Two groups, one Friday
In March, someone asked in person about hiring the cafe for a baby shower on a Friday in May. You said it should be fine and wrote it on the calendar in the back room. In April, an Instagram message asked about a book club on the same Friday evening. Whoever replied checked the calendar on their phone, which was a different one, and said yes. You find out on the Wednesday before.
Your latte art workshops sell well, but the list of who has paid is in your email, some paid in cash, and on the night two people turn up who you were not expecting.
The evenings themselves are some of the best things the cafe does. Regulars bring friends, new people discover you, and the space earns something after the shutters would normally come down. It is the organising around them, the messages, the calendars and the chasing, that makes you wonder whether they are worth it.
Why evening bookings get muddled
- Enquiries come through Instagram, email, phone and the counter.
- There is more than one calendar, or the calendar is on paper.
- Deposits and payments are taken in different ways and not tracked.
- Details, such as numbers, food and setup, are agreed in messages and forgotten.
- Ticketed events are managed with a spreadsheet of names.
What the muddle costs
A double booking means letting someone down, and often a public complaint. Unpaid deposits mean no-shows cost you prep and staff time. Evening events are a good way to use the space when the cafe would otherwise be shut, and a good way to build community, but if they are chaotic to run, owners stop offering them.
How we build evening bookings
- We build a booking page on your website for private hire, showing available evenings and what hire includes.
- Customers request a date, give numbers and the type of event, and pay a deposit by card through Stripe to hold it.
- You approve or decline requests, and approved bookings go into one calendar that everyone uses.
- Ticketed events, such as workshops and supper clubs, have their own page with tickets sold online and a guest list you can see on your phone.
- Reminders go to the booker before the event, asking them to confirm numbers and any food or setup needs.
- The final details are sent to you and the staff working that evening, with numbers, timings and dietary notes.
| Booking type | How it is handled |
|---|---|
| Private hire | Request, approval, deposit |
| Ticketed workshop | Online tickets and guest list |
| Supper club | Tickets with dietary notes |
| Community group | Request and approval, deposit optional |
Your hire terms, such as deposits, cancellation and what happens with food, are your choice. We build them into the booking page as you set them.
Evenings that run smoothly
Enquiries go through the booking page, so there is one calendar and nothing is double-booked. The baby shower is held with a deposit, and the host confirms numbers the week before. The latte art workshop sells out online, and on the night you tick people off on your phone. You can see which kinds of events are popular and plan more of them.
Is this your evening trade?
- Evening bookings come by Instagram, email and in person.
- You have double-booked an evening, or nearly did.
- Deposits are chased by hand, or not taken.
- Workshop guest lists are in a spreadsheet or email.
- Event details are agreed in messages and forgotten.