Ever wondered about the secret sauce behind top restaurants’ success?
Keeping customers happy is as crucial as serving mouth-watering dishes in the fiercely competitive dining world. That’s where Restaurant CRM software comes in.
These powerful tools help restaurant owners personalize customer experiences, manage reservations, and run effective loyalty programs, all while streamlining operations.
Join us as we explore the top 6 Restaurant CRM software for 2024, each designed to elevate customer satisfaction and take your restaurant to new heights. Discover which tools can transform your restaurant into a customer favorite!
If you’re curious about how CRM can boost business growth, check out this quick video for an insightful overview.
| Software | Best For | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| BIGContacts | CRM & Email Marketing for SMBs and Startups | Forever free for up to 100 contacts. Paid plan available at $9.99/user/month. |
| OpenTable | Guest Relationship Management | Starts at $149/month. |
| Hubspot | Centralizing Sales, Marketing, and Support Operations | Starts at $15/user/month. |
| Eat App | Reservation & Table Management | Starts at $34/month. |
| EngageBay | Collaborative Sales & Marketing | Starts at $12.7/user/month. |
| Monday CRM | Project Management & Team Collaboration | Starts at $12/user/month. |
Which Is the Best Restaurant CRM?
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick look at my top three picks:
Option 1: BIGContacts
This tool is best for contact management and email marketing. It enhances the reservation process, manages customer preferences, and sends personalized promotions that can increase sales.
Option 2: OpenTable
Best for Guest Relationship Management. Ideal for managing guest reservations, improving customer engagement, and enhancing the overall dining experience.
Option 3: Eat App
Best for Reservation & Table Management. This tool is perfect for handling reservations efficiently, managing table layouts, and boosting operational efficiency.
6 Best CRMs for Restaurant Business
To compile this list, I evaluated each tool based on its ease of use and scalability, ensuring they cater to various restaurant business CRM needs. My assessment is based on personal experiences, insights from trusted reviews, and feedback from industry peers.
1. BIGContacts – Best for contact management & email marketing for small & medium businesses
I’ve been using BIGContacts for a while now, and it has truly helped me with my business operations. In my experience, it is great for restaurants and hotel industry businesses looking to grow their sales. Its sales pipeline and contact management features can greatly help increase sales.
It helps carry out reservations, manage customer preferences, and send personalized promotions. I also liked the ability to automate emails, ensuring that patrons receive timely updates and offers, enhancing their dining experience.
The integration with tools like Google Workspace and Zapier facilitates seamless coordination between front-of-house and back-of-house operations. The user-friendly interface makes it accessible even if you’re not tech-savvy.
The reporting and analytics tools provide valuable insights, helping me make informed decisions. This level of organization and communication can significantly improve the overall efficiency and customer satisfaction in a restaurant setting.
What You’ll Like:
- Advanced email marketing features that help nurture leads and boost conversion rates.
- Customizable fields and tags for better contact organization.
- Easy integration with web forms to collect and manage lead information efficiently.
- Automated email campaigns that adjust based on where the contact is in the sales process.
- Mobile-friendly CRM for easy access on the go.
What You May Not Like:
- The dark user interface option is not available
- No downloadable or on-premise version
Pricing:
- Forever free plan for 100 contacts.
- Paid plan at $9.99/user/month.
2. OpenTable – Best for Guest Relationship Management
Image source: OpenTable
Using OpenTable CRM is a great tool for managing guest relationships suitable for restaurants. The tool provides a seamless reservation system, allowing one to view guest profiles and dining preferences, making each visit personalized.
The ability to send automated reminders and confirmations reduces no-shows significantly.
Using OpenTable CRM has been quite helpful for managing guest relationships for restaurant businesses.
The tool provides a seamless reservation system, allowing to view guest profiles and dining preferences, making each visit personalized. The ability to send automated reminders and confirmations significantly reduces no-shows.
The analytics provided by OpenTable offer deep insights into peak dining times and customer preferences, helping to optimize seating arrangements and staff scheduling.
What You’ll Like:
- Easy-to-use reservation system with guest profiles.
- Integration with POS systems for detailed guest spending tracking.
- Post-dinner and event surveys to gather valuable guest feedback.
- Integrated inventory tracking for efficient stock management.
What You May Not Like:
- Third-party advertising can recommend competitors if your restaurant is full.
- Frequent glitches in the mobile app can disrupt usage.
Pricing:
- Starts at $149/month.
3. Hubspot – Best for Centralizing Sales, Marketing & Support Operations
Image source: HubSpot
If you’re looking to centralize your sales, marketing, and support operations, HubSpot CRM is a go-to solution. What I liked the most was its seamless integration with popular tools like Gmail, Outlook, and Slack, which made collaboration and communication effortless.
I particularly appreciated the powerful contact management system, which allowed me to track interactions and customer data seamlessly. The email marketing tools are powerful, enabling me to create personalized campaigns that boost engagement.
HubSpot is also one of the best CRM for the food industry, helping restaurants carry their operations smoothly, manage reservations, and improve customer service with ease. Integrating social media platforms allows for engaging with the audience more effectively, driving more foot traffic to the restaurant.
While the setup can be complex, the benefits of a centralized system far outweigh the initial challenges. Whether you’re a small café or a large restaurant chain, HubSpot CRM offers the tools needed to enhance customer service and boost efficiency.
What You’ll Like:
- Deal tracking and lead lifecycle management features to help streamline your sales process efficiently.
- Easy integration with other HubSpot tools, like Marketing Hub and Sales Hub, to create targeted campaigns and effectively nurture prospects
- Custom fields to collect unlimited responses, enhancing data collection and customization.
- Real-time analytics to get instant insights and make data-driven decisions.
What You May Not Like:
- Some users find the initial setup process to be complicated and time-consuming.
- It doesn’t offer extensive reporting features or A/B testing options.
Pricing:
- Starts at $15/user/month.
4. Eat App – Best for Reservation & Table Management
Image Source: Eat App
Eat App is a great tool for managing restaurant reservations and tables. When I used Eat App, I found it incredibly intuitive. The tool helps carry out operations by allowing easy table management, advanced reporting, and insightful analytics.
One standout feature is the ability to handle online reservations seamlessly, reducing no-shows and maximizing occupancy. What I liked most was its integration with other essential tools like POS systems and Google Calendar, making it a comprehensive CRM in restaurant management.
Although the tool is powerful, it can initially feel overwhelming, especially for smaller or less tech-savvy teams. Additionally, I found that the customization options for specific features were somewhat limited, which might not suit all restaurant needs.
What You’ll Like:
- Automatic online reservation capturing, reducing no-shows, and maximizing table occupancy
- Reservation link addition on the website and social media for seamless booking and increased customer convenience
- Allergen Tracking feature to ensure customer safety and enhance dining experiences
- Table Management feature to maximize occupancy and improve the overall customer experience
What You May Not Like:
- Unable to track which channels the reservations are coming from, which can limit marketing insights.
- A few users mentioned slow response times from customer support.
Pricing:
- Starts at $34/month.
5. EngageBay – Best for targeted marketing and workflow automation
Image source – EngageBay CRM
EngageBay CRM is a powerhouse for anyone looking to streamline their sales and marketing efforts in one unified platform. I used this tool extensively and found its seamless integration of email marketing, CRM, and marketing automation particularly impressive.
In my experience, EngageBay CRM has proven to be one of the best customer relationship management solutions for restaurants looking to streamline their operations. The platform offers many features, such as contact management, deal tracking, and email campaigns, all designed to enhance team collaboration.
The tool’s marketing automation and customer engagement features are ideal for restaurant owners to manage reservations, track customer preferences, and run targeted marketing campaigns.
Its ability to centralize customer data and automate routine tasks can significantly improve operational efficiency and enhance customer satisfaction in the restaurant industry.
What You’ll Like:
- User-friendly email marketing platform equipped with powerful tools such as autoresponders, email broadcasts, and sequences for running effective campaigns
- Contact Management feature to segment & manage contacts to execute personalized campaigns effectively
- Includes helpdesk and live chat features, enhancing customer support capabilities
- Detailed analytics and reports to gain insights into your marketing and sales performance
What You May Not Like:
- The email templates are not quite user-friendly, and editing them can be challenging
- The mobile app has been reported to have occasional glitches and performance issues
Pricing:
- Starts at $12.7/user/month.
6. Monday CRM – Best for Project Management & Team Collaboration
Image source: monday.com CRM
In my experience, Monday CRM excels in restaurant management by providing a centralized platform where you can monitor everything from reservations to supply chain logistics.
If you’re running a restaurant, this free CRM for restaurants can help you keep track of orders, inventory, and staff schedules efficiently. The automation features reduce manual work, saving you time and reducing errors.
I love the customizable dashboards; you can tailor them to fit your needs. Monday CRM integrates seamlessly with other tools like Slack, Google Drive, and Zoom, which has streamlined my operations.
What You’ll Like:
- Highly customizable dashboards with different views like Kanban board, timeline, and calendar to match your workflow needs
- Built-in automation tools to reduce manual tasks, saving time and minimizing errors
- Real-time collaboration to keep your team on the same page with live updates and notifications
- Seamless integrations with Slack, Google Drive, Zoom, and many more
What You May Not Like:
- It does not allow time tracking without API integration
- Occasional performance issues and slow loading times can be frustrating
Pricing:
- Starts at $12/user/month.
Evaluation Criteria
The evaluation of products or tools chosen for this article follows an unbiased, systematic approach that ensures a fair, insightful, and well-rounded review. This method employs six key factors:
- User Reviews / Ratings: Direct experiences from users, including ratings and feedback from reputable sites, provide a ground-level perspective. This feedback is critical in understanding overall satisfaction and potential problems.
- Essential Features & Functionality: The value of a product is ascertained by its core features and overall functionality. Through an in-depth exploration of these aspects, the practical usefulness and effectiveness of the tools are carefully evaluated.
- Ease of Use: The user-friendliness of a product or service is assessed, focusing on the design, interface, and navigation. This ensures a positive experience for users of all levels of expertise.
- Customer Support: The quality of customer support is examined, taking into account its efficiency and how well it supports users in different phases – setting up, addressing concerns, and resolving operational issues.
- Value for Money: Value for money is evaluated by comparing the quality, performance, and features. The goal is to help the reader understand whether they would be getting their money’s worth.
- Personal Experience / Experts’ Opinions: This part of the evaluation criteria draws insightful observations from the personal experience of the writer and the opinions of industry experts.
Which Is the Best CRM for Restaurant and Hotel Industry?
Choosing the best CRM for the restaurant and hotel industry is crucial for streamlining operations, improving customer relationships, and boosting overall efficiency.
The ideal CRM should offer features like reservation management, customer feedback tracking, loyalty programs, and seamless integration with other tools like POS systems and email marketing platforms. Additionally, it should provide analytics and reporting to help make data-driven decisions.
After exploring various options, I found that BIGContacts stands out as the best CRM for the restaurant and hotel industry. You can sign up for free for a comprehensive suite of features tailored to these sectors, including detailed customer profiles, automated follow-ups, and efficient task management.
Its user-friendly interface and powerful automation capabilities make it an excellent choice for managing the restaurant and hotel industry.
Learn More About the Restaurant CRM
What is CRM in restaurants?
A Restaurant CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system is software that helps manage interactions with customers by organizing data like reservations, preferences, and feedback. It simplifies operations, enhances customer service, and boosts loyalty by providing insights and automating tasks, making it easier to deliver a personalized dining experience.
Will restaurants benefit from a CRM system?
Yes, restaurants will benefit from a CRM system. It helps manage customer relationships, track preferences, and streamline operations. With automated reservations, personalized marketing, and feedback management, a CRM system improves customer satisfaction, builds loyalty, and makes operations more efficient, leading to more business and better service.
What is the importance of CRM in restaurants?
CRM is essential for restaurants as it helps manage customer relationships, streamline operations, and enhance customer satisfaction. By tracking customer preferences and feedback, restaurants can personalize experiences, improve service quality, and boost loyalty. Additionally, CRM systems automate tasks, saving time and increasing efficiency.
How do I choose the best restaurant CRM software for my business?
To choose the best restaurant CRM software, focus on features like reservation management, customer loyalty programs, and integration with POS systems. Ensure it offers easy-to-use analytics and customer feedback tools. Look for software that fits your budget and offers good customer support.
Curious about picking the perfect CRM for your business? Check out this quick video to learn more:
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