Contact your rep for assistance in setting these up.

Additional guests

Bookings on our website are limited to up to four diners, but managing additional guests effectively is crucial:

• Familiarity with T&Cs: Ensure your team is familiar with our T&Cs to handle any diners attempting to bend the rules.
• Decide on accommodations: It's up to you whether to accommodate more than four diners, but the discount should only apply to a maximum of four. Any additional diners should be charged at full price, with no exceptions.
• Clear communication: If you prefer to avoid additional diners altogether, let us know so we can add extra special conditions to make this clear.

By following these strategies, you can effectively manage over-ordering, additional guests, and repeat diners, ensuring a seamless experience that benefits both your venue and your customers.

Let's work together to create memorable dining experiences and drive your restaurant's success with First Table!

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