Restaurant Veteran says ResDiary is: “The Best Reservation System.” Learn Why.

Hear from the Food and Beverage Director of the Imperial Hotel, Gold Coast (formerly Palazzo Versace) to understand why he says ResDiary is the best booking system he has ever used. 

During Michael Pyrgos’ 25+ year career in hospitality, he has used a lot of different reservation systems, and describes ResDiary as: “The best reservation system I have ever used.” 

He says key reasons for this are because ResDiary is more intuitive and easier to use, has essential table management features others do not, and has fantastic customer support that he does not receive elsewhere. 

"With ResDiary, the best thing is that it is so user-friendly for customers.  They have made it so simple for customers to book."

Other ResDiary features that Michael highlights include ResDiary’s no-show prevention capabilities, simple table lock-out and close-out features, and a data-rich platform that is easy to use – both for staff and diners.  

The Imperial Hotel use ResDiary for all three of their restaurants and bars, the al a carte Il Barocco Restaurant, bar and tapas venue Le Jardin, and poolside bar The Water Salon. Below are some of ResDiary’s key features that Michael says help him better operate these venues. 

Table Lock-outs 

Michael has used all the major booking systems over his career, including NowBookIt and SevenRooms, and says it is some of the most obvious features that see ResDiary stand out from competitors. 

“For example, you can easily lock a table with ResDiary. I know it doesn’t sound like a big feature. But when you lock a table none of the staff can come and move it. That is a huge part of a restaurant operations,” Michael says. 

“An awesome feature and it is so simple. The fact that with other systems I couldn’t lock tables and everything moved around did my head in!” he exclaimed. 

Bookings are required at il Barcco which is popular for its fresh seafood, salads, and succulent roast meats, as well as its renowned seafood buffet. 

Easy For Customers to Book

As the Director of Food and Beverage, Michael is measured by the number of bookings, the number of covers and their average spend, all which ResDiary can help drive. 

“With ResDiary, the best thing is that it is so user-friendly for customers.  They have made it so simple for customers to book,” he said, adding that this helps create more bookings compared to other systems. 

Ease for Staff to Use 

System adoption is the most critical part of any business’ digital transformation. The best system is useless if people are not using it, which is a key reason Michael is such a ResDiary advocate.  

“ResDiary is very intuitive and easy to use,” he says. 

"SevenRooms is not as user-friendly compared to ResDairy, and it lacks key features that ResDiary has,” Michael says. 

And he offers specific advice for those considering SevenRooms, which he has used extensively in other roles. 

“SevenRooms is not as user-friendly compared to ResDairy, and it lacks key features that ResDiary has,” Michael says. 

Fantastic support makes all the difference 

Michael says that the support he receives from ResDiary is a key reason adoption is so high, and they have been so successful in implementing it in the business. 

“Back of house can be complex but when you have that support there it becomes very easy,” he says. 

“With ResDiary that support is always there, and they are quite happy to jump in and help us customise a solution to solve a business challenge.” 

No-show Prevention 

While the Imperial Hotel does not take deposits for general bookings, they do take credit card details with softly worded booking terms and conditions, which Michael says have essentially eliminated no-shows.  

“We have never had to charge a cancellation fee. It is a very gentle way to ensure bookings are serious, without scaring people off by requiring deposits,” he says. 

Where they are taking bookings for events or large groups, Michael says they do use ResDiary’s deposits features, and that customers are quite happy to accept this.  

ResDiary is also used to manage bookings for the Imperial Hotel's Le Jardin tea rooms, famous for high tea, cocktails, treats and tapas.

Data Driven Business

“One of the most powerful features of ResDiary is that it collects customer data. I encourage our staff to input as much customer info as they can,” Michael says. 

“And the online booking process is also a great opportunity to collect customer data.” 

This data can then be used to deliver customised email marketing messages, or waitstaff can personalise the dining experience for customers.  

The data is ResDiary is also used for roster planning, Michael says. 

“We can easily visualise our bookings for the week across the three venues and use this to plan our staff numbers.” 

To learn more about how ResDiary's powerful restaurant management features, book a demo today