What are the best affordable venue booking systems for restaurants and bars?

Members highlighted several booking systems with different pricing models, ranging from per-cover charges to flat fees and commission-based options.

**ResDiary** — A popular choice among members; now owned by The Access Group.

**Design My Night (DMN)** — Charges a subscription plus per-seat fee for bookings coming through their platform. Easy website widget integration. Part of The Access Group.

**Stampede** — Charges a single all-in fee, roughly equivalent to DMN pricing but without the per-cover charge on top, making it simpler for budgeting.

**Fare Harbour** — Described as offering an "incredible deal" with no upfront charges, only a small percentage taken from each booking—worth exploring for cost-conscious venues.

**OpenTable** — Generally considered "pretty good" and generates genuine bookings via the OpenTable website; easy widget for your own site. However, it's expensive at £300/month plus per-cover charges on bookings, making it one of the pricier options.

**Caveats:** Members noted that OpenTable's dual pricing (monthly fee + per-booking charge) adds up quickly. The landscape has consolidated recently—The Access Group now owns both ResDiary and DMN, so it's worth checking if they're still priced/featured differently.