As we step into 2025, it’s time to rethink how you manage your restaurant operations and set your business up for growth.
Dining concepts from bistros to bars to poolside restaurants are using restaurant seating software to manage seating and capacity to ensure a smooth flow and a great dining experience.
But not all restaurant seating apps are the same. While some offer basic functionality, others provide advanced features designed to grow alongside your business.
As your concept evolves, it’s crucial to have a system that not only meets your current needs but also scales effortlessly to support your expansion.
In this article, we’ll be looking at what a restaurant seating system is, common features, and additional features you can find when using Servme.
What is restaurant seating software?
Restaurant seating software is a type of software used in a food-and-beverage concept such as a restaurant, bar, winery, among others, to manage seating arrangements.
Referred to as a table management system, restaurant seating software organizes table bookings, optimizes floor plans, and maximizes seating capacity.
The best restaurant seating systems can be easily integrated with restaurant point-of-sale (POS) systems as well as with other platforms that streamline bookings.
As tools develop, so do restaurant seating systems and apps. Many such tools, like Servme, include additional features like marketing automation, restaurant analytics and reporting features, among others.
Imagine a busy Friday night at a popular bistro. Instead of relying on manual methods, the host uses a sleek tablet interface to view real-time seating availability. With a few taps, they can assign parties to tables and track wait times efficiently.
Common features in a restaurant seating system
Modern restaurant seating systems come packed with a variety of features designed to streamline operations and enhance the dining experience.
Here are the most common and impactful features you’ll likely find in a restaurant seating system.
Seating and table management features
At its core, a restaurant seating app is about managing the physical capacity and occupancy using the dining concept’s layout.
This means this type of software will show you
your concept’s floor plan
different seating sections such as indoor and outdoor (if applicable)
an overview of which tables are occupied and which aren’t
which tables are in the process of being cleared
Some restaurant seating apps include waitlist management features. Restaurant managers can see how many people are waiting for a table, upcoming bookings, cancellations, and no-shows.
Floor planning views and features
Floor planning capabilities can vary significantly between systems, ranging from basic to highly advanced.
That said, common features include a visual layout editor, showing hosts the different sections and seating areas in a dining concept. In addition, hosts can see multiple views of your floor plan.
For example, Servme’s restaurant floor planning software shows you a list view, grid view, and floor plan view. You can view all 3 via the web app, the iOS and Android app.
Bla Bla Dubai uses Servme’s table management system to manage seating arrangements and capacity for 1,000+ daily guests. Bla Bla is a mega concept with a restaurant, pool, and 21 bars all under one roof.
The Bla Bla team uses Servme’s reservation and seating management features to collect online bookings, reservation deposits, and deliver memorable dining experiences.
Bla Bla’s guest relations manager Rheinardt Britz tells Servme that they needed a reservation and seating system that could handle a massive flow of guests who could move between 5 different sections.
“The reservation and CRM system should allow us to manage these different areas because they all operate differently. Servme has been fantastic for our needs since day one.” Bla Bla’s guest relations manager Rheinardt Britz
Servme enables Bla Bla Dubai to deliver seamless, personalized experiences at scale, no matter how complex or busy the venue gets. Whether it’s moving guests from one section to another, managing changing occupancy levels, or re-organizing their entire floor plan for a special event, they’re using Servme to do it.
Learn more about how Bla Bla Dubai uses Servme to manage seating for 650,000+ guests each year.
CRM features
Most table and seating management systems come with customer relationship management (CRM) features. The strength of these features varies from one system to another.
However, most offer basic guest profile creation, including adding the guest’s name, cell phone number, and email.
Reservation management
Another important feature to consider when comparing restaurant seating management systems is reservation management.
Most include basic features such as a calendar view so hosts can see upcoming reservations, including the number of guests per reservation, for the upcoming week or month.
Marketing features
Some seating systems go beyond operational management to help with customer engagement and retention. Some restaurant seating apps may include email or SMS marketing features for restaurants.
You can use the details you’ve collected in your restaurant CRM to send out marketing campaigns to promote upcoming events, send special promotions, or send automated notifications about upcoming reservations.
POS integrations
It’s important to see the different restaurant point-of-sale (POS) integrations the table and seating management software you’re considering integrates with.
For example, dining and entertainment venues using Servme can integrate with 20+ POS integrations. Servme regularly adds new POS integrations based on customer requests.
POS systems can greatly enhance the functionality of seating software. From tracking orders and guest preferences to reviewing sales data and generating POS reports, there are many perks to using a POS system that integrates with your seating app.
How Servme's restaurant seating software stands out
When it comes to selecting the right restaurant seating software for your dining concept, Servme stands out as a top contender.
Here are 14 reasons why restaurants around the world choose Servme’s reservation and seating management system.
Floor planning and automated seating sections
Servme’s seating software comes with various views of your restaurant’s floor plan. Whether you want to redesign your floor plan, cater to a special event like an engagement party or host a corporate lunch, Servme has you covered.
Servme’s super easy-to-use drag-and-drop editor with automated table combinations and recommendations help you seat large groups in seconds, while maintaining your restaurant’s flow.
Capacity control
Besides automated seating, you can use Servme to adjust seating capacity for special occasions and events. Restaurants use this feature during peak days and hours and when hosting special dining events.
Restaurants also use this feature in combination with disabling online bookings from integrations to cater to the incoming foot traffic.
Table turnover optimization
A restaurant seating app can go further beyond seating guests. It can help you improve your restaurant’s table turnover, while ensuring guests leave your concept happy and likely to return.
Servme helps you understand guest behavior and review guests’ food preferences so staff can make recommendations and personalize the guest experience.
Considered an important revenue management strategy for restaurants, navigating table turnover means hosts can serve more guests during peak hours, reduce wait times for incoming parties, and improve overall efficiency.
Collect online deposits and prepayments
Servme integrates seamlessly with payment integrations across various countries so F&B concepts can collect online deposits and prepayments.
As a restaurant, you can add limits based on the number of people making a booking to reduce no-shows and last-minute cancellations.
For example, you can require groups of 4 or more people to pay an online deposit before you confirm their reservation.
Alternatively, if someone books over the phone, you can automate sending an email or SMS with the payment link to collect the deposit via Servme.
Access to restaurant booking platforms
Expand your reach and fill more tables with Servme's integration and restaurant booking platforms.
With Servme, you can get direct reservations via Facebook and Instagram, Reserve with Google, among others.
Depending on the country you’re operating in, you can list your restaurant via Zomato, Afternoon Tea (UK), the Michelin Guide, The Chefz, webook, among others.
You can also track the source of bookings from the reports section in Servme and review guest data in your CRM. For example, if a guest visits once from Facebook and once from Zomato, you’ll be able to see this information in their profile using the auto-tags feature.
This feature ensures maximum visibility for your restaurant or chain. You can enable or disable booking integrations based on your concept’s capacity, reservations, and waitlists.
Restaurant booking integrations are a great opportunity to increase restaurant reservations and boost sales during your slow season.
Accessible via multiple devices
One thing our team is keen on is ensuring easy access to Servme and simplifying management and operations. That’s why Servme is available across multiple devices and software.
Servme is available on Android devices as well as iOS devices. You can also access Servme’s web-based app.
This flexibility allows hosts to move freely throughout the restaurant, managers to check status from anywhere, and owners to keep an eye on operations wherever they are.
Automated guest surveys
Servme’s seating software comes with automated restaurant guest surveys that measure guest satisfaction and help you collect post-dining feedback and improve service.
You can customize and automate the content of these surveys and when to send them. We recommend sending surveys within 24 hours of closing the check. That way, guests have time to fill the survey and the dining experience is still fresh in their minds.
Using the information gathered, you can analyze trends, identify problems,…etc. If you manage multiple restaurant locations, you can identify areas of strength and weakness in some locations over others.
Multiple restaurant marketing features
Servme goes beyond seating management to help F&B concepts grow to new highs.
Concepts using Servme can create and automate email, SMS, and WhatsApp marketing campaigns. Users get access to a library of templates for every occasion. They can also customize the templates to suit their needs.
Whether it’s creating a restaurant newsletter, a series of email marketing campaigns, SMS campaigns, or automated WhatsApp campaigns, Servme has you covered.
Restaurant managers, marketers, and owners can use their restaurant’s CRM and the auto-tagging feature to segment guests. Users can also track the results of their marketing efforts via their Servme dashboard.
For instance, you can create an email or SMS campaign for guests who haven't visited in 3 or more months. Offer them a special discount to encourage their return.
You can also offer a special discount for 4 or more persons to get large-group bookings. This is what Hyatt Regency Dubai’s reservation team does during the slow season to encourage group bookings and increase restaurant sales.
Alternatively, you can send an SMS for their birthday and invite them to a free dessert. All they have to do is show their server this SMS to get their special birthday dessert.
Further reading: 21 Restaurant Marketing Ideas to Drive Guest Spending in 2025
Waitlist management
Using Servme’s reservation and seating software, managers can engage guests before they arrive at the restaurant. From managing wait times, to notifying guests of their waitlist status, to sharing the concept’s digital menu to speed up ordering, there’s lots you can do with Servme.
You can easily combine your online and offline waitlists and review them in your Servme dashboard. You can also see if guests have paid a deposit, are frequent or VIP guests, among other options.
Detailed guest profiling
Servme’s powerful restaurant CRM means automated creation of detailed guest profiles. New guests who make a booking via your reservation widget have a profile automatically generated in your CRM.
Meanwhile, returning guests appear in your dashboard. If a returning guest adds a guest note to their reservation, the information is automatically updated in their profile.
Servme’s CRM lets you add dietary preferences, allergies, guest notes such as seating preferences (such as outdoor, indoor, near-the-window, non-smoking area), or food preferences (such as coffee after dinner). You can also track favorite beverages and dishes, add birthday and anniversary information…etc.
Bonus tip: Use the auto-tags feature to segment guests for future marketing campaigns.
Armed with this information, you can provide personalized guest experiences to build relationships with guests and keep them coming back.
Wide array of POS integrations
Do more with Servme and the wide range of POS integrations to ensure smooth and seamless operations wherever you are in the world.
With Servme and POS, you can track guest preferences, collect real-time data, track restaurant sales such as top dishes ordered, offer multiple payment options, among other perks.
Further reading: 7+ POS Systems for Restaurants & F&B Operators to Help Grow Business
Phone integrations
Never miss a call or booking again with Servme’s phone integrations. Ensuring more responsive service, phone integrations such as Avaya, Cisco, and others, help staff identify callers and call them back.
Restaurant managers can also generate call logs, update profile information, and more for more efficient reservation and seating management.
Property management system integration
One of the top reasons hotel F&B concepts use Servme’s restaurant seating software is the property management system (PMS) integration.
Servme's PMS integration eliminates manual data entry, streamlines restaurant reservations, maximizes revenue opportunities, and automates restaurant check-in for in-house guests. This means eliminating the need to export the daily room data from Opera and digitizing the F&B report completely.
In addition, by distinguishing between in-house and outside guests, you can personalize service and target marketing efforts. Use guest tags to send targeted email and SMS campaigns to in-house guests.
New features
At Servme, we’re committed to continuous development and improvement. That’s why we’re constantly rolling out new features and upgrading older ones.
Here’s a roundup of the top features launched in 2024, and before that in 2023, to give you an idea about the features we’ve built.
One customer-favorite among our hotel F&B concepts has been Manager’s Notes.
Rejina Dangol, restaurant reservations team leader at Hyatt Regency Dubai, says her favorite Servme features are the guest notes and tags features. The tags feature helps the Hyatt Regency team with marketing, guest segmentation, and personalization.
Meanwhile, Bla Bla Dubai’s Britz, says “Servme’s reservation and seating management system is the backbone of this venue.”
Describing his experience with Servme’s product and customer success teams, he says: “We feel like we’re part of the development team. Whenever we make a request, the support team shares it with the tech team who gets back to us with ‘this is possible and this isn’t.’ And we’ve seen new features implemented based on our requests.”
At Servme, we see our customers as our success partners. We welcome your comments, suggestions, and recommendations. We’re committed to ensuring restaurants deliver great experiences that drive customer retention and loyalty.
In other words, Servme’s isn’t a one-and-done seating app, it is software that helps you grow and evolves with your needs.
Further reading: Discover How Hyatt Regency Dubai Venues Boost Retention with 88,000 Guest Profiles using Servme
Start 2025 strong
As you can see, restaurant seating software doesn’t just showcase available tables. It suggests optimal seating arrangements, integrates with other restaurant management software, analyzes historical data, factors in guest preferences, and enhances overall operational efficiency.
Seating and reservation software enhances guests’ experiences to increase loyalty, drive revenue growth, and support your brand’s expansion.
If you haven’t used restaurant seating software before or are looking for higher capabilities, try Servme. We release new features each month and are constantly adapting our software to the latest restaurant tech trends and business needs.
Mohammed Rafy
Table Management
