How to take restaurant reservations on Telegram
Most small restaurants already take bookings in chat — just not very well. Messages get missed during the lunch rush, details are half there, and the table sits empty when a guest forgets. A few habits fix most of it.
Answer the questions people ask before they book
Before anyone books, they ask: are you open on the public holiday, is it halal, is there parking, do you have a private room, can I bring a cake? Write the answers down once — opening hours (and holiday hours), dietary status, parking, seating, corkage and cake rules — and pin them in your chat. Half the back-and-forth disappears.
Ask for the same five details every time
Name, date and time, number of people, a phone number, and anything special — a birthday, an allergy, a baby chair, wheelchair access. Asking the same way every time means nothing is missing when the guest walks in.
Repeat the booking back in one message (“Sat 18 Oct, 7.30 pm, 6 people, birthday cake, under Aisyah”). It catches mistakes before they reach the kitchen.
Decide your rules once
How far ahead can people book? Above how many guests do you want a call first? How long do you hold a table for a late guest — 15 minutes is common? Which nights are walk-in only? Decide once and write it down, so every answer is the same whoever replies.
Take a deposit for big groups and festive dates
Chinese New Year reunion dinners, Hari Raya, Mother's Day and big birthday tables are where no-shows hurt most. A small deposit by bank transfer or e-wallet, refundable with notice, keeps people committed. Say the rule up front, not after they have booked.
Confirm in writing, remind on the day
Send a short confirmation when the booking is made, and a reminder on the morning of the visit asking guests to reply if plans change. Keep every reservation in one place — one calendar or one book — so two people never promise the same table.
Doing it with AAAAI
MinA answers on your restaurant's Telegram from your own menu, hours and rules, asks for the details you want, and sends each reservation to you to confirm before she tells the guest. She can send your deposit payment link, and hands complaints and anything unusual straight to you. She works in English, Chinese and Malay, and says she is an AI.
Should a small restaurant take deposits?
For big groups and festive dates, a small refundable deposit cuts no-shows. For ordinary tables, a reminder on the day is usually enough.
Can an AI confirm reservations by itself?
With AAAAI, every reservation waits for your OK first; MinA tells the guest once you confirm.
What about walk-ins?
Keep some tables for walk-ins and say so in your pinned message, so guests know when booking matters.