What we do FAQs

FAQs

Q. What is the benefit of your system in cash terms?

One of our clients, a small 40 cover restaurant, after paying us our booking fee has taken just under £2,700 in takings over and above their usual takings over the last 3 months using our system

Q. Do you work with all types of restaurants?

Yes we do – however, we don’t work with all the restaurants in a geographical area. We aim to work with only a handful of restaurants in an area rather than every single restaurant that wants our system.

Q. What national chains use you?

None and we strongly believe in Local support for independent restaurants

Q. I already use other online booking services I don’t want another one?

We are not an online booking system that offers online discounts and booking service. We are a texting service that sends invitations to people who have SPECIFICALLY said they want to receive text offers/rewards when their favourite restaurant has availability - note it is their favourite restaurant and not every restaurant on our system

Q. How many people ask to stop receiving your texts?

A small number and the reason being that people have specifically opted in to receive texts from their favourite restaurant and will probably only receive one text a month – 2 at the most. [Some have not received a text for over a month]. A further reason that our “opt out” is extremely low is because people tell us how often they want to receive texts simply by engaging with us through our text messages.

Q. Do you just provide the booking service?

No, for a majority of our clients we also provide a marketing service – e.g. if they have a special event coming up or re-launching a website etc we will do a text out to their database [Again this is managed so not to spam people]

Q. The texting database you build up with the restaurant, who does it belong to?

The data is the restaurant’s customers so it belongs to the restaurant

Q. How big is your current Database? Q. How many people have signed up to your database?

A meaningless number as the people who will receive offers/rewards from your restaurant need to have “opted in” to receive texts from YOU. If they haven’t they won’t receive a text from you. {By the way the number is 10 881 but it is insignificant because none have signed up to receive texts from YOU}

Q. What are the costs? Q. How long are your agreements?

No costs at all until we physically have someone sitting in a seat in your restaurant – then it will cost you £2 per cover There are no agreements or set up fees, so if you choose to stop using us, you just do.

Q. I don’t associate my restaurant with other restaurant in the UK or services and I don’t what to appear on your website, is this possible?

Yes it is – we are a white label service and a high percentage of our clients are not listed on our website (they all have their reasons). They all call their text clubs by various different names.

Q. What really makes you different?

We change people’s minds – we target a person who has no plan to eat out that evening and send them a text and by receiving our timely text with a special reward from their favourite restaurant triggers a change of mind.

02/11/2010 permalink | 0 Comments »

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What we do.....

What we do……is provide a last minute or late availability texting service for restaurants

We are continually asked by prospective clients what exactly it is we do and how they can benefit from what we do. To us it is very simple…we are different …but as we are perceived as providing the same service as others in this market it takes a bit of understanding to appreciate why we are different.

We have not arrived on the scene to replace what is currently out there or currently been used by restaurants. Actually, we encourage clients to continue using these services. We don't profess to being able to fill restaurants …we don’t but what we do is provide a proactive service. “Proactive” is what makes us different. Let me explain:

Currently as a diner if I have made the decision to eat out I may then base my decision of where I am going on what is on offers through all the services that are out there (of which there are many and many more come onboard each month). This is a passive service because these services only come in to play once I, the diner have made the decision to go out. On the other hand, our service targets people last minute, most of them have no plans or thought of going out and we change their minds – proactive service.

So what do we do…… Our main aim is to get bookings for our clients when our clients need bookings. This tends to be either days when they are quieter than usual or hours before or after peak times. For most of our clients we are actually getting them bookings before 7:30pm or in some cases after 9:30pm.

When we started this business the majority of restaurateurs we approached thought that our service was mainly aimed at those restaurants that needed help in getting covers in on days when they had very few bookings. However, those same restaurateurs now understand the power of the service to fill in void times or slow times before the traditional peak period (7:30pm -9:30pm) or to fill tables previously booked but cancelled last minute or bookings that do not show.

Our clients now benefit from having an effective yield management tool that assist resaaurants to operate at optimal capacity. What this means is simply that at any time the restaurant has a certain capacity and hence a cost – number of kitchen staff, front of house staff and rent, utilities etc. and for that restaurant to make a profit they need to be running close to full capacity based on the staffing levels (or optimal capacity as we call it @realtimeseating). There are however times in a trading week when that is not the case (slow days, early or late times or empty tables at peak times). If as a restaurant you can fill just one more table than you currently fill then you are contributing to the profitability of that restaurant. The costs are fixed- staff is present, rent and rates are always present, so one cover more than the norm contributes to reaching optimal capacity which leads to more profit.

Now I could end here and say that the benefit to our clients is ….getting restaurants more bookings when the restaurant wants them (Note: the restaurant is in control not the diners)…. but that is not all.

As a texting service a high percentage of the people (50-60%) we text will engage with us (a much higher rate then any other medium). Our text messages are structured as invitations and invites people to engage with us so people will tell us why they can’t make it, or tell us what would make them change their plans. Our booking confirmation texts encourages feedback of their dining experience and to tell us what was good but more importantly what could have been better about their dining experience. However, the high rate of engagement is only possible because we have operators reading and replying to every text (we are not an automated texting service).

To conclude two exceptional reasons to talk to us

1.    Increase your number of covers when you want to

2.    Deeper insight and knowledge of your customers and build more loyal relationshipwith them.

So contact us @realtimeseating.com or email info@realtimeseating.com or Text us on 0778 620 2441 and we can answer any questions you may have

27/10/2010 permalink | 0 Comments »

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It's Competition time

Win a dinner for 2 at the idyllic Thai on the River on the banks of the River Thames in Battersea

To enter the competition to win a 3 course meal plus a bottle of house wine simply fill in the form below.

On the 30 November we will draw one lucky winner from the people who have registered during the month of November and will inform the winner via text.

By completing this form you are opting in to receive future offers from Thai on the River via FREE text messages.

If at any point you want to stop receiving these last minute text offers simply reply STOP to the text.

All the Texts you receive from Thai on the River are free.

06/10/2010 permalink | 0 Comments »

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Lastminoffers

To access the last minute offers as tweeted on @lastminoffers is simple. Just follow these 3 simple steps:

Step 1 - Register your details in the form below

Step 2 - You will receive a text message asking for the number of people & for what time you would like to book a table

Step 3 - You will recieve a text message with your confirmation code

That is it ....all you now need to do is go and enjoy your meal

Please note: All texts you receive from us are free

If you would like to find out more about realtimeseating then visit us @ www.realtimeseating.com

04/10/2010 permalink | 0 Comments »

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Dark Mornings & Dark Afternoons means....

...and we all know what that means? The clocks have gone back, the day gets shorter and the cold bitter winter moves in (how much snow are we getting this year?).

What better way is there to weather the “storm” but with a glass of something nice and a good meal at your favourite restaurant. Seated at a nice table in familiar surroundings is an excellent way to unwind and watch the winter go by.

Well if you're still feeling the pinch of the recession but still want to enjoy a meal and a drink at your local restaurant then why not head over to realtimeseating.com and sign up to receive free text offers of up to 50% off at restaurants near you.

Get out there and enjoy the winter ... why not!!! …spring will be here before you know it!

Click here to find out more about how you and your party can eat out for up to 50% off at restaurants near you.

28/09/2010 permalink | 0 Comments »

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Moidul's Rawalpindi -Twickenham

Moidul's Rawalpindi re-launched itself on the 23rd September under the ownership of Moidul Hussain a trained chef in fine Indian cuisine come restaurateur. Moidul is a successful restaurateur with a number of restaurants under his ownership including Moidul’s Hampton Wick Tandoori, Twickenham Tandoori & Crystal Palace Tandoori.

Moidul’s established restaurants and in particular the Twickenham Tandoori are extremely popular so there is no question as to the standard and excellence we can now expect from Moidul's Rawalpindi. So if you live or work in Twickenham and are looking for fine Indian cuisine (with surroundings & atmosphere to match) then you have to visit Moidul's Rawalpindi …… and if you want to receive FREE text offers of up to 50% when they have availability then simply sign up below

20/09/2010 permalink | 0 Comments »

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FIGHT HUNGER - EAT OUT!

This year’s Action Against Hunger FIGHT HUNGER EAT OUT CAMPAIGN brings a host of fundraising events and is supported by top chefs including Raymond Blanc, Antonio Carluccio, Giorgio Locatelli and Rick Stein.

The campaign, now in its 12th year and takes place between 1st September and 31st October.  

The focus behind FIGHT HUNGER EAT OUT is to increase awareness of child hunger and raise funds to help malnourished children and their families worldwide.  Establishments participating in the campaign raise money by asking their customers to donate a small amount of money with their bill or to purchase a certain dish from which a donation is made. For the first time additional funds will be raised for Action Against Hunger when customers buy Taittinger Champagne in participating outlets.

Champagne Taittinger has supported a number of fundraising events with Action Against Hunger over the years, and this year has increased this by becoming a corporate supporter.  As part of the charity’s FIGHT HUNGER EAT OUT campaign 2010,  Champagne Taittinger has pledged to donate 50p for every glass and £2 for every bottle of its Champagne sold  in participating restaurants, bars or hotels.

Over 500 restaurants are getting involved with the campaign, including: The River Café, Locanda Locatelli, Theo Randall, Zuma, The Cinnamon Club, Benares, Launceston Place, St John, Le Gavroche, Hawksmoor, Coq d’Argent, Roka, The Greenhouse, Konstam, The Modern Pantry, Café Spice Namaste and Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons to nage a few.

To date, the combined efforts of food lovers across the United Kingdom have raised £1.5 million towards Action Against Hunger’s work in over 40 countries worldwide.

Enjoy eating out for up to 50% off with www.realtimeseating.com  - Register now! 

02/09/2010 permalink | 0 Comments »

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Interest Rates rise and more people won’t own a home!

Is it true? Are we heading for a second credit crunch? Are interest rates going to spiral out of control? Are Britons likely to be forced to rent in future as a shortage of housing supply pushes home ownership out of many people's reach? Well quite frankly I have stopped caring because no matter the state of the economy we still need to eat…and enjoy ourselves! Summer has arrived and it feels good. It is now time to put all of these concerns behind us and get on with enjoying the finer things in life!

A great way of enjoying this new found optimism is to eat out at a nice restaurant – and only pay 50% of the food bill. Restaurant discounts enable you - and whoever you bring with you - to enjoy the whole dining out experience for a fraction of the cost.

So now that we’re at that time of year were everyone dashes to sit outside why not be one of them – and secretly laugh inwardly at the people at the next table who are paying full price..

It’s been a horrible few years and the supermarkets have helped us through with their ‘dining experience at home’ deals. Now let’s move ourselves into a full economic recovery and enjoy the dining experience in a restaurant……. for 50% off the food bill!

To find out more about which restaurants in your local area (and other areas you wish to dine in) are offering discounts of up to 50%, head on over to www. realtimeseating.com and sign up.

Eat out in style this very evening!

06/07/2010 permalink | 0 Comments »

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23 Spices for a South Indian Speciality

As a Thames Ditton resident I have seen a special place evolve from what used to be a Pub & Inn on the corner of Portsmouth Road & Thorkhill road namely the Raintree Restaurant & Bar with B&B.  

A contemporary designed restaurant serving incredible South Indian cuisine with exceptional service to match. This place is well worth a visit and the journey if you are not local (you could always spend the night if you so wish).  You have your traditional curry and tandoori and of course the 23 spiced South Indian dish which I will not attempt to pronounce and with all those spices dancing around my mouth I probably couldn’t string two words together ……….so I will just use one word WOW!

Now you can enjoy all this with discounts up to 50% off your food bill by signing up at realtimeseating.com the home of restaurant discount texts

24/05/2010 permalink | 0 Comments »

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