Blog

Thoughts on restaurant reservations, pricing, and building software for independents.

Burger and fries packed in a paper takeout box
|bavoli

Commission-Free Online Ordering for Restaurants

Online ordering is now part of bavoli's Professional plan, with pickup live everywhere bavoli runs. The restaurant pays a flat $1 per order, while a marketplace charging 15% to 30% takes $9 to $18 from the same $60 pickup bag.

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Guest holding a phone over a cafe table with two coffee drinks
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QR Code Ordering for Restaurants Without Per-Order Fees

Guests scan a code at the table, order from their phones, and pay, with no app to download and no account to create. It comes with the Professional plan at $50 a month, with a 0.5% per-order fee instead of the 2-8% that dedicated QR platforms charge.

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Plated dish at an upscale restaurant
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What Does OpenTable Actually Cost?

OpenTable's pricing is more complicated than it looks. Here's the full breakdown at real restaurant volumes: base fees, per-cover charges, and the costs nobody talks about.

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Restaurant owner reviewing guest information
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Your Guest Data Belongs to You

Who owns the guest relationship when someone books through your reservation platform? It depends on the platform. Here's what to look for.

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Restaurant kitchen during evening service
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Why We Built bavoli

The per-cover pricing model for reservation software seemed unfair. Here's why I built bavoli and the math behind flat pricing.

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