19 Sep, 2023
Learn how 51 Cornmarket, a popular independent restaurant in Ireland, uses ResDiary’s booking system to manage customer flow, maximise seating, and reclaim valuable personal time for its staff and owners—while securing half of their bookings from repeat diners.
You'll discover how they:
- Switched from pen and paper to improve the booking experience for diners
- Fixed a broken booking system that required hours of manual labour
- Make the most of their small space and drive value from every service
- Bought back more of their own personal time by letting ResDiary take care of bookings
Contents:
- Meet 51 Cornmarket, Cork
- Meet the ResDiary restaurant booking system
- Building a small but thriving venue on passion for local produce
- The pain-points of running a growing independent restaurant
- Maximising time in the restaurant (and freeing up time away from it)
- Making the most of every service, even with limited space
- Using their booking system to manage staff shifts more efficient
- Keeping no-shows to a minimum can be crucial for a small restaurant
- How can ResDiary help your business?
- Get the full story - Download your copy!
51 Cornmarket
Meet 51 Cornmarket, an independent restaurant in Cork, run by the partnership team of Anne Zagar (front of house) and chef David in the kitchen.
We caught up with Anne after the restaurant was featured in a list of the Top 100 Restaurants in Ireland by the Sunday Times in early 2024, having previously won ‘Best Newcomer’ in Munster in the Irish Restaurant Awards for 2022.
We wanted to learn about how they’ve grown, the challenges they’ve had to overcome, such as maximising the value of every service in their small dining space, and how ResDiary has helped them on their journey.
You’ll discover how many of the common challenges of starting and operating a successful neighbourhood restaurant can be overcome with the help of ResDiary – not to mention some intuitive solutions from Anne herself in using the system. Not least in attracting bookings online, making the most of even a small dining space, and freeing up more time to focus on what makes you successful - your service.
Meet the ResDiary restaurant booking system
Before we dive into the learnings from Anne’s story, here’s a quick overview of ResDiary.
ResDiary is the zero-commission online reservation system, designed for hospitality venues by experienced industry experts. Our platform is packed with features and over 60 integrations to help you attract diners, run a smooth service, and maximise value from every single table booking.
But that’s not all, as venues are also backed-up by our market-leading table management software that helps to reduce no-shows and drive more value from every service. You can join 10,000+ ResDiary venues and start streamlining your booking management today!
- ResDiary venues can amplify their online presence and attract diners on their own website with a bespoke booking widget.
- You can also use ResDiary’s table management system, segments, and yield management tools to control the flow of diners and take care of bookings.
- Grow your business with ResDiary’s marketing tools to create custom menus, events, and special offers.
Building a small but thriving venue on passion for local produce
At 51 Cornmarket, their ethos is simple. Seasonal local food served with the upmost respect and appreciation for where it came from. This is a passion that’s shared by both staff and customers alike!
As Anne describes it, “It was kind of to create somewhere that is all about the food, about the occasion that food makes, and celebrating the moments that it makes, but all the while being very approachable, very comfortable, and very honest. It [the food] is very simple, but it's well executed, and David does it to such a detail.”
This passion for serving local seasonal dishes makes their menu interchangeable, sometimes daily, based on what ingredients are at their best and what’s available on the day. In fact, as Anne describes, many diners will entrust the team to take care of their choices for them!
“Between six of us who run this little restaurant, there's an overwhelming love for food and there's so much knowledge from everybody..."
“Between six of us who run this little restaurant, there's an overwhelming love for food and there's so much knowledge from everybody. When people come in and sit down and dine, more times than not they'll ask us ‘just pick our food’ and ‘do whatever, we are just happy to be here and want to eat it’. So, there's a real trust and we don't take that lightly. That's something I'm very proud of.”
We asked Anne if this experience of an ever-evolving menu enriched with so much local food knowledge has led to more repeat bookings?
“The percentage of repeat bookings started at around 30%, then it went to 40%, and now it's almost 50%. That’s all just repeat customers that come all the time because we change things so often and offer that experience.”
Looking to create a more personalised experience to your customers? Your restaurant booking data could be the key!
The pain-points of running a growing independent restaurant
Consistency is important to Anne. She repeats it multiple times in our conversation, which only goes to emphasise its value to her business.
That’s not just in attracting consistent regular customers, but firstly in delivering consistently high levels of service and cuisine at 51 Cornmarket. After all, that’s how they’ve achieved such a high percentage of returning customers that continues to grow.
Thankfully since they opened in 2020, the biggest challenges have been in managing every day to tend to their growing list of bookings and maximising the space they have to ensure they stay profitable, all without compromising on the service that’s made them so popular.
Switching from pen and paper to ResDiary to stay in control of their bookings was the first big game-changer for Anne. She said, “I originally had ResDiary set up so I could use the diary for myself, but I still wasn’t ready to release it to the public [via the booking widget]. So, I was still just taking calls and putting it in the diary myself manually.”
“I remember I was just staring the screen watching bookings happen. It was great!"
But that didn’t last long as the booking enquiries kept coming in and the festive season was fast approaching. Anne had to finally let go and let diners make table bookings for themselves online.
She explained, “We had only been open for nights for about six months (51 Cornmarket started as a brunch venue), and my diary was getting a little too full. So, our ResDiary support finally pushed me to put the widget live just before Christmas. I remember I was just staring the screen watching bookings happen. It was great!”
And it doesn’t look like Anne will be reverting back to pen and paper any time soon. As she said, “Now it’s perfect and I don’t have to answer the phone anymore.”
See how this restaurant group grew exponentially once they tapped into the power of ResDiary’s restaurant booking system after moving away from pen and paper
Maximising time in the restaurant (and freeing up time away from it)
Since their first foray into ditching the paper diary and accepting online table bookings via their restaurant booking system, we wanted to know if ResDiary was still helping Anne and her team with their everyday activities running a popular small restaurant. Anne’s answer was, ‘yes on several fronts!’
On managing table bookings she said, “I really have very little to do with it. I check in on it, obviously on the day. I also check also down the line just to make sure we know tables are going to be put where they need to be, who’s booked, do we know them, if they're special - the VIPs, and will they like their table? Other than that, I just let ResDiary do its own thing.”
“I was bringing the phone and the diary out in the car to walk on the beach. I'd take bookings and do all this, but now ResDiary has just completely given me all that time back!"
In fact, their ResDiary has even helped to free up Anne to reclaim her personal time too. As she explains, “Our days off are early in the week, but that's when everybody else gets into office and makes plans. So, when it was my time with my son and us as a family to spend time together, I was bringing the phone and the diary out in the car to walk on the beach. I'd take bookings and do all this, but now ResDiary has just completely given me all that time back!”
Are you ready to attract more table bookings online and spend less time on your phone? Then, check out these awesome booking page examples
Making the most of every service, even with limited space
Making the most of available space can be a sticky challenge for many independent restaurants, even if their venue isn't small. So, how have Anne and her team found a way to make the most of their cosy restaurant, while ensuring it brings value?
ResDiary’s smart rules such as Yield Management for controlling the flow of table bookings also enables Anne to maximise the use of their space and the value of every service.
“It's paramount that I get a double sitting during each service."
As she described it, “I know very much so [that it is important] because we have a small dining room. We have 20 lower seats and we have a four high bar seats. Because of the size of venue and the expense of the food that we insist on using, it's paramount that I get a double sitting during each service.”
She explained how she uses these tools to ensure this is possible. “From that point of view, I don't let people book tables between 7pm and 7:30pm on Friday and Saturdays. So, if that's blocked off in the diary, it pushes everyone to have, the first sitting [before 7pm] and then have a second sitting, then it obviously doubles it up. Which would be very hard to do without ResDiary.”
She continued, “If I were to leave the 7pm open, then I kind of have to set people at 9pm to get that second sitting, which would be less popular. Plus, the chefs would have been there since 10am in the morning and it becomes too long a day. It’s a very carefully curated little setting but it has a big impact.”
It’s worth noting that with ResDiary, when you to set the rules to control the flow of table bookings coming in, you only need to set them once. After that, you can then toggle them on or off as and when you need to. With the rules set, ResDiary does the thinking for you in managing your reservations.
Using their booking system to manage staff shifts more efficiently
This clever use of ResDiary’s booking system hasn’t only allowed Anne to maximise her space on busy weekends, she also uses it to manage staff rotas more efficiently.
Anyone who’s worked in hospitality will know the pain of standing around waiting for bookings to arrive on quieter, which is exacerbated when there are big gaps between arrivals. From a chef or waiter’s perspective, it can make long days tough to endure, while for operators, it can simply waste valuable time and money.
“My worst nightmare is someone booking a table for two on a Sunday at 5pm and then another table for two books at 8:30pm, as I would have a whole team in there for dribs and drabs."
Anne explained her process for eliminating this problem, by using ResDiary’s tools to condense bookings together rather than let them be spread out sporadically across the day or evening.
She said, “My favourite feature is actually blocking out specific times and blocking off tables on the day. It’s very easy to see when we’re going to be busy [usually in the middle of a service], and when we’re not. I'll use ResDiary to force bookings one way on either side so that I can give our team more time to prepare if it’s the start of a shift or let them leave early at the end.”
As an example, Sundays were new to 51 Cornmarket when we caught up, so were quieter than the rest of the weekend. As Anne put it, “My worst nightmare is someone booking a table for two at 5pm and then another table for two books at 8:30pm, as I would have a whole team in there for dribs and drabs.”
“It’s great if you’re a small team like us and you've had a very busy weekend, everyone's not waiting around for two or three tables when they're all pretty tired, so it’s very handy. It's a money thing too, but I'm protecting the team."
So, Anne will take whatever table booking comes into the diary first and block off the other end of the night - if an 8.30pm comes in first, she’ll block off bookings until 6 pm and force everything into that later window.
A recent ResDiary report found that 18% of businesses opened their doors more in 2023 – a steep rise from just 4% in 2022. Perhaps, this more flexible approach from 51 Cornmarket could be better suited to smaller venues looking to tighten their control on costs, while still doing their best to seat as many bookings as possible.
As Anne said, “It’s great if you’re a small team like us and you've had a very busy weekend, everyone's not waiting around for two or three tables when they're all pretty tired, so it’s very handy. It's a money thing too, but like I said, I'm protecting the team.”
Let’s not forget as well that the more time their team has to prepare and even rest, the more likely they’ll be able to keep up with the consistently high standards their customers at 51 Cornmarket have come to expect!
Watch our webinar to find out how a restaurant booking system, like ResDiary, could play a crucial role in how you manage your team.
Keeping no-shows to a minimum can be crucial for a small restaurant
No-shows remain a consistent burden to many independent restaurants who could be losing thousands in lost revenue thanks to diners not arriving to their table bookings – ResDiary's own hospitality industry report for 2024 found that more than three-quarters of restaurants (76%) were impacted by diners failing to turn up in 2023.
In an independent restaurant with just 24 seats available, any lost bookings have a big impact on the revenue that 51 Cornmarket relies on. We asked Anne if her restaurant had encountered similar issues and what measures they had in place to prevent no-show diners. She said, “Our customers put in their credit card details so they'll get charged if there is either a no-show or late cancellation (less than 12-hours' notice).”
Again, this process can be set-up to slip seamlessly into the booking journey online with ResDiary. We’re also partnered with Stripe, which is a globally trusted and fully PCI compliant payment service provider. You can also include links to your cancellation policy in any booking confirmation emails and reminders so that your customers are fully aware of everything when they book.
Another important point to make is if you make it easier for people to cancel, by sharing the link with them, it can actually help your business. Because when they cancel in advance, it gives you more of a chance to re-sell their table. We’ve got some great advice on handling no-shows here!
The results have been positive too for Anne, as they’ve managed to minimise their number of no-shows. She said, “We can probably count on one hand the number of people who haven't shown up. Late cancellations have been more of a challenge, when people just call up like an hour before they're meant to come and ‘I have to cancel’. We’ve had to charge more of those people.”
Final Lesson: Choose a solution that makes your life easier
We’ve discussed a few of the many ways in which 51 Cornmarket is using ResDiary’s restaurant booking system to great effect.
As you can see, it is helping Anne and her team to control the flow of their table bookings, maximise their limited space, efficiently manage staff rotas, and keep no-shows to a minimum. With all of those factors taken care of, Anne and her team are nurturing their ability to deliver the consistently exceptional service that their regular diners have come to expect.
“It’s great if you’re a small team like us and you've had a very busy weekend, everyone's not waiting around for two or three tables when they're all pretty tired, so it’s very handy. It's a money thing too, but I'm protecting the team."
We asked Anne what her advice would be to anyone who is looking for the same sort of success in choosing the right technology, such as a restaurant booking system, to support them. Her answer was, “For me it had to be user-friendly, that's a that's a massive one. Restaurants have 1,000 things they need do and answer to every single day, and you know it can't be a hindrance to secure bookings, that's a no brainer.”
And finally, we asked Anne what her experience has been like working with ResDiary since 2022 and has it positively impacted their business. Her answer was twofold:
- On enabling more bookings to come through online, she said:
"It has obviously helped going from the pen and paper to people being able to book online with ResDiary. They see a website, they see a professional setup, and then they continue to book. They don't have to make a phone call either, which is way more convenient.
So, all those sorts of things have made it a lot easier to grow because it's made us very accessible to people."
- On buying back precious time and headspace, she said:
"From the other side of it, it's freed up my time so that I'm able to put effort into other areas of either creativity or other general daily operations (aside from managing bookings).
It's been a great system for me, and I really appreciate William’s support and you guys for setting us up with it."
We’d like to say a special thank you to Anne from 51 Cornmarket for helping us to share their success with the world. We look forward to seeing your business grow in the future. We also recommend you check out their Dish Cult profile and make a booking next time you’re in Cork!
How can ResDiary help your business?
Are you ready to grow your bookings and revenue?
ResDiary is packed with features and integrations to help your business run more smoothly. While capturing bookings is our bread and butter, we know that it takes so much more to run a successful restaurant. We could tell you more about how ResDiary could work for you, but wouldn’t it be much better to see it for yourself?
- Switching from pen and paper to a digital system
- Increasing your online presence and attracting online bookings
- Growing your business with the help of a scalable booking system
- Taking deposits and reducing no-shows
- Driving repeat customers with vouchers and special offers
Simply book a time to speak to a friendly ResDiary expert today!
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