Case studyA brasserie website that takes table bookings online, day and night

The brief

Channels Bar & Brasserie is the restaurant on the Channels estate in Little Waltham, just outside Chelmsford. It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week, with a Sunday lunch menu, family offers and private dining for celebrations. It feeds hotel guests and wedding parties, but most of its trade comes from local people who drive out for a meal.

Those diners decide where to eat on their phones, often at short notice. The brief was a site that answers their questions at a glance and lets them book without calling.

What we built

• Online table booking. Diners can book breakfast, lunch or dinner for up to 8 people through an embedded booking system, and choose a dog-friendly table when they book. Larger groups get a clear route to email or phone instead.
• Times people can find. Opening hours and the times each menu is served, including bank holidays, are set out day by day, so nobody turns up for breakfast at noon.
• Menus for groups. Pre-order menus for tables of 10 or more, for Sunday lunch and for seasonal dates, can be downloaded before the day.
• More reasons to visit. Sections cover the Sunday roast, a weekly two-for-one evening for families, private dining for up to 16 guests and gift vouchers.
• Part of the estate. The brasserie sits within the wider Channels site, alongside the wedding venue, the hotel and what’s on, so a diner can easily discover the rest of the estate.

The result

The brasserie now has a site that does what a good front-of-house team does: tells people when they can come, what they can eat and how to book. Tables can be booked online at any time, group menus are sorted before the day, and the phone rings for the questions that really need a person.