Guest fulfillment systems are fast becoming diners' first step to unforgettable dining experiences in the most beautiful restaurants in the world, but how exactly does it fit into the customer journey, and how will it work once it’s set up in your restaurant?
In this guide, you’re going to learn:
Let’s dive in.
Before we go any further, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page about what a guest fulfillment system (GFS) is.
A Guest Fulfillment System is an advanced technological platform enabling restaurant patrons to tailor their dining experience by selecting specific tables and preferences, thereby streamlining restaurant operations and enhancing overall customer satisfaction.
A GFS allows customers to create a hyper-personalized dining experience before ever setting foot inside the restaurant.
The GFS connects with your restaurant’s current reservation system, but what makes the GFS exceptional is its ability to help customers:
Traditional reservation systems do have a “notes” portion while making a reservation, but there’s no promise that customer requests will be fulfilled.
Using a GFS guarantees customers' wants and needs are met, creating an unforgettable time at your restaurant.
Integrating a guest fulfillment system in your restaurant can be completed in 5 easy steps:
So, let’s start at the beginning—creating a 3D rendering of your dining room.
Step one is easy and comes in two parts.
First, before the Tablz team arrives, you’ll need a clean, empty, and set-for-service dining room that looks as it would right before opening for the day.
We want the dining room to be perfect because how it looks during the scan will be exactly how it looks in the 3D model—so getting this right is crucial.
The second part of step one is picking a time of day to complete the 3D scan.
There are four times of day to work with.
As you can see in the image above, each time of day offers an ideal setting for how you’ll want to showcase your restaurant.
Pick a time that best fits your guest's expectations when coming in to eat.
For example, if you’re a dimly lit steakhouse, schedule the scan at night so the windows don’t have brilliant shafts of sunlight pouring inside.
If you’re a brunch spot, choose daytime so customers can easily visualize themselves grabbing mimosas and french toast on a late sunny morning.
You’ll also need to consider a time that won’t interrupt service—fortunately, the scan typically takes less than an hour, so if necessary, you might have to close for a period but will be back in service shortly.
Once the scan is complete, you’ll jump on the phone with a dedicated Tablz concierge to assist in picking your best tables and setting prices based on date and time.
For example, a table on your patio at sunset on a Friday during summer with a view of Central Park can sell for a lot more than a table inside around 3:00 pm on a Monday.
After prices and details are set, you’ll need to connect with your current reservation system.
Tablz's guest fulfillment system integrates seamlessly with your restaurant's existing reservation system, elevating the dining experience for guests while maintaining operational simplicity for the restaurant staff.
Your new GFS works with existing reservation systems like OpenTable, Resy, and SevenRooms, meaning it’s not an entirely different platform that you need to sync and manage with your current system manually.
This integration ensures that your restaurant's operational flow remains uninterrupted while enhancing the booking process.
Once the GFS is live on your restaurant's website, the Tablz team will assist in transferring bookings into your restaurant's existing reservation management system.
Training FOH staff is fast and simple—the interface is intuitive, so it only takes a moment to familiarize workers with a quick walk-through.
FOH never has to manually transfer reservations from one platform to another. When workers arrive for their shift, the GFS has already assigned each premium diner to their selected table.
We’ll then work with you and your team to answer possible customer questions about the GFS, so employees know how to navigate these inquiries.
Because Tablz GFS syncs perfectly with your current reservation system, purchasing additional tablets, hardware, or labor is unnecessary to operate in your restaurant.
The team at Tablz handles most of the work behind the scenes so you and your staff can focus on doing what you do best—running your restaurant.
I’m now going to show you exactly what customers experience when making a reservation through a guest fulfillment system.
For this example, we’ll make a reservation at Abrielle in Toronto, Canada.
This is what customers see at the beginning of the reservation process.
After clicking the “Pick My Table” button, customers will be asked how many people are in their group.
After selecting “4 Guests,” we are presented with a calendar that allows us to choose our date and time.
We have selected 9:00 PM on Thursday, January 25th. The blue button below tells us we’ll have the option of 4 available tables.
After clicking “Show 4 Tables,” we are now inside the 3D model of the dining room, and each available table is marked with a green dot, as you see below.
On the left of this image, you can see a panel with the names and information of the 4 available tables. Guests can either click the table’s name (which takes them straight to the table), or they can manually “walk” through the restaurant.
If a customer manually walks the virtual restaurant, they can get a sense of where their table is inside the dining room.
Now, let’s do a 180° turn in place to get a new view of the restaurant.
This gives us a broader view of the dining room and bar—in it, we can see a green dot above the table directly in front of us and another green dot further into the next room.
By clicking on the available table in the adjacent room, we are whisked across the floor to “The Hospitality Tables.”
In the image above, to the right, you’ll see a panel with a full description of “The HospitalityTables,” with a list of benefits on why you should choose to dine there.
At the bottom of this panel, you’ll see the table fee for the date and time you wish to reserve your visit.
Let’s select “Book Now.”
The “Book Now” button gives us an overview of our reservation with:
Once the booking process is complete, the system will collect payment, and the reservation will be confirmed.
For a deeper dive into a GFS, check out our Ultimate Guide To Guest Fulfillment Systems For Restaurant Operators.
Let’s look at 7 ways a guest fulfillment system can benefit restaurants and the outcomes operators can expect after integrating it into their reservation system.
1) Enhanced Guest Experience:
2) Increased Revenue Streams:
3) Operational Efficiency:
4) Meeting Diverse Guest Needs:
5) No Additional Burden on Restaurants:
6) Community Building and Brand Loyalty:
7) Global Vision and Industry Innovation:
Adopting a GFS in your restaurant is a significant, low-risk, high-reward situation. It brings a new revenue source to your restaurant without the cost of goods and creates a hyper-personalized dining experience that guests will share with friends and family.
It’s hard to see the downside of adding a guest fulfillment system to your restaurant.
By marrying advanced 3D mapping technology with dynamic reservation management, Tablz not only enhances the guest experience but also opens up new revenue streams and operational efficiencies for restaurant operators.
This innovative approach allows restaurants to cater to the evolving preferences of diners, ensuring a personalized and memorable dining experience that encourages repeat visits.
If you’re looking to:
Reach out to Tablz right now, and let’s talk about setting up your restaurant with a brand-new guest fulfillment system.
You even have the option to start using it for FREE.
