Understanding and Managing Booking Requests on RestauRent

A booking request on RestauRent is an inquiry to reserve your venue for a private event or large party. Unlike platforms like OpenTable, where small dining reservations are instantly confirmed, RestauRent’s booking requests start with a "Need to Review" status, giving venues the chance to review the inquiry before confirming or declining. This process ensures that both the venue and the booker can communicate and agree on event details before finalizing the reservation.

Before a guest submits an inquiry, we ask a few questions to understand their intent. While all of these actions will appear as booking requests, each one is tagged with an intent meter to help you prioritize.

Here’s what the guest can select and what that means for you:

Each booking request will include:

Depending on the type of inquiry, you may receive additional information to help you respond more effectively.

When a new booking request is submitted, all users associated with your venue listing will receive an email notification from hello@restaurent.com. The subject line of this email dynamically adjusts based on the booker's stage in the booking process.

Each email includes a summary of the request and a direct link to your RestauRent account, making it easy to review the full details.

All users associated with the venue listing will also receive an SMS notification for new bookings if they have opted into SMS notifications.

To view and manage a booking request in your RestauRent account:

Your Dashboard is your control center for managing individual booking requests. On this page, you'll see an overview of:

Clicking the Handle Request button will take you to the individual booking request. From there, you can:

Use the Message button to respond to recent messages quickly. Prompt communication increases your chances of securing the booking.

All new booking requests begin with the status "Need to Review." As you engage with each request, you can update its status to better reflect the stage of the conversation.

Here are the available statuses:

Once you’ve responded to the booker, we recommend updating the request status to "In Contact". You can keep it in this stage while you gather more information or finalize details.

You can approve a request if the date works, payment is secured, or the event details are aligned with your policies.

If the request isn’t a fit (e.g., scheduling conflict, not aligned with your event type), you can decline it. When possible, message the booker first to see if they’re flexible with their event date—it’s often a good way to retain the lead.

Either way, we always recommend communicating through the RestauRent Messenger to keep everything in one place.

From the Handle Request page, you can use the Message Booker button to start a conversation or follow up. You can also attach files or documents directly in the chat.

While you're welcome to call, text, or email the booker, we recommend using the RestauRent Messenger whenever possible. This keeps all event-related communication organized in one place, which helps us support you more effectively if needed.

To edit a request:

This allows you to make changes or add a custom event title, which makes it easier to identify and manage the event on your calendar.