Why are the best restaurants in London always booked weeks in advance — while others struggle to fill seats?
It’s not just about the food.
According to a brilliant article from The Good Food Guide — the best restaurants succeed by building a buzz, making booking easy, and giving diners something to talk about.
This guide breaks down what they’re doing right — and how your restaurant can use the same ideas with the help of resOS, an easy-to-use restaurant booking and management system.
What the best restaurants are doing right
1. Open Bookings the Smart Way
Restaurant example Core by Clare Smyth (Notting Hill)
This three-Michelin-starred gem opens bookings 91 days in advance. Tables vanish fast — and it’s one of the rare London spots where people really do plan ahead.
What you can do:
Even without stars, setting clear booking windows creates a sense of demand.
With resOS, you can:
- Open bookings 30, 60, or 90 days in advance
- Show real-time availability
- Avoid overbooking by setting exact time slots and guest limits
📌 Bonus: You can even release bookings in batches to make things feel exclusive.
2. Create Buzz With Booking Drops
Restaurant example: The Devonshire (Soho)
Bookings drop three weeks in advance, every Thursday at 10:30am. Dinner is so hard to get, it’s become an event in itself — people literally set alarms.
✅ What you can do:
Use resOS to release bookings on a specific day and time, then tell your social media followers. You’ll:
- Build excitement
- Get regular traffic to your website
- Turn bookings into buzz
📌 Tip: Add booking buttons to your Instagram and Facebook profiles for instant access.
Let Your Guests Book with One Click
Don’t let potential bookings slip through the cracks. Add a “Book Now” button to your Instagram and Facebook pages and let guests reserve a table the moment they find you online.
3. Balance Pre-Bookings and Walk-Ins
Restaurant example: Mountain (Soho)
You can book 60 days ahead, but they also keep a few tables for walk-ins. If you come early, you’ve got a shot. After 7pm? Forget it.
✅ What you can do:
If you want to serve both planners and spontaneous guests, resOS helps you:
- Mix booked and walk-in tables
- Manage walk-ins with a waitlist
- Message guests when a table’s ready
📌 Tip: This helps avoid long queues and keeps the guest experience stress-free.
4. Early Bird Booking Tactics
Restaurant example: Gymkhana (Mayfair)
Bookings open at 6am, two months in advance (three if you want a private room). Want a Friday night dinner? You’ll wait a month — and probably eat after 10pm.
With resOS, you can:
- Set your own booking release times (6am, 8pm, etc.)
- Let early birds get the worm — and reduce peak time pressure
- Offer earlier or later slots with discounts or free drinks
5. Sell the Experience, Not Just the Table
Restaurant example: The Fat Duck (Bray)
Heston Blumenthal’s legendary spot sells experiences, not tables. Bookings open three months ahead, last Friday of the month, 12pm. Yet when we looked? Lots of tables were still free — because the price filters demand.
✅ What you can do:
Even without a £300 tasting menu, you can:
- Offer prepaid experiences (e.g. “Chef’s Night”, “Tasting Tuesdays”)
- Use resOS to collect payment upfront
- Give guests something to look forward to — and reduce no-shows
6. Stay Flexible – But Plan for Weekends
Restaurant example: Novikov & Sexy Fish (Mayfair)
These restaurants don’t follow fixed booking schedules — and you can usually book a table that same evening (especially early or late). Weekends, however, need more planning.
With resOS, you can:
- Allow same-day bookings
- Prioritise key days (Fridays, Saturdays) with prepayments or deposits
- Set smart rules: e.g. only early bookings on busy nights
📌 Tip: You can also create offers for off-peak times to balance your bookings.
Common Booking Tips From the Busiest Restaurants
| Problem | What the Best Do | What You Can Do with resOS |
| No-shows | Use deposits or prepayments | Add card hold or upfront payment |
| Queueing guests | Offer group bookings or waitlists | Add resOS digital waitlist |
| Late-night bookings only | Release bookings early in the day | Let guests book at 6am or 10pm |
| Too many calls | Shift bookings online | 24/7 online booking, social media buttons |
| Hard to manage tables | Run floor from memory | Use a visual resOS floor plan |
It’s Not About Being Famous — It’s About Being Smart
The top restaurants in London and the UK aren’t just great at cooking — they’re great at planning, teasing bookings, and managing demand.
You can do the same. With resOS, you’ll:
- Be easier to book
- Be more efficient with your space
- Keep guests coming back
