Commission-free, or a marketplace that rents you your own guests?
OpenTable, TheFork, Quandoo and a free booking form, side by side with TableTango — the numbers we can stand behind, and a dash where we can't.
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One table, no spin
Marketplace pricing changes and is often quoted by sales, so we say “depends on plan” or — rather than guess. Check the current terms with them before you decide.
| Feature | TableTango | OpenTable | TheFork | Quandoo | A free form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | £29.99 per venue, flat · first 30 days free | Tiered subscription plus a per-cover fee on marketplace bookings | Subscription quoted by sales — pricing on request | Closing — bookings end 30 Sep 2026 | Free |
| Commission or per-cover fees | None, ever | Per-cover fee on network (marketplace) bookings | Commission on marketplace bookings, based on your average bill | Per-cover commission on reservations | None |
| Who owns the diner relationship | You — 100%, never sold or shared | The marketplace typically owns discovery and the diner | Diners book as TheFork users | The marketplace tends to own the diner | You |
| Discount programmes funded by you | None — your menu, your prices | — | Loyalty points and festival promotions, part-funded by the restaurant | — | None |
| Sees real availability, stops double-bookings | Takes any request; you check by hand | ||||
| 24/7 AI chat booking on your own page | Included | Not a core feature | Not a core feature | Not a core feature | |
| Email confirmations & day-before reminders | Included as standard | Depends on plan | Check your plan | Depends on plan | You reply by hand |
| Guest texts (reminders, waitlist offers) | On SMS credit — 100-credit starter balance, then prepaid top-ups | Depends on plan | Check your plan | Depends on plan | |
| Waitlist that refills a cancellation | Included | Depends on plan | — | Not a prominent feature | |
| Events (supper clubs, set menus) | Included, commission-free, on your own page | Available, tied to the marketplace | — | — | |
| Card-secured no-show protection | On request — you keep 100% of any fee | Depends on plan | — | — | |
| Guest book (history, usual table, allergies) | Built in | Depends on plan | — | — | A spreadsheet of submissions |
| Setup | Self-serve, minutes | Typically sales-led onboarding | Sales-led — ask for pricing, then onboarding | — | Minutes |
| Contract | None — cancel any time | Subscription commitment | Check your contract | — | None |
A marketplace, or a tool you own?
OpenTable and TheFork are marketplaces. They run a big consumer app, send some diners your way, and charge for the covers they refer — and the diner books as their user, so the relationship, the email address and the visit history sit with them. That can be worth it if you rely on being discovered.
TableTango is a tool you own. It runs the bookings you already attract — your website, your Google listing, your Instagram, your regulars — for a flat £29.99 a month, with no fee per cover, ever. Your guest book is yours; export it any time.
TheFork adds discount programmes — loyalty points and festival promotions — that the restaurant part-funds. We don't discount your menu on your behalf. Quandoo is closing: bookings end on 30 September 2026, so export your data now and see the question below.
A free form is free until it isn't: it takes any request without seeing your tables, so someone re-keys every booking, catches double-bookings by eye and sends the confirmations by hand. If that someone is you on a Friday night, the form is costing you covers.
Choosing a booking system — what owners ask
Is a marketplace ever the right choice?
If most of your covers come from people who have never heard of you, a marketplace's consumer app can be worth its per-cover fee. If your bookings come from your own website, your Google listing, Instagram and regulars, you are paying a fee on guests you already had — and the marketplace owns the relationship. TableTango runs the bookings you attract yourself, commission-free.
We're on Quandoo — how do we move?
Export your bookings and guests from Quandoo before it stops taking bookings on 30 September 2026, then email hello@tabletango.co.uk with the export and we'll help you bring your upcoming bookings across. Setting up your tables and hours takes minutes; your first 30 days are free from go-live.
What does a free form actually cost?
The re-keying: every request typed into a diary by hand, double-bookings caught by eye, confirmations you remember to send. A booking system sees your real availability, assigns the table and confirms and reminds the guest automatically.
Can we keep our website widget?
You don't need one. Your TableTango booking page has its own link — put it behind the Book button on your website, in your Google profile and your Instagram bio. Guests tap it and book; nothing to install.
Keep every cover yours.
One plan, £29.99/month per venue — no commission and no per-cover fees, ever. Your first 30 days are free from go-live, with no card to start.
Start 30 days free