The reservation tech company Tock on Wednesday unveiled a new tool designed to help restaurant operators create new experiences for guests.
Tock users can now offer Multi-Experience Tables, a feature designed to give operators ideas for amping up guest experiences, but also to get a better understanding of what guests want.
And customers are hungry for experiences that give them more than just a meal.
“Today’s guests are more intentional in seeking out unique and personalized experiences when dining out,” said Matthew Tucker, head of Tock, in a statement. “Our restaurant partners are very creative in the experiences they offer on Tock, and have learned to turn every square foot of their dining room into a monetizable experience. With Multi-Experience Tables, restaurants now have even more ways to experiment with what appeals most to their guests.”
Though Tock was born into restaurant reservations—it was founded by owners of the Alinea Group in Chicago—the platform was acquired by Squarespace in 2021. Now Tock works with roughly 7,000 restaurants in 33 countries, as well as hotels and wineries offering a broader range of experiences that require reservations.
The Multi-Experience Table tool allows restaurant operators to have more control over tables that might be tied to a certain experience, for example, without guests being aware of the behind-the-scenes planning that is often involved.
Riana Mondavi, director of direct to consumer operations for the Charles Krug Winery in St. Helena, Calif., for example, was part of the beta test for the program. The winery offers various dining experiences, that might include a tasting and tour, or a wine pairing.
In the past, the winery had a set number of tables that could be booked for certain experiences, and if they weren’t booked, revenue was lost.
Now the new tool essentially opens up multiple tables—preventing double booking—and giving the restaurant the ability to plan around the experiences guests want. They also get a better picture of what sells and what does not.
“We don’t want guests to know we’re moving tables around to make the system work,” she said. “We sometimes have to massage things in the back of the house.”
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