OpenResto
OpenResto is a free, open-source booking system that restaurants host on their own server.
What OpenResto is
OpenResto is a free, open-source booking system that restaurants host on their own server. Guests can select a time, hold a table for five minutes, and book without creating an account. Restaurants can manage multiple locations, floor sections, waitlists, and paused bookings, and customize the booking experience with their name, colour, and icon. The guest experience runs on the web and can also be published as branded iOS and Android apps. OpenResto describes push reminders sent the day before a booking and passes for Apple or Google Wallet; guests can also add bookings to Google, Apple, or Outlook calendars. The software uses Docker Compose and a local SQLite database, with prebuilt Linux amd64 and arm64 images for use on a VPS, Raspberry Pi, or NAS. The maker says guest data stays on the restaurant’s machine and bookings can be hard-deleted for GDPR requests. Its scoped API supports CLI use, and API keys can be limited so they cannot access guest names or phone numbers. The software has an MIT license and no per-cover fees.
Good
- Guests can book without creating an account.
- Supports multiple locations, floor sections, and waitlists.
- No per-cover fees; software is MIT licensed.
- Guest data stays on the restaurant's machine.
- Scoped API keys can restrict access to guest details.
Watch out
- Restaurants must host it on their own server.
- Deployment requires Docker Compose.
- Prebuilt images are listed for Linux amd64 and arm64.
- Outgoing email depends on the restaurant's SMTP configuration.
Who it suits
OpenResto suits independent restaurants, bars, cafes, and similar businesses that can run self-hosted software. It may be useful to operators who want online bookings, table and multi-location management, and control of guest data on their own machine.
Verdict
OpenResto focuses on restaurant reservations and table operations, with self-hosting and guest-data control central to its setup. It is a fit to consider if you can manage Docker deployment and want to avoid per-cover fees.
The facts
Each one read from OpenResto's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- API access
- Scoped, revocable API keys support CLI use, and keys without the guests scope cannot access guest names or phone numbers.checked 11 Oct 2026
- API and integrations
- OpenResto provides a scoped API that can be called with tools such as curl, cron scripts, Zapier webhooks or a custom backend.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Audit trail
- An append-only activity trail records who did what and when, with guest identities masked.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Booking flow
- Guests can book without creating an account, and a selected table is held for five minutes while they finish booking.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Branding
- Restaurants can set their own name, colour and icon for the booking experience.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Calendar and wallet
- Guests can add bookings to Google, Apple, or Outlook calendars, and the site describes Apple and Google Wallet booking passes.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Demo
- The live demo provides admin access and resets every two hours.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- OpenResto runs on the restaurant’s own server using Docker Compose.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Deployment limits
- The maker lists prebuilt Linux amd64 and arm64 images and says the software runs on a VPS, Raspberry Pi or NAS with Docker.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Outgoing email is optional and uses the restaurant's SMTP configuration.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Hosting
- OpenResto runs on the restaurant's own server with Docker and stores bookings in a local SQLite database.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- The maker describes OpenResto as booking management for restaurants, bars, cafes and similar businesses.checked 10 Oct 2026
- License and fees
- The site describes the software as MIT licensed and says it has no per-cover fees.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Pricing model
- The site says OpenResto is MIT licensed and has no per-cover fees.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Privacy
- Bookings are stored in a SQLite database on the operator’s machine, and the site says there is no managed database or CDN.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- OpenResto is a self-hosted booking system for independent restaurants.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Reminders
- The site describes push reminders sent the day before a booking.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Reminders and passes
- The site describes push reminders and Apple or Google Wallet booking passes.checked 10 Oct 2026
- Security
- The site says OWASP ZAP scans run in CI and rate limiting and encrypted cookies are enabled by default.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Table management
- The dashboard supports multiple locations, floor sections, pausing bookings, extending active bookings, and a waitlist.checked 11 Oct 2026
- What it does
- OpenResto is a self-hosted booking system for independent restaurants.checked 11 Oct 2026
Where it runs
- Guest apps
- The same guest screens can be published as native iOS and Android apps under the restaurant’s own name.checked 11 Oct 2026
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