1 · The friction
Sound familiar?
What venues weigh up when the booking bill arrives.
“Our bill grows on our best nights”
Per-cover pricing means costs rise with demand, which operators are re-evaluating.
Source: SevenRooms blog, Apr 2026
“We pay a fee to take deposits”
OpenTable added a 2% service fee on deposits and prepaid experiences in early 2026.
Source: Eat App, Apr 2026
“Who owns our guest list?”
Data ownership is one of the main reasons venues compare booking systems.
Source: Foodiv, 2026
“We pay more in our busiest month”
Per-cover pricing means your best month can bring your biggest booking bill.
Source: Pattern we check for in audits
2 · The numbers
Booking systems, by the numbers
US$1.50
Per OpenTable network cover on its Basic plan (US pricing)
Eat App, Apr 2026
2%
OpenTable service fee on deposits and prepaid experiences
Eat App, Apr 2026
4.9/5
Now Book It rating on Capterra Australia
Capterra AU
4.4/5
SevenRooms rating on Capterra Australia
Capterra AU
Per-cover fees look small until you multiply them by a full Saturday. Model your own covers before you sign.
3 · Side by side
The comparison
| For a 60-seat venue | Now Book It | OpenTable | SevenRooms |
|---|---|---|---|
| How you pay | Flat monthly fee | Monthly plan plus per-cover fees | Subscription, quoted |
| Per-cover fees | None | On network bookings | Ask for current terms |
| Australian pricing | On request | Not published for AU | Ask for current terms |
| Deposit fees | Ask for current terms | 2% service fee | Ask for current terms |
| Brings you new diners | No marketplace | Yes, its own network | Ask for current terms |
| Best for | Predictable monthly costs | Venues that want network diners | Venues focused on guest data |
Pricing and ratings as published by vendors and review sites, 2026. Ask each for an Australian quote before deciding.
4 · The decision
Which fits your venue?
Now Book It if
You want the same bill every month.
Most diners already find you directly.
You're an independent venue.
OpenTable if
You want diners from its network.
You can price cover fees into your margins.
Tourists are a big share of your trade.
Before you switch
Export your guest list first.
Check fees on deposits and prepaid events.
Turn on Reserve with Google if your system supports it.
5 · In practice
How to choose without regrets
Challenge
The booking bill keeps changing and nobody knows how many covers come from the network.
Action
Pull three months of covers by source, model each system's pricing against them, and trial the front-runner.
Result
3 months
Three months of real covers is enough to compare pricing fairly.
6 · Quick answers
Questions venue owners ask us
Is there a free option?
Reserve with Google is commission-free, but it works through a supported booking system, not on its own.
Which is cheapest for a 60-seat venue?
It depends on how many covers come from each network. Get quotes and model a normal month and a busy one.