Choosing a table booking system for a Dubai restaurant
Seven reservation platforms on Run The Shift serve Dubai restaurants: Eat App, OpenTable, ResDiary, Resto Guru, Servme, SevenRooms and TableCheck. They differ most on where bookings come from, how they handle deposits and no-shows, and which POS systems they connect to. Servme is the only one of the seven with a published starting price: $129 a month.
Which booking system fits which restaurant
| If you run | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A busy walk-in venue with a queue at the door | Resto Guru | Queue and waitlist management, built in Dubai, with an AI analyst for performance questions. |
| A restaurant that loses covers to no-shows | Eat App, ResDiary, Servme | Eat App and Servme take deposits. ResDiary lists no-show reduction as a core feature. Servme adds WhatsApp reminders. |
| A group that wants guest data and marketing in the same system | SevenRooms, Servme, TableCheck | Guest profiles, automated campaigns and follow-ups to bring diners back. |
| A hotel restaurant | Eat App, ResDiary | Both list hotel PMS integration. |
| A venue that wants fewer paid booking channels | ResDiary, TableCheck | ResDiary takes no commission on direct bookings. TableCheck is built around direct relationships with guests. |
The seven platforms side by side
| Platform | What it is | Booking channels it lists | Deposits and no-shows | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eat App | Reservation and front-of-house platform | Instagram, Facebook, Google | Prepayments and deposits | Integrates with Foodics, Oracle Simphony, Lightspeed and Sapaad; caller ID through phone integration |
| OpenTable | Reservation and table management software | Not stated on its profile | Not stated on its profile | Its profile lists reservation management only, so ask for a demo |
| ResDiary | Cloud booking and table management | Website, social media, Google | No-show reduction | No commission on direct bookings; 10,000+ restaurants, bars and cafés |
| Resto Guru | Queue management and analytics | Walk-in queue and waitlist | Not stated | Dubai-based; Remy AI analyst answers questions in plain English |
| Servme | Reservation and guest CRM platform | Not stated on its profile | Deposits and pre-authorisation; WhatsApp reminders | Named account manager for every customer; from $129 a month |
| SevenRooms | Reservations and guest marketing | Website, Google, Instagram, Deliveroo; Voice AI for phone | Not stated on its profile | 15,000+ restaurants; automated email and SMS campaigns |
| TableCheck | Reservation and table management | Direct bookings | Not stated on its profile | Diners can pay with a saved card after their meal |
Scale figures are what each company reports across all its markets. None of the seven publishes a UAE-only customer count.
Where your bookings will come from
Guests tend to book from wherever they found you: Google Search and Maps, Instagram, a delivery app or a phone call. Pick a system that takes bookings from the channels your guests already use.
- Google. Google Business Profile lets guests place orders or reservations from the profile. Eat App, ResDiary and SevenRooms all list Google as a booking channel.
- Instagram and Facebook. Eat App takes bookings from Instagram, Facebook and Google. SevenRooms lists Instagram.
- Delivery apps. SevenRooms takes bookings from Deliveroo. None of the other six lists a delivery app as a booking channel.
- Phone. SevenRooms uses Voice AI to answer phone bookings. Eat App shows caller ID through a phone integration, so the host sees who is calling.
- Walk-ins. If most covers walk in, a queue tool may matter more than a booking engine. Resto Guru handles queue and waitlist management. SevenRooms, Servme and TableCheck also cover waitlists or table management.
Deposits, card holds and no-shows
No-shows cost a full table at peak hours. The platforms here tackle them in three ways:
- Take money up front. Eat App collects prepayments and deposits. Servme takes deposits and pre-authorisation.
- Remind the guest. Servme sends WhatsApp reminders to cut no-shows. SevenRooms runs automated email and SMS. ResDiary lists no-show reduction among its main features.
- Settle after the meal. TableCheck lets diners pay with a saved card after dining.
We haven't found a UAE government rule that sets limits on restaurant no-show fees. Write your policy down, show it before the guest confirms, and have your lawyer check it before you charge anyone.
Guest data and UAE data protection
Every booking system on this list stores names, phone numbers and visit history. SevenRooms builds guest profiles from every visit. Servme keeps a guest CRM with preferences and history.
That data is personal data under UAE law. The UAE government portal says the Personal Data Protection Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021) "prohibits the processing of personal data without the consent of its owner, except for some cases". It also says the law gives the owner of the data the right to request corrections of inaccurate personal data. Ask each vendor where guest data is stored, how a guest can ask for their record to be corrected or deleted, and how marketing consent is captured at booking.
What to check before you sign
- The live integration list for your POS. Eat App lists Foodics, Oracle Simphony, Lightspeed and Sapaad. ResDiary lists POS and hotel PMS integrations. Ask for the integration to be shown working, with spend pulled through to the guest profile.
- Commission on bookings. ResDiary takes no commission on bookings from your website, social media or Google. Ask every other vendor whether they charge per cover, per booking or a flat monthly fee.
- Deposit handling. Ask which payment provider processes the deposit, when the money settles to your account, and how refunds work.
- Messaging channel. Servme uses WhatsApp, SMS and email. SevenRooms uses email and SMS. Ask which channels are included in the fee and what each message costs.
- Support. Servme gives every customer a named account manager. Ask other vendors who answers on a Friday night and in which time zone.
- Price in writing. Servme starts at $129 a month. The other six don't publish a price on their profiles. Get the monthly fee, setup fee, per-cover fees and messaging costs as one total.
- Data export. Ask how you take your guest list with you if you leave, and in what format.
If your POS already takes reservations
Some POS systems include reservations. Quadranet, a restaurant EPOS with an office in Business Bay, includes reservations and stock control in the same system. If you only need a simple diary, check what your POS already does before you pay for a second system. A separate platform makes more sense when you want guest marketing, deposits or bookings from many channels.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best restaurant booking app in Dubai for restaurants?
No single platform wins for every venue. SevenRooms suits groups that want guest marketing and bookings from Deliveroo and Instagram. Eat App suits venues on Foodics, Lightspeed or Sapaad that want deposits. ResDiary suits venues that want commission-free direct bookings. Resto Guru suits walk-in venues with queues.
How much does a restaurant reservation system cost in Dubai?
Servme is the only platform here with a published starting price: $129 a month. The other six don't list prices on their profiles, so ask for a quote. Compare the monthly fee, any setup fee, any per-cover or per-booking commission, and the cost of WhatsApp or SMS messages.
Can Dubai restaurants take a deposit for a table booking?
Yes, several platforms support it. Eat App collects prepayments and deposits, and Servme takes deposits and pre-authorisation. We haven't found a UAE rule that caps no-show fees, so show your policy clearly before the guest confirms and get legal advice before charging.
Does SevenRooms work with Deliveroo in the UAE?
SevenRooms lists Deliveroo as one of its booking channels, alongside your website, Google and Instagram. It also uses Voice AI to answer phone reservations and runs automated email and SMS campaigns. Ask SevenRooms which channels are live for UAE venues today.
Which reservation system integrates with Foodics?
Eat App lists Foodics among its POS integrations, along with Oracle Simphony, Lightspeed and Sapaad. It uses the connection to track guest spend. For any other platform, ask the vendor for its current UAE integration list and a live demo.
Sources
- Partner details: each company's own website, linked from its Run The Shift profile.
- Data protection: UAE Government portal, data protection laws.
Last updated: 28 October 2026. Partner details come from each company's own website, summarised on its Run The Shift profile. Partners are listed in alphabetical order. Some partners sponsor Run The Shift, and that does not change where or how they appear in this guide. Spotted something out of date? Use the claim link on the partner's profile.