A Texas Based Restaurant Reservation System
Find out the history of booking systems in Texas and why EVEVE became the state's fastest growing restaurant reservation system provider. Get more information on what ways EVEVE is shaking up Houston's online booking market and its plans for Austin, Dallas and San Antonio. Most importantly, this article shows why this is all great news for Texan restaurateurs.
Texas has perhaps the most vibrant economy in the USA, and nowhere can that growth be seen more clearly than in the explosion of its restaurant scenes. The Houston and Dallas restaurant sectors are now amongst the most eclectic and accomplished in the country, while Austin punches well above its weight on the national stage, with some of America's most exciting restaurants. Meanwhile, San Antonio, one of America's most historic and beautiful cities, has a wealth of top restaurants, and the famous River Walk.
With burgeoning restaurant scenes in each of these four cities, reservations have become an increasingly important aspect of the dining experience, for fine dining restaurants looking to best manage their table inventories, and diners who wish to make plans, and do not like uncertainty or lengthy waiting times. Indeed studies show, that reservations are made disproportionately by those who are resource rich, but time poor - exactly the kind of diners which fine dining restaurants want. As disposable income in Texas rises further, particularly in markets like Houston, and real estate becomes more expensive, this booking culture is most likely to increase further.
While reservations made by telephone have always been a good way to accept bookings, the problem is that typically a restaurant will only man the telephone lines between 30 and 80 hours per week, and even then, the telephonist may be engaged on another call, with diners in the restaurant, or not available for some other reason. Even when a booking call is answered, the telephonist is sometimes not best placed to make a decision about whether to accommodate the diner, or offer an alternative time, due to a lack of information or experience.
A Live Booking System addresses these issues by offering real time reservations 24/7. Moreover, every online reservation is structured within the restaurateur's parameters, to ensure that it would be taken exactly as he would. This is the main reason why around 1,100 restaurants in Texas make use of a real time reservation system, and between them, they manage an estimated seven-eight million online diners per year.
The problem with restaurant reservations systems for restaurants in Texas, until recently, was that they faced one single monopoly supplier, Opentable. Though Opentable provides a professional service and capable product, like any situation, with one predominant supplier, prices can become extremely uncompetitive.
After a very successful US launch of its live reservation in Minnesota, EVEVE selected Houston as its anchor for the Southern United States. With a thriving restaurant scene, huge growth potential, and comparatively little competition, it seemed like a great option.
EVEVE offers a most compelling service to Texas' best restaurants. EVEVE's biggest unique selling point is the quality of its reservation system and table management software, which is one of the most accomplished tools available anywhere, designed to handle high volume, large restaurants. Moreover, it offers peerless yield management tools and information, which mean that restaurants are best placed to maximise their reservations. What makes the EVEVE proposition unique, is that its fees are based on a banded licence fee model and does not charge per diner booked online. In practical terms, this means dramatic savings, particularly for the busiest restaurants. You can find more about EVEVE offerings here
After a ten year near monopoly on restaurant booking systems, it seems Houston was ready for some competition and has been incredibly welcoming to EVEVE. In just a few months, close to 50 restaurants have joined EVEVE, the majority switching from an alternative reservation supplier. EVEVE now has a team of five in Texas, covering sales, technical support and customer service, who are tasked with providing the best possible reservation software and service to its growing client base.
In Houston, EVEVE now places over 40,000 online diners per month, or 25% of the total online reservations in the metro area. Many of Houston's very busiest restaurants, by online reservations, including Brasserie 19, Benjy's, Ibiza and Kata Robata now choose EVEVE. Moreover, some of the city's most acclaimed gastronomic hotspots including Fresh Fish (which switched from SeatMe), Pax Americana and Latin Bites find EVEVE is best placed to maximise their reservations and drive revenue. EVEVE also provides great value for local independents such as Colombe d'Or, Azuma and Tony Mandola's.
With so much going on, restaurants in Dallas, Austin and San Antonio have started to ask why they too cannot enjoy the benefits of EVEVE. Barley Swine, in Austin, became EVEVE's first non-Houston client, and as a James Beard 2014 nominee, it is a great initial restaurant to have the opportunity to work with. Most recently, the Highball, Austin's favourite karaoke venue, went live with EVEVE this week.
EVEVE now offers onsite installation and training in Houston, as well as Dallas, Austin and San Antonio. To find out how EVEVE can maximise your bookings and increase your revenue, whilst saving you money, call our Houston team today on 713 701 5383.