Does anyone even use their phone anymore? Because if they do… someone explain to me why guests don’t pick up.
We’ll tell you why:
Let’s be honest, most calls these days are scams, sales, or someone asking about your booking system (guilty). So unless your restaurant’s name shows up on the screen, guests might not pick up, even if they just made a booking. Trust is low. Texts feel safer.
It’s not just about trust, phone calls are often associated with bad news.
“When we hear our phone ringing, it signifies to us that there’s probably something bad coming down the line,” Duncan Brumby, UCL Professor, tells The Guardian.
With more than half (56%) of 18–34-year-olds assume an unexpected phone call is bad news. No wonder it goes straight to voicemail.
For many millennials and Gen Z guests, picking up the phone just isn’t in their DNA. They’re fluent in DMs, voice notes, and emojis, not voicemails and callbacks.
So when restaurants call?
Sorry to say, it comes off as outdated and totally out of touch👎.
Nine to five calls? Not ideal. That is when most guests are working, which naturally overlaps with the time restaurants need confirmations or updates before dinner service.
Popular guest opinion
“Calls can be time-consuming and set you back on your tasks.”
– Dunja Relic, 27, lawyer, tells BBC.
Instead of squeezing in a phone call between meetings guests would much rather get a quick message they can glance at and reply to when they have a sec.
What if you could reach guests exactly how they want to be reached?
That is exactly what Guest Chat does.
DinnerBooking’s new direct messenger makes it easy to:
So yes, this is technically a sales pitch.
But admit it. It is kind of cool.
If guests are not picking up the phone,
maybe it is time to stop calling and start using Guest Chat.
