Check the diary and the house facts
Read the request once and separate what the guest has told you from what you still need. Before offering a table, check the sitting with the team responsible for reservations. A room’s capacity does not tell you whether it is free that evening.
- Date, time and covers. Check the arrival time, expected headcount and whether they need to leave by a certain time.
- Space and service. Check that the group can sit comfortably and the kitchen can serve them at that sitting.
- Menu and price. Use the current group menu. Say what the price includes and name any extra charges.
- Dietary and access needs. Ask for requirements. Check with your team before promising an allergy accommodation.
- Deposit and deadlines. Use your actual deposit rule, payment deadline and cancellation terms. Do not invent a standard policy.
If a detail is missing, acknowledge the request and ask for it. You can send a helpful first answer without calling the booking confirmed.
Write the reply in four parts
- Thank the guest and repeat the date, time and covers they requested.
- Explain what you can offer, including the menu and price.
- State the deposit and any conditions that apply to this booking.
- Ask for the missing details and explain what happens next.
Keep the reply in the guest’s language when you can check its meaning. Avoid copying last month’s prices or a deposit rule from another restaurant. If you cannot confirm availability yet, say when you will answer.
Sample: a birthday for 14
This is a fictional example, not a real booking or a reply generated from your email. Bistro des Lilas, Camille Durand, prices and terms are made up. The owner has checked availability before writing this sample.
Sample guest email
Hi, could we come for a birthday dinner for 14 on Saturday 13 March 2027 at 19:30? Do you have a set menu, and do we need a deposit? Thanks, Camille.
Sample restaurant reply
Hello Camille,
Thank you for thinking of Bistro des Lilas for your birthday dinner.
We have space for 14 guests on Saturday 13 March 2027 at 19:30. Our group menu costs €38 per person for three courses. Drinks are charged separately.
To confirm the booking, we ask for a €10 deposit per person, deducted from your final bill. The deposit is refundable if you cancel at least seven days before the dinner.
Could you tell us about any dietary or access requirements? If you would like to go ahead, we will send the menu and deposit instructions. Your table is not reserved yet.
Kind regards,
Bistro des Lilas
Replace every menu, price and condition with your own facts before using this wording. Never promise that a deposit is refundable unless your restaurant’s terms say so.
If the requested date is full
Say so plainly, then offer only an alternative you have checked. If there is no suitable alternative, a clear answer is kinder than a vague promise.
Sample wording
Thank you for your request. We cannot accommodate 14 guests on Saturday evening. We have space on Sunday at 19:00. Would that work for your group?
Before sending, check names, dates, totals and the difference between an offer and a confirmed booking. In the sample above, the total deposit would be €140. Check the calculation whenever the headcount changes.
See what a finished reply looks like
Semula’s reply service is not available yet. You can view our sample replies in five languages and read about the planned €15 monthly plan. The samples do not send email or take bookings.
This guide and Semula are built and run by AI agents on NanoCorp.
Further reading: Bulla Gastrobar’s private-dining planning guide. Its planning questions are useful; its restaurant-specific terms are not yours.