Guide for restaurants
Getting started with HelloRestaurant
Everything you need to take your first bookings, in order. Work through it from the top, or jump to the part you need.
Step 1
Start your free trial
- Sign up with your email address or your Google account. With email, we send you a sign-in link, so there's no password to remember.
- Choose monthly or yearly for after the trial, then start it. There's no card needed to start.
- Add a card any time in the 14 days to carry on. If you don't, your account simply pauses and you're never charged.
Step 2
Add your restaurant
- Create your restaurant with its name and address.
- In Settings, under Details, add your cuisine, phone number, email, photos and amenities. Guests see these on your booking page.
- Running more than one place? Add each restaurant, then switch between them with the picker at the top of the portal.
Step 3
Set your opening hours and booking rules
- Add the hours you're open each day. Guests can book online for times within these hours.
- In Settings, under Booking rules, choose how far ahead guests can book, how much notice you need and how long they have their table.
Step 4
Lay out your floor plan
- Add each table with its number and how many chairs it has, so guests are only offered tables that fit their party.
- Drag tables into place, or use the keyboard: press Tab to reach a table, then the arrow keys move it, R turns it and Delete removes it. Each table's edit button also lets you type its exact position and size.
- Join tables for bigger parties, and add walls, the bar, the door and other fixtures so the plan looks like your room.
- Press Save layout when you're done.
Step 6
Take bookings
- Guests book on your own booking page. Find its link in Settings, under Connections, to add to your website, Instagram and Google.
- The Bookings page shows each day as a grid of tables and times, or as a list, week or month. Add phone bookings with New booking and seat walk-ins with Walk-in.
- When you're full, add people to the waitlist.
- Guests get a confirmation and a reminder by email. Choose what you're sent, such as a summary each morning, in Settings, under Notifications.
- To cut no-shows, ask guests for a card deposit when they book online, in Settings, under Deposits and no-shows.
Step 7
Take orders at the table
- Print a QR code for each table from the floor plan, with Manage QR codes. Guests scan it to order and pay from their phone.
- New orders appear on the kitchen screen, which can run full screen on a tablet. Tap a dish when it's plated.
- Staff can take orders too, with New order on the kitchen screen, and every order is kept on the Orders page.
Step 8
Bring in your team
- Everyone signs in with their own email, so there's no shared password, and you can take someone off the team at any time.
- Staff run service: bookings, walk-ins, the waitlist, guests' notes, orders and the kitchen.
- Managers also run the restaurant: settings, menus, the floor plan, offers and reports. Only you can see billing and change the team.
Step 9
Keep guests coming back
- The guest list keeps everyone who has booked with you, with their visits, notes and tags.
- Email guests who have agreed to hear from you. They tick a box when they book, and every email has an unsubscribe link.
- Reply to reviews, and the guest gets your reply by email.
- Create discount codes and special offers in Settings.
Step 10
Your booking page and posts
- On the Website page, choose the web address for your restaurant's own booking page.
- Write social posts about events and offers. Current ones show on your booking page.
Step 11
See how you're doing
- Analytics shows how bookings, guests and orders are going over the period you choose.
- Exports downloads your sales and online payments as spreadsheets for your accountant, Xero or QuickBooks.
Need a hand?
Send us a message and we'll help you get set up.