The simplest way to remember your regulars is to keep a profile for every guest who books: their name, how often they visit, and a few useful notes such as a favourite table or an allergy. When the host sees “fifth visit, prefers the window” on tonight’s booking, they can greet the guest like a regular, and that is what keeps people coming back.
Why regulars matter
For most neighbourhood restaurants, a large share of covers comes from people who have been before. Regulars:
- book without being advertised to;
- recommend you to friends;
- are more forgiving on a difficult night.
Keeping them is usually cheaper than finding new guests.
What to keep in a guest profile
Keep it short and useful:
- Name and contact details, from their bookings.
- Visit history: how many times and when they last came.
- Preferences: a favourite table, a usual drink, high chair needed.
- Allergies and dietary needs, shared with the kitchen for every visit.
- Occasions they’ve mentioned, such as a birthday or anniversary.
Write notes you’d be comfortable for the guest to read. Never record anything unkind or unnecessary.
Use it at the door
A profile is only useful if the team sees it at the right moment:
- Check tonight’s bookings before service and spot the regulars.
- Brief the team: “Table nine are in for the tenth time, it’s her birthday.”
- Greet regulars by name.
Small gestures beat points
You don’t need a loyalty card. Things regulars remember:
- the table they like, without asking;
- their usual drink offered on arrival;
- a dessert on the house on a birthday;
- the owner stopping by to say hello.
Keep the data in your hands
Profiles are most useful when they build up in your own system over years. If guests book through a marketplace, that history may sit with the platform rather than with you. See booking marketplace or your own booking system.
Treat guest data with care; see guest data and UK GDPR.
How ForStars fits
ForStars keeps a profile for each guest in your account, with their visit history, so the team can recognise regulars on the floor plan. Guests book on your own website, under your name. See features.
Questions owners ask
Do I need a loyalty scheme?
Not necessarily. Recognising regulars and remembering their preferences often does more than points.
Should walk-ins have profiles too?
If they share their name and contact details, yes. It means a walk-in regular is recognised just like one who books.