For the past nine years, Belles Burgers has been part of the rhythm of Bellerive’s waterfront. What began as a simple idea, great American-style burgers, craft beer and a relaxed riverside atmosphere, has grown into one of the area’s favourite local venues.
The kind of place where staff know the regulars by name, locals bring interstate visitors, and weekend bookings fill up fast when the weather turns on.
Director Matt Hidding has been there since day one, watching both the venue and the hospitality industry evolve. And for him, building long-term loyalty has always come down to one thing: creating a great guest experience while making operations easier behind the scenes.
That’s where Now Book It has become part of the story.
Turning guest data into genuine hospitality
At a neighbourhood venue like Belles, repeat customers are everything. But before implementing Now Book It, a lot of that loyalty was invisible.
The team knew they had regulars, they just didn’t have an easy way to track guest history, recognise returning diners, or personalise communication in a meaningful way.
Now, every reservation helps build a clearer picture of the people walking through the door. Guest profiles show visit frequency, birthdays, booking preferences and customer history, giving the team the ability to create a more personalised experience every shift.
“Keeping up with technology advances is critical to help optimise service periods and create a better customer experience. Using Now Book It coupled with our other software enables us to connect with and track our customers seamlessly. We can track when it’s a customer’s first time, their birthdays and when regulars haven’t been in for a while.”
That kind of visibility is crucial in hospitality, where guest expectations continue to rise and venues are competing for repeat visits.
More pre-bookings, less admin
One of the biggest changes for Belles has been the steady increase in pre-booked tables.
Instead of relying heavily on walk-ins and phone reservations, guests can now book online anytime through the venue website and social channels. That means fewer missed calls during service, smoother table allocation and better visibility over busy periods before the doors even open.
“Since implementing Now Book It we have seen an increase in pre-booked tables. We have also claimed back staff time on taking bookings and allocating tables correctly. It allows us to be taking bookings 24/7 easily through our website link which in turn has generated more traffic to our website,”
That operational efficiency adds up quickly.
Features like live floor plans, automated reminders and integrated waitlists help venues maximise covers while reducing manual admin. And because bookings can be taken 24/7 online, venues aren’t limited to business hours when it comes to capturing demand.
For Belles, it means staff spend less time tied to the phone and more time focused on the floor, exactly where hospitality teams want to be.
Gift cards that drive real revenue
Gift cards have also become an increasingly valuable part of the business.
Using Now Book It Gift Cards, Belles Burgers can sell and manage gift cards directly through the same platform they already use for reservations and customer management, without needing extra systems or manual reconciliation.
“The gift card feature has made it super easy to track and sell gift cards which has increased our sales.”
And the impact goes beyond the initial sale, diners redeeming gift cards typically spend up to 30% more than the gift card value when they visit – whether that’s another round of drinks, desserts for the table or an upgraded dining experience.
Gift cards also help venues generate upfront revenue, bring in new customers through word-of-mouth recommendations and keep the venue top-of-mind between visits.
For community-focused venues like Belles, they’ve become another extension of the customer relationship, one that keeps locals coming back while introducing new guests to the venue.
Built for hospitality beyond bookings
The value of Now Book It goes beyond reservations, in Matt and Belle’s words.
It’s about having systems that support the way modern hospitality venues operate: streamlined bookings, stronger customer relationships, smarter marketing opportunities and tools that help teams spend more time delivering great service.
Nine years in, Belles Burgers is still evolving alongside its community. And with the right systems in place behind the scenes, they’re continuing to grow without losing the local feel that made people fall in love with the venue in the first place.
Book a table at Belles Burgers
Now Book It tip: For solo lunches with a view, book a table by the bar counter to watch the sails while enjoying the best burgers.