Favouritetable and First Table Integration Partnership Podcast

As Favouritetable, the leading UK restaurant management software service, announces a strategic partnership with First Table, the global restaurant discovery platform, Mark Ferguson talks to First Table’s UK sales manager, Neil Wilkinson, about how the new collaboration is aiming to transform the dining sector. 

Mark Ferguson: Today, we're diving into an important topic for restaurants: keeping your restaurants full, keeping diners happy, and maximising profit. Neil, tell me about First Table. What kind of service does it provide, and what are the solutions on offer for the hospitality sector? 

Neil Wilkinson: First Table is a restaurant discovery platform that connects diners with restaurants. We offer early bird deals at a restaurant, which is 50% off food for a small fee. From the diner’s perspective, it's a great way to experience new restaurants they might not have tried before, though they have to eat a little earlier than usual.  

From the restaurant's perspective, it’s a brilliant way to attract new diners during off-peak times like 4, 5, or 6pm, which have historically been difficult to fill. It’s a great way to build brand awareness and make the restaurant look busier, as a crowd attracts a crowd. 

Mark: So, you're literally offering people the first table at a reduced price, benefiting the restaurateur at the same time? 

Neil: That’s absolutely right. It’s getting more difficult to fill those early tables. Many restaurants open at 4pm, but they don’t get busy until around 6:30 or 7pm, leaving a short window to fill tables.  

Between 4 and 6:30pm, if the restaurant isn’t looking busy and someone walks past, they probably won’t come in. As an ex-restaurateur myself, I know this experience well. When you open the doors and nobody's there, it’s not attractive.  

First Table allows restaurants to get a few select tables filled, usually putting them in the window to make the restaurant look busy. When diners see a busy restaurant, they are more likely to walk in. 

Mark: You mentioned your past as a former restaurant owner. Did you experience waiting for that first diner of the day to come in and build some atmosphere? 

Neil: Absolutely. I used to open my restaurant at lunchtimes, and we’d be sitting there, waiting for that first customer. It might be half an hour, an hour, or longer. It’s disheartening if you’re not busy within the first hour or two.  

You’re watching the staff twiddling their thumbs, and you’re paying for them, gas, electricity, and other fixed costs. If you’re not getting diners to cover those costs, it can be tough for the business. 

Mark: First Table started in New Zealand, and now you're the UK rep while the organisation has an international reach in several countries. Can you tell me about the history and how First Table has expanded? 

Neil: It started 10 years ago through Mat Weir, a tech entrepreneur. He noticed a restaurant offering 50% off food for the first table of the shift and thought he could create something to help other restaurants.  

He spent six weeks building First Table and then drove around New Zealand in a campervan selling it to restaurants. Now, a decade on, we are in three major countries: New Zealand, Australia, and the UK, with around 50 cities worldwide, 1,900 restaurant partners, and about 1.5 million diners using our product.  

In the UK, we have major markets like London, Birmingham, Manchester, Belfast, Bristol, Cardiff, Bath, and soon Liverpool and Brighton. 

Mark: Speaking of journeys, we’re also talking about Favouritetable, a leading UK hospitality booking software service. Now there’s a relaunched partnership between First Table and Favouritetable. Tell me about this? 

Neil: We’re super excited about this. First Table is about filling that early bird table, and Favouritetable is about managing those tables to increase operational efficiency. The customer journey is smoother with our integration with Favouritetable.  

The diner makes a reservation through First Table, and it goes straight into Favouritetable. When the diner turns up, the restaurant has all the details ready. It simplifies things for the restaurant, making management easier and more efficient. 

Mark: Being a former restaurant owner, how important do you think these technological developments are in terms of keeping restaurants efficient, full, and profitable? 

Neil: It's imperative. The younger generation uses their phones for everything, including making restaurant reservations. Partnerships like ours with Favouritetable are crucial for operational efficiency and impact the restaurant’s bottom line.  

Smaller companies like ours certainly benefit from integrating and growing together to help restaurants operationally and financially. 

Mark: Do you think the partnership between Favouritetable and First Table can be more responsive and cost-effective for clients? 

Neil: Absolutely. It comes down to the people we employ. Many of us have hospitality backgrounds, so we understand the industry. My own experience as a former restaurant owner helps me relate to our clients.  

Smaller companies can be very reactive and provide a more personalised service, which larger powerhouses might not be able to offer. This partnership is going to be great. 

Mark: Neil Wilkinson, I really appreciate your time. Thanks for speaking with me today about First Table and the partnership with Favouritetable.  

We look forward to talking more about these premium software products offering reactivity and cost-effectiveness to restaurant customers. For more information, please visit https://restaurant.favouritetable.com/firsttable

Read the First Table blog here  - https://resources.firsttable.com/blog/favouritetable-first-table-london-success