There is no single “best” reservation system — only the best one for how your restaurant fills its seats. This guide breaks down the main options Canadian restaurants are choosing in 2026, and how they differ on the things that actually matter.
Four things separate the options. Before comparing brands, it helps to know what you are really comparing:
1. Flat-rate vs per-cover. Some platforms charge one predictable monthly fee; others add a fee for every diner booked through their network. At volume, that difference can be thousands of dollars a year.
2. Channel coverage. Online booking is table stakes. The bookings most restaurants still miss come from the phone — during the rush and after hours. Few systems answer it.
3. Who owns the guest. Marketplaces drive discovery but sit between you and the diner. Direct-booking tools keep the relationship and the data yours.
4. Canadian fit. Billing currency, local support, and increasingly, whether AI assistants like Claude, ChatGPT and Gemini can find and recommend you.
Honest capsule profiles — strengths and trade-offs, not a popularity contest.
Flat $79–$299 CAD per month, no per-cover fees, and the only option here with an AI agent that answers your phone alongside web and chat booking. Built so AI search can find you. Best for independents and small groups who want every channel captured. See the platform →
The largest diner marketplace, billed in USD with per-cover network fees plus a 2% transaction fee on deposits and prepaid bookings since early 2026. Best if marketplace discovery genuinely drives your covers. Compare →
Deep guest profiles and marketing automation, quote-based pricing, demo-gated onboarding. No per-cover fees. Best for multi-venue groups that live in their CRM. Compare →
A reservations module that runs on top of TouchBistro's iPad POS and payments. Best if you already run TouchBistro as your point of sale. Compare →
Flat-rate subscription with no per-cover reservation fees and a consumer marketplace concentrated in major metros. Owned by American Express. Best where its network is strong in your city.
If most bookings come from your own phone, site and social, a flat-rate, multi-channel system keeps costs predictable and the phone answered. If a marketplace fills your seats, a network platform's per-cover fee may pay for itself.
| Platform | Pricing model | Per-cover fees | Answers your phone | Billed in CAD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reserve A Table | Flat $79–$299 CAD | None | ||
| OpenTable | $149–$499 USD + fees | Per network cover | ||
| SevenRooms | Quote-based (USD) | None | ||
| TouchBistro Reservations | POS + add-on (USD) | None | ||
| Resy | Flat-rate (USD) | None |
Comparison based on publicly available information as of June 2026. OpenTable, SevenRooms and TouchBistro are trademarks of their respective owners and are not affiliated with Reserve A Table. Competitor pricing and features change — please confirm current details with each provider.
Three plans, one flat monthly price per location — in Canadian dollars, with no long-term contract and 14 days free.
The live book and the floor
Answers every call and message
Phone orders as well as bookings
*Unlimited standard restaurant use is governed by our fair use policy. See full pricing →
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