Every month, your restaurant booking platform quietly takes its cut. That 2.5% transaction fee on a 12,000 MAD Saturday night doesn't seem like much — until you calculate it's costing you 14,400 MAD annually just to let customers reserve tables.
Restaurant owners in Agadir are discovering what happens when you stop paying for the privilege of managing your own bookings. The math is forcing a hard look at how much "free" restaurant reservation software actually costs.
The Hidden Math Behind "Free" Restaurant Booking Software
Most restaurant booking platforms follow the same playbook. Free signup. Beautiful interface. Then the invoice arrives.
Transaction fees range from 2% to 5% per booking. Premium features like SMS confirmations cost extra. No-show protection adds another percentage. What starts as "free" becomes a significant monthly expense.
What "Free" Actually Costs Your Restaurant
Consider La Terrasse, a 100-seat restaurant in Casablanca. They process 400 reservations monthly with an average booking value of 300 MAD. At 2.5% commission, that's 3,000 MAD in fees — enough to hire part-time staff or upgrade kitchen equipment.
| Monthly Bookings |
Average Value |
Commission (2.5%) |
Annual Cost |
| 400 |
300 MAD |
3,000 MAD |
36,000 MAD |
| 600 |
350 MAD |
5,250 MAD |
63,000 MAD |
| 800 |
400 MAD |
8,000 MAD |
96,000 MAD |
The numbers get worse when you add premium features. SMS confirmations: 500 MAD monthly. Custom branding: 800 MAD. API access for POS integration: 1,200 MAD. Suddenly your "free" table reservation software costs more than your accounting software.
The 100-Cover Restaurant Reality Check
Mid-sized restaurants feel this squeeze most. Too small for enterprise discounts, too busy to manage bookings manually. They're caught paying retail rates for wholesale volume.
A typical 100-cover restaurant in Marrakech processes 15-20 bookings daily during peak season. With tourists expecting instant confirmation and local diners preferring WhatsApp communication, you need a system that handles both. Most platforms charge extra for these "advanced" features.
Why Table Reservation Software Integration Matters More Than Features
Your hostess takes a booking for eight people at 20:00. She enters it in the reservation system. Then logs into the POS to block the table. Checks inventory for the pre-ordered tagine. Messages the kitchen about dietary restrictions. Updates the floor plan. Five systems, five logins, five chances for error.
This isn't efficient restaurant management. It's digital chaos that happens when your restaurant table reservation software exists in isolation.
The Integration Problem Most Restaurants Face
Watch any restaurant during Friday dinner service. The hostess juggles between the booking screen and POS terminal. Waiters check one system for reservations, another for active tables. The kitchen has no visibility into upcoming large parties.
Manual data transfer between systems creates gaps. A reservation cancels but the table stays blocked in your POS. A walk-in gets seated at a "reserved" table because systems didn't sync. Your team spends more time managing technology than serving guests.
What Happens When Your Restaurant Reservation Software Actually Connects
Integration changes the entire flow. A booking automatically updates table availability across all systems. Pre-orders flow directly to the kitchen display. Payment preferences sync with your POS. One entry point, multiple outputs.
Real integration means your morning shift can see evening reservations while handling lunch service. The kitchen knows a 12-person birthday party ordered the seafood platter two hours ahead. Your inventory adjusts automatically for pre-ordered items.
The Moroccan Restaurant Reality: Why Global Solutions Miss the Mark
International restaurant booking software assumes every market works like New York or London. Credit cards everywhere. Individual diners. 19:00 dinner reservations. Morocco operates differently.
Payment Methods That Actually Work in Morocco
Your regular customers prefer cash deposits for large bookings. Younger diners want to pay through their banking apps. Corporate clients need invoice options. Tourist groups arrive with international cards your local processor can't handle.
Most booking platforms offer Stripe or PayPal — neither fully operational in Morocco. They don't integrate with CMI or local banking networks. You're forced to handle payments outside the system, defeating the purpose of digital booking.
Moroccan dining doesn't follow Western patterns. Extended families book entire sections for 20+ people. Ramadan shifts your entire operation to late-night service. Wedding season brings 100-person bookings that need special menu coordination.
Standard restaurant booking platforms cap party sizes at eight. They don't adjust for Iftar timing changes. Their "event booking" modules cost extra and still don't handle Moroccan celebration styles. You end up managing large bookings offline while paying for an online system.
OCHI's Restaurant Booking Software: Built for Moroccan Restaurants
When Agadir restaurant owners asked why they paid commissions to manage their own reservations, OCHI built a different answer. Booking management lives inside your complete restaurant system — no fees, no separate logins, no integration headaches.
Zero-Commission Booking Within Your Complete Restaurant System
Your restaurant booking platform should cost what it's worth: nothing extra. OCHI includes reservations within the complete system. Table booking, time slots, party size management, automatic confirmations — all commission-free.
Your branded domain (votrenom.ochi.ma) handles bookings alongside online ordering. Customers see one professional presence. You manage one system. No transaction fees whether you process 10 bookings or 1,000.
Real Integration, Not Another Login Screen
A reservation through OCHI updates your floor plan instantly. Pre-ordered items appear on the kitchen display. Dietary restrictions flag automatically. Your team sees everything in their regular workflow — POS operators through their terminals, waiters on mobile devices, kitchen staff on display screens.
The system handles Moroccan realities. Large family bookings. Multiple dining areas from indoor to terrace. Ramadan service adjustments. Local payment methods. Everything built for how Moroccan restaurants actually operate.
Before You Choose: Questions Every Restaurant Owner Should Ask
Choosing restaurant booking software requires looking beyond the demo. Beautiful interfaces hide expensive surprises. Ask the hard questions before you commit.
The Five Questions That Reveal True Costs
What percentage of bookings incur transaction fees? Some platforms charge only for completed bookings. Others take a cut of no-shows too. Get the complete fee structure in writing.
Which features require monthly subscription upgrades? Basic booking might be free, but SMS confirmations, custom branding, and API access often hide behind paywalls. Calculate the real monthly cost with all features you need.
Can you export your customer data if you switch platforms? Your booking history and customer information belong to you. Ensure you can download everything before signing up.
Does the system integrate with Moroccan payment processors? International platforms rarely support local payment methods. Verify CMI integration and local banking compatibility.
What happens to your booking URL if you cancel? Some platforms hold your booking page hostage. Others redirect to competitors. Understand the exit terms.
Red Flags in Restaurant Reservation Software Contracts
Watch for "free forever" claims with transaction fees buried in terms. No legitimate service costs nothing to operate. They make money somewhere — ensure you understand where.
Exclusive booking partnerships seem attractive until they block other channels. Your restaurant needs flexibility to accept reservations from multiple sources.
Customer data ownership restrictions mean the platform controls your relationship with diners. Your customer list is a core business asset. Never sign away ownership.
The future of restaurant management isn't about adding more systems — it's about needing fewer. See how OCHI brings bookings, orders, and operations together at ochi.ma/partners.
