Summer is a great time for UK restaurants and cafés, and having a reliable reservation system is more important than ever. Longer days, warmer weather, and more people going out, especially on weekends, mean many venues experience a significant rise in customer activity. That’s why it helps to handle bookings efficiently with the right tools.
Even if your restaurant isn’t in a tourist area or near a major event, your regular customers are still likely to head out more often. Coffee dates, brunches, and dinners are all popular during the sunny months.
A recent report by Square shows that UK restaurant owners feel optimistic in 2025. Many are using smart tools and new ideas to handle more bookings and meet customer needs during peak times.
Understand how to improve your reservation system
One of the easiest ways to prepare for summer is to look at past booking data. Check last summer, or if you’re new, look at the past few busy weeks, and try to spot trends. Ask yourself:
- Which days get booked the fastest?
- Do guests book more for brunch, lunch, or dinner?
- Are afternoon coffees more popular in warm weather?
- Do bookings increase on sunny days or before bank holidays?
These insights help you plan staff shifts, manage your tables better, and get ahead of demand.
Reduce no-shows
No-shows are a problem all year, but they hurt more in summer when you’re busiest. An empty table during peak hours means lost income and a missed chance to win over new guests.
To stop this, many UK restaurants now use minimum spend rules or ask for card details when guests book. As Euronews reports, more venues are adopting these methods to avoid late cancellations.
To keep things clear and fair, make sure your policy is:
- Easy to see when guests book
- Included in your confirmation and reminder messages
- Written in a friendly, helpful way
Automate reservation system
Even your most loyal guests can forget a booking, especially during summer when life gets busy. That’s why sending automatic confirmations and reminders is so important. A good booking system will take care of this for you.
It sends a message as soon as someone books, by email or SMS, to confirm the reservation. Then, it follows up with a reminder one or two days before the visit. These messages should also include informative details like your restaurant’s address, where to park, your cancellation policy, and a quick link if the guest needs to change their booking.
How can resOS help for all these tasks?
Getting ready for the busy summer season is much easier when you have the right tools, and that’s where resOS can help. Our reservation system is made for restaurants and cafés that want to keep bookings organized, cut down on no-shows, and give guests a friendly and easy experience from the start.
✅ Automate booking confirmations and reminders
resOS automatically sends booking confirmations and reminders by email or SMS, so your guests won’t forget their reservation. You can also customize the messages to include practical details like your address, cancellation policy, or special offers. This makes guests more likely to show up and helps prevent last-minute cancellations.
Ready to improve your reservation system?
Take control of bookings, reduce no-shows, and keep your service running smoothly, even during the peak seasons.
📉 Reduce No-Shows with deposits
Tired of empty tables? resOS lets you request prepayments or card details when someone books a table. You can decide when to use this, like for weekend bookings, large groups, or busy times, so you stay in control and avoid no-shows.
📊 Understand and predict booking trends
Want to see which time slots get booked the most? Or how many people usually reserve on a Saturday night? resOS gives you clear feedback and insights to help you understand your booking trends. This makes it easier to plan staff shifts, manage your tables, and get ready for busy days, so your service runs faster and brings in more profit.
🪑 … And so much more!
From smart table management and floor planning to accept walk-ins and keeping online and phone bookings, resOS helps make daily tasks easier, especially when things get busy during the summer rush.
Conclusion
Summer is full of opportunities for local cafés and restaurants, but only if you’re prepared. By using a smart reservation system, managing your table flow, you can improve guest satisfaction, reduce stress for your team, and make the most of the sunny season.
If you haven’t already, take some time to review our services and features. A few small changes today can help you run a smoother, more profitable summer service tomorrow.
