Restaurant Reservation Systems in Singapore: Grab, Google, Direct

Your three booking channels in Singapore

Diners book wherever they already are. For most restaurants that means the Grab app, Google Search and Maps, and your own website or social profiles. Each channel has a different cost and a different level of control.

Prices for marketplace and booking tools are mostly quoted per outlet. Ask each provider for their current fee per cover or per month in writing before you sign.

Chope and Grab Dine Out: what changed

Grab acquired Chope's Southeast Asian business, including Singapore, in July 2024. Since then, Chope deals have moved into Grab Dine Out inside the Grab app, and Chope's rewards programme has been wound down. Our guide to Chope's move into Grab Dine Out has the dates and what to check in your merchant account.

On its Dine Out merchant page, Grab says restaurants can take reservations from the Grab app as well as from Chope and its affiliates, including Google Maps and TripAdvisor. It also says the system sends automated confirmation prompts, can take upfront deposits, and can sell pre-purchased menus. Fees are not published, so you enquire for a quote.

If you rely on Grab for bookings, check two things: where your Google Reserve button now points, and whether you can export your own booking history and diner contacts.

Reserve with Google: getting a booking button on Maps

The Reserve button on a Google Business Profile comes from a booking provider, not from Google itself. Google's help page on setting up bookings through a provider explains the steps, and notes that your provider might charge you for bookings made through Google.

1. 1

   Check your provider is a Reserve with Google partner

   Ask your booking tool whether it supports Reserve with Google in Singapore. TableCheck, for example, has announced Singapore support; others connect through Chope and Grab.

2. 2

   Open Bookings in your Business Profile

   In your Business Profile, select Bookings, then Get started, choose your provider and select Done.

3. 3

   Wait for the button to appear

   Google says the provider shows up on your profile within a week. Test it from a personal phone when it does.

4. 4

   No provider? Add your own link

   You can add a booking link to your own site instead. Google will not show booking performance data for custom links.

5. 5

   Turn on a waitlist if you get walk-in queues

   Restaurants can add a Join waitlist button, but only through a third-party Reserve with Google provider.

Google's AI Mode can now find restaurant tables in Singapore too, using the same booking partners. See our guide on Google AI Mode restaurant booking.

Direct booking tools: what to compare

A direct tool is your diary. Many restaurant booking platforms publish per-outlet plans, and some have a free tier for small volumes; Eat App's pricing page, for example, lists a free plan for up to 100 covers a month (approximate, as of October 2026). Whatever you pick, compare on features, not only price.

For simple set-ups, such as a cafe with a few bookable tables or a private dining room, a general booking tool can be enough. Our booking system comparison covers tools that work across restaurants, clinics and studios.

Deposits and no-show fees: how to set them up fairly

Deposits work, but they also put some diners off. Most restaurants use them only for Friday and Saturday nights, festive periods, set menus and tables of six or more.

• Deposit: a fixed amount per person, deducted from the bill. Simple and easy to explain.
• Pre-paid menu: the full set menu paid at booking. Common for festive dinners and omakase.
• Card hold: you authorise the card but only charge if the diner does not turn up. With Stripe, uncaptured payments are cancelled after 7 days by default (Stripe docs), so holds suit bookings made within the week.
• No-show fee charged later: only with clear consent captured at booking, and expect more disputes.

Stripe's Singapore pricing is 3.4% + S$0.50 per successful domestic card payment, approximate as of October 2026 (Stripe pricing). Factor that into small deposits: on a S$10 deposit, card fees take a noticeable share.

WhatsApp confirmations and reminders

Grab says its automated confirmation prompts cut no-show rates by up to 67%. Whatever system you use, the pattern is the same: confirm instantly, remind the day before, and make cancelling easy so the table can be resold.

WhatsApp messages sent automatically need the WhatsApp Business Platform and approved templates. Our WhatsApp Business API cost guide explains the per-message pricing.

Do it yourself or get help?

Signing up for a booking tool and connecting it to Google is usually a DIY afternoon. The parts that take longer are syncing channels so you never double-book, setting up deposits with clear terms, and automating reminders. Our restaurant website guide shows where the booking buttons should sit on your site.

Our Online Booking System package (S$390) sets up a direct booking page and links it to your website and Google profile. Online Payment Setup (S$290) adds deposits through Stripe or HitPay, and WhatsApp Notifications (S$590) sends confirmations and reminders automatically.