Sidedoor

Sidedoor brings guest bookings and venue operations into one platform, making it a strong fit for venues that want to connect reservations with guest engagement and marketing. Its free guest membership lowers the barrier for visitors; venue operators should weigh the monthly cost of advanced tools against their booking and campaign needs.

Overview

Sidedoor pairs an app for guests with a separate operator-facing platform. Guests can browse participating venues, request guest-list entry, reserve tables and check in by QR code. Venues get tools for reservations, guest lists, ticketed events and vouchers, plus email marketing, analytics and business intelligence. The breadth is useful for operators seeking a single system across bookings and promotion, though the more advanced operational features sit on higher-priced plans.

The platform also serves promoters and partners, and developers can build on its REST API using the provided documentation and tokens. Native Android and iOS apps for venue staff support offline operation, a practical advantage when connectivity is unreliable.

Key features

Guest bookings and memberships

The free guest membership includes guest-list bookings, priority queue skips at participating venues, reward points and five free keys. Premium and Premium Plus add different benefits, including higher-priority access, members-only events, increased reward points and more keys. These are annual guest memberships, not substitutes for a venue subscription; the app remains free if a member cancels.

Venue operations and marketing

Reservations, guest lists, ticketed events and gift vouchers cover core front-of-house needs. Sidedoor also supports audience segmentation, automated campaigns, loyalty programs, POS integration and review requests. Pro adds campaign allowances and automation, while Max increases those quotas and adds advanced analytics and forecasting. This makes the platform more compelling for venues that will actively use its marketing and reporting, rather than operators seeking only a basic booking tool.

Integrations, access and security

Connected services include Alliance iPOS, Google Business and Stripe; Square and Epos Now are described as coming soon. Role-based access by venue and module, administrative audit logs and lock-screen protection help operators manage shared devices and staff permissions. Hosting and databases are encrypted, passwords are hashed, optional two-factor authentication is available, and Stripe processes card payments without Sidedoor storing full card numbers or CVV codes. Support aims to reply within one business day, with weekday hours of 10am to 5pm.

Pricing

Sidedoor separates free and paid guest memberships from venue subscriptions. The free guest tier costs nothing, billed Forever, and includes guest-list bookings, queue skips at participating venues, reward points and five keys. Premium costs £149 a year and adds higher-priority access, an Aimy virtual concierge, members-only events, 1.5× reward points and 50 keys. Premium Plus costs £999 a year, with super-exclusive venue access, higher platform reputation, 2× reward points and 500 keys. The paid memberships suit guests who value those extra access and loyalty benefits; occasional users can stay on Free.

For operators, Starter costs £99 a month and covers one venue, reservations, vouchers, events, guest lists and the Sidedoor members community sales channel. It is the entry point for a single venue, but does not include the listed analytics, business intelligence or campaign quotas found higher up.

Pro costs £299 a month and includes everything in Starter, till and rota integration, analytics, basic business intelligence, an Aimy AI assistant, 10,000 emails and push messages, 500 texts, automations, reviews and API access. It is the relevant step up for operators who need reporting, integrations and measurable campaign capacity. Max costs £499 a month and adds advanced BI and forecasting, an advanced Aimy AI assistant, 20,000 emails and push messages, 1,000 texts and managed support. Its higher quotas and support are most relevant to high-volume groups; smaller operators may not need to pay for them.

Platforms

Sidedoor supports Android, iOS, web and API access. Offline operation is available in the native Android and iOS apps for venue staff, while the API gives developers a route to build integrations.

Who it's for

Sidedoor is best suited to venues that want guest bookings and venue operations alongside marketing, loyalty and reporting in one platform. Starter fits a single venue focused on reservations and events; Pro is better for growing operators that will use its analytics, campaign quotas and API; Max targets high-volume groups that need larger allowances and managed support. Guests can use the free membership without committing to a venue plan. Operators who need only simple online ordering or table management may be better served by a narrower alternative.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Guest bookings, reservations, events, vouchers and marketing tools share one platform, reducing the need to piece together separate venue functions.
• Pro: Offline-capable staff apps and role-based controls address practical needs across venue teams and shared devices.
• Pro: A free guest membership offers bookings, queue skips, points and five keys without requiring a paid membership.
• Con: The venue plans rise from £99 a month to 299.00 GBP and £499 a month as analytics, campaign capacity and support expand, so smaller operators may pay for more than they use.
• Con: Square and Epos Now are not yet connected; venues relying on either should not assume current integration support.

Alternatives

For a broader restaurant marketing shortlist, see Restaurant Marketing Software. Choose Clover Online Ordering if takeout, curbside pickup or dine-in ordering without setup or subscription fees is the priority; delivery fees may apply. Fleksa Marketing Automation is worth considering for a branded website, online ordering and loyalty tools, with a branded mobile app on its Bundle plan. Reelo suits businesses looking for a free campaign and customer-insights tier or a paid growth plan.

Welcome Back is another option. Consider TableMind for menu, kitchen display, QR menu and table management features, with online ordering and reservations on Pro. Stampede offers a per-venue platform priced after a sales call, with cost depending on estate, modules and hardware. SpotOn Order is a paid ordering option with a menu page, app, Google ordering, analytics and DoorDash Drive integration. Dishio offers customer-run campaigns on Basic and managed service on Pro.

Verdict

Sidedoor is a strong choice for operators who want guest bookings connected to venue management, marketing and loyalty, with a free guest membership that can encourage participation. Choose Starter for a single venue focused on core reservations and events; move to Pro or Max only if the added reporting, campaign capacity, integrations or support justify the monthly outlay. Look elsewhere if your priority is a narrower ordering or table-management product, or if you depend on Square or Epos Now today.