First Table launches for Breakfast & Lunch

New Zealand startup First Table has launched Breakfast & Lunch service today, opening up their innovative restaurant marketing platform to the Christchurch café crowd.

On launch, First Table users can make daytime reservations with a 50% discount at eateries including Cortado, Bootleg, Fine Fare, Jagz, Spagalimis, Laneway Espresso, Little Neighbourhood, Stellar, Fox & Ferret Riccarton, Grand Café, and One Good Horse Avonhead. 

Critical Mass

“We figured we would wait until we reach a critical mass with dinner bookings in each city before we start offering breakfast and lunch.” says founder Mat Weir. “Christchurch was a great place to start as we have 12,000 users and had been approached by Laneway Espresso asking for daytime options, so that was a good trigger to get things moving."

For cafe owners, First Table represents a new trick up their sleeve to lure diners at quieter times. Using the platform they can choose how many early tables to offer each day and what time they would like those reservations.

Hospo Family

For Stu Winter, owner of Laneway Espresso, the appeal of First Table is that it’s free marketing.

“My brother is over at Spagalimis Pizza and told me that he was finding First Table was a great way to get bums on seats.” says Stu. “When you own a cafe there are a lot of marketing avenues you can take and you often have people come to you looking to sign you up to things.”

“What I find though is that a lot of things on the market can be very costly to me as the operator. I approached First Table about offering a lunch service because I wanted to increase reservations at quiet times without it costing me anything.”

Local Flavour at Laneway

At Laneway Espresso, diners taking advantage of the First Table 50% discount can choose from the whole menu and sample an abundance of local produce.

In the morning the ultra-healthy raw food muesli, apple crumble porridge, and smoothie bowls are proving a hit.

“We have this great hand-pressed almond milk,” says Stu, “so we’re able to do all sorts of dairy-free options. It’s a local woman in Chch that runs it, the Nut Mylk Co, and she makes us up a batch every week.”

Laneway’s eggs are free range and their organic bread comes from Good Honest Products in Christchurch, who also keep them stocked with great gluten-free options.

For lunch the house mac’n’cheese and ‘slaw are firm favourites. Specials range from a tenderised steak sandwich, a slow cooked pork shoulder, or streaky bacon with roasted garlic aoli.

First Table Breakfast First Table Lunch

First Table Credit

To celebrate the launch of First Table for breakfast & lunch we’re offering a $5 credit to new users. Sign up with promo code CHBKLU.