Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day or a festive brunch: at those moments you do not want a phone ringing off the hook and still half-empty dining rooms because of no-shows. A fixed menu with online sign-up brings calm for kitchen and guest.
With arrangements you plan festive moments alongside your normal reservations. Guests sign up online via your widget, you set capacity and price, and optionally a deposit. In this article you learn how to approach that for the busiest periods of the year.
Holiday menu vs. regular table reservation
On a normal Saturday guests reserve a table and choose from your menu. On Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve that often works differently: one fixed menu, fixed time slots, sometimes multiple seatings. That should not disappear into your standard reservation flow. An arrangement is a separate sign-up with its own title, description, price and maximum number of places. Your regular diary stays clear and your holiday service stays predictable.
Start planning on time
Open sign-ups at least six to eight weeks ahead for popular dates. Guests plan holidays early. Close sign-ups in time so purchasing and staff planning can follow. In Restotailor you decide the registration period per arrangement. Also check your table plan: which room do you use for the holiday menu and which tables stay available for walk-ins or smaller groups?
Setting up an arrangement in Restotailor
Create an arrangement with a clear name ("Christmas menu 24 December", "New Year's brunch"), menu description, date, start time, price per person and capacity. It appears in your reservation widget when sign-ups are open. Share the link in your newsletter, on social media and via the offer feature so guests see the same message as in your campaign.
Deposits on busy holidays
On Christmas and New Year's Eve an empty table hurts extra. A deposit or full prepayment helps against no-shows and covers part of your purchasing. Guests pay online during sign-up, for example via Bancontact, credit card or iDEAL. Without a deposit, the sign-up is confirmed immediately. Explain your rules clearly in the confirmation email. More tips in our article on reducing no-shows.
Communication and reminders
Per arrangement you optionally set a confirmation email and reminder. Mention menu, time, cancellation terms and optionally dress code or parking info. The reminder goes out automatically at the number of hours before the start that you configure. Email is included in your subscription; those who want extra certainty can optionally activate SMS reminders.
Combining with terrace, groups and dietary requirements
Ask for dietary requirements at sign-up or note them in the guest profile. That way your team sees in advance who is vegetarian or has an allergy. For large families who want to sit separately, read our article on group reservations. Serving on the terrace around the holidays too? Prepare your room and availability as described in terrace and summer season, even if it is a winter veranda or heated terrace.
Conclusion
Holidays require tight planning, but also deliver your most memorable evenings. With arrangements in Restotailor you combine online sign-up, optional deposit and automatic emails without a separate system. Start on time, communicate clearly and use your guest data to plan even more precisely next year. Everything included in €65 per month.