The best Zenchef alternatives
Zenchef vs OpenTable, SevenRooms, CoverManager and TheFork Manager — and a free option that also runs the kitchen.
Quick answer
CoverManager is the closest alternative to Zenchef in southern Europe; OpenTable or TheFork Manager if you want a diner network; SevenRooms if you're a group focused on guest data; GrazieChef if you want bookings with deposits plus orders and the kitchen, free to start.
Zenchef is a European reservation and guest platform: bookings from your website, Google and Instagram, a waitlist, deposits, guest profiles, reviews and marketing, with no commission per cover. Restaurants look for alternatives when the price on request doesn't fit, when the card fees on deposits add up, or when they realise they still need a second system for orders and the kitchen.
Here is how the main alternatives compare, including the question many owners search for: Zenchef or OpenTable?
Side by side
| Tool | Best for | Pricing | Orders to the kitchen | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zenchef | European restaurants that want bookings, guest profiles and reviews in one place | Reserve, Manage and Grow plans, price on request; no commission per cover; card fees on deposits | No, connects to POS systems | No |
| CoverManager | Busy restaurants, hotels and groups in Spain, Italy, Portugal and Latin America | Fixed monthly fee, quoted after a demo; no commission per booking | No, connects to your POS | No |
| OpenTable | Restaurants that need new diners from a large booking network (US, UK, Canada, Australia) | Monthly plan plus per-cover fees for network bookings on many plans | No | No |
| SevenRooms | Hospitality groups and hotels investing in guest data and direct marketing | Quote-based | No, integrates with your POS | No |
| TheFork Manager | European restaurants that want bookings from the TheFork and Tripadvisor network | Plans on request; per-cover commission on bookings from TheFork's network | No | No |
| GrazieChef | Independent restaurants, bars and cafes that want orders, kitchen and bookings in one free app | Free forever (up to 100 orders every 7 days); Starter €19/month; Pro €39/month | Yes, kitchen display with timers | Yes, forever |
Competitor details are summarised from their public websites as of October 2026 and may change; check their sites for current pricing.
The alternatives, one by one
1. CoverManager
Why consider it instead of Zenchef
The most similar product: fixed fee, no commission, stronger on integrations, events and hotel F&B, popular in Spain and Italy.
Pros
- + Advanced multichannel booking engine with prepayments, events and tickets
- + 130+ integrations with POS, PMS and payment providers
- + No commission per cover
Cons
- − Price only after a demo
- − Doesn't take orders or send them to the kitchen
- − More than a small venue usually needs
2. OpenTable
Why consider it instead of Zenchef
The opposite approach to Zenchef: OpenTable brings diners from its network but charges per-cover fees on those bookings. Strong in the US and UK, weaker in continental Europe.
Pros
- + Large diner network and app that bring new guests
- + Mature booking, waitlist and guest notes
- + Widely known by diners
Cons
- − Per-cover fees on network bookings add up in busy months
- − Doesn't take orders or run the kitchen
- − Network is much weaker in southern Europe
3. SevenRooms
Why consider it instead of Zenchef
Goes further than Zenchef on CRM and automated marketing, for groups willing to pay a quote-based price.
Pros
- + Deep guest CRM with segments and automated email and SMS
- + Direct bookings that keep the guest data yours
- + Integrations with major POS systems
Cons
- − Quote-based pricing aimed at groups
- − Onboarding project with their team
- − Overkill for a single independent venue
4. TheFork Manager
Why consider it instead of Zenchef
If you want more bookings rather than better guest marketing: TheFork's network sends guests for a commission per cover.
Pros
- + Bookings from TheFork, Tripadvisor, Google and partners
- + Table plan, no-show tools and guest database
- + Used by 55,000+ restaurants in 14 countries
Cons
- − Commission per cover on network bookings
- − Promotions and discounts can attract deal-seekers
- − Doesn't take orders or run the kitchen
5. GrazieChef
Why consider it instead of Zenchef
If you need bookings with deposits but also orders, the kitchen display and the bill, GrazieChef does all of it in one app with a free plan.
Pros
- + Public prices and a free plan with every feature, bookings and deposits included
- + Orders, kitchen display, live table map and the bill in the same app
- + Runs on phones and tablets you already own, set up in minutes, in 6 languages
Cons
- − No diner network that sends you new bookings
- − No guest CRM or automated marketing campaigns
- − Few third-party integrations compared with the big platforms
Frequently asked questions
- Zenchef vs OpenTable: which is better?
- Zenchef has no commission per cover and focuses on your own channels and guest marketing; OpenTable brings new diners from its network but charges for those bookings on many plans. In continental Europe Zenchef is usually the better fit; in the US and UK OpenTable's network is stronger.
- SevenRooms vs Zenchef?
- SevenRooms is aimed at groups and hotels with deep CRM and marketing automation, priced on quote. Zenchef is aimed at independent restaurants with simpler plans. Both are reservation platforms, not POS systems.
- Is there a free alternative to Zenchef?
- Yes. GrazieChef's Free plan includes online bookings, deposits and a waitlist, plus orders and the kitchen display, up to 100 orders every 7 days. It has no guest marketing campaigns.
- How much does Zenchef cost?
- Zenchef's Reserve, Manage and Grow plans are priced on request, with no commission per cover; card fees on prepayments and deposits depend on the plan.
- Can Zenchef send orders to the kitchen?
- No. Zenchef connects to POS systems such as Lightspeed for that. GrazieChef sends orders to a kitchen display itself.
Try GrazieChef for free
Free plan forever, no card and no hardware. The demo needs no account.