How to manage restaurant bookings by phone, WhatsApp and online

By Steve Evans, founder of Table Harmony and restaurant owner in Alicante.
Published 16 October 2026

Choose one main booking record

Decide where your team will record every confirmed reservation.

That might initially be a diary. If you use a restaurant booking system, it should become the main place staff check before accepting or changing a booking.

The important point is that a WhatsApp conversation or a note beside the telephone should not be the only record of a confirmed table.

Everyone on the team needs to know where to find the current booking information.

Record phone bookings while you take them

Whenever possible, enter the reservation during the call.

Check availability, record the details and repeat them back to the guest:

“That's a table for four on Friday 23 October at 20:30, under the name Evans.”

Confirm the date as well as the day. Expressions such as “next Friday” can mean different things to different people.

If you cannot enter the reservation immediately, use an agreed temporary process and make sure the booking is transferred promptly. Be clear about who is responsible for doing it.

Distinguish a WhatsApp enquiry from a confirmed booking

A message asking “Do you have a table for six tomorrow?” is an enquiry. You may still need the guest’s preferred time, name or agreement to an alternative.

Make it clear when the booking has actually been confirmed. A useful final reply includes:

• The date.
• The arrival time.
• The number of guests.
• The booking name.
• Any important conditions already discussed.

Once you confirm it, add it to the main booking record.

If you use Table Harmony, staff can enter a reservation received through WhatsApp manually. The conversation itself does not automatically become a booking in the system.

Check availability before promising a table

It is easy to reply “Yes, that’s fine” to a message while thinking only about whether the restaurant usually has space.

Check the actual service first. Consider the table arrangement, existing reservations and how many guests are already arriving at that time.

A free table does not always mean the requested arrival time is suitable.

If another time would work better, offer it before confirming. Our guide to staggering restaurant reservations explains how spreading arrivals can help your team manage the service.

Give guests the option to book online

For straightforward enquiries, a direct booking link can save a conversation going back and forth.

For example:

“You can check available times and book here: [booking link]. If you need help, send us a message.”

Guests can enter their details and choose from the options available without waiting for someone to reply.

If you direct a guest to book online, make clear whether you have already reserved a table for them. Otherwise, they may complete an online booking while a member of staff also creates one manually.

Keep changes in the same record

A booking may start online and later change by telephone or WhatsApp.

Find and update the existing reservation rather than creating another one.

Before making the change, confirm which booking the guest means. Check the name, date, time and party size, especially if you have several guests with the same surname.

Apply the same routine to cancellations. Replying to the guest is only part of the task; the main booking record also needs updating so the table can become available again.

Pass on useful information to the team

A note hidden in a message thread is easy for the team to miss.

Transfer relevant details to the reservation, such as a highchair request or a guest asking for step-free access. Record requests accurately and distinguish them from arrangements you have confirmed.

For example, “Guest requested terrace seating; subject to availability” gives staff a clearer picture than “Terrace”.

Include the information needed to manage the visit, rather than copying an entire private conversation into the booking notes.

Agree who checks messages

If several people answer the restaurant’s messages, agree a simple routine:

• Who checks enquiries before opening?
• Who monitors them during service?
• Who records a reservation once it is confirmed?
• Who checks for outstanding enquiries before closing?

You do not need a complicated procedure. You need everyone to understand when an enquiry has been dealt with and where the confirmed booking is recorded.

If messages are not monitored continuously, tell guests when they can expect a reply and give them an online booking option where appropriate.

Check the next service before opening

A short review can catch issues while there is still time to resolve them.

Check that confirmed message bookings have been entered, changes and cancellations have been recorded, and important notes are visible.

Look for possible duplicates, particularly when a guest has contacted you through more than one channel. Verify them before removing anything: similar names do not necessarily mean the same reservation.

Then make sure the team knows about larger groups or arrangements that need attention.

Bring bookings together in Table Harmony

Table Harmony lets staff add telephone, WhatsApp and in-person reservations alongside online bookings.

For staff-entered bookings, email and phone details are optional, so a booking can be created with just a name and the reservation details. The booking is confirmed when staff create it, and a confirmation email is sent if an email address is included.

This gives your team one place to check reservations, table assignments and guest notes.

You can continue accepting bookings through the channels your guests prefer, with a clear routine for bringing them together.