Comparison · Restaurant booking software
Zenchef is a full restaurant suite, TheFork pairs its software with a large diner marketplace, and AlpineTable is built for seasonal mountain restaurants. Here is how they compare on price, contracts and features, using each company’s own published information.
Competitor facts checked on 27 October 2026 · Sources at the bottom of the page
Verdict
Restaurant suite from Paris, now including Guestonline and Formitable.
Choose it if
Verdict
TheFork Manager software, plus the TheFork diner marketplace.
Choose it if
VerdictUs
Booking software built for mountain and seasonal restaurants.
Choose it if
At a glance
Where a company doesn’t publish something, we say so instead of guessing.
Price and contract
Subscription
Per-cover commission
Setup
Contract
Paying less when closedSeasonal plans or a pause
Where bookings come from
Diner marketplace
Instagram and Facebook
No-shows and guest messages
Card guarantee
Text reminders
Waitlist
Running service
Floor plan
Till (POS) integrations
Mountain details on bookingsGear, lift access, terrace
Checked on 27 October 2026 on each company’s website. Zenchef prices come from its French pricing page, which doesn’t say whether VAT is included. TheFork doesn’t publish subscription prices or commission rates. AlpineTable prices exclude VAT. Spotted something out of date? Email pedro@alpinetable.com and we’ll fix it.
Price
Zenchef
A monthly subscription from €129 (Reserve) to €249 (Grow), with no per-cover fees. Paying for a year costs the same as twelve months. Text messages and the card-imprint option are charged on top.
TheFork
A subscription set in your order form, a €400 setup fee in France, and a commission on each guest from TheFork, Tripadvisor and partner sites. Bookings from your own website, Instagram and Facebook carry no commission.
AlpineTable
From €39 per month you’re open, or a winter pass from €179 for five months. No per-cover fees. When you close, Pause Mode keeps your page and guest book ready: €5 a month on Core, included on Service and up.
Seasons
Zenchef
You can block closure periods so guests can’t book. We found no published way to pause or reduce the subscription while you’re closed.
TheFork
You can close services for a date range. Its terms have no pause clause, and leaving before the minimum term makes the remaining fees due.
AlpineTable
Billing follows your season: pay per active month or buy a winter, summer or all-season pass. While you’re paused, guests can still book for next season.
New guests
Zenchef
The Zenchef app suggests nearby restaurants to diners, with no commission. Reserve with Google is included on every plan.
TheFork
The widest reach of the three: the TheFork app and site, Tripadvisor and the MICHELIN Guide. Optional discounts of 20–50%, paid by the restaurant, improve your ranking.
AlpineTable
Guests find you in the resort directory on alpinetable.com and book direct with you. The reach is smaller than a national marketplace, and there are no per-cover fees.
FAQ
TheFork is the app and website diners use. TheFork Manager is the booking software restaurants use. Bookings that come through TheFork’s marketplace carry a commission; bookings from your own website, Instagram and Facebook don’t.
No. Zenchef publishes €0 per cover, including bookings from its own app. It charges a monthly subscription, fees on card payments, and a price per text message.
It depends on how many months you’re open and where your guests come from. AlpineTable charges only for active months or a seasonal pass. Zenchef publishes monthly prices with no seasonal plan. TheFork sets its subscription and commission in your order form. Ask each one for a written quote that covers your closed months.
Both are now part of Zenchef. Guestonline’s website reads “Guestonline devient Zenchef”, and Zenchef says Formitable, Resengo and Zenchef are now the same platform.
American Express announced in June 2026 that it had agreed to buy TheFork from Tripadvisor. As of 27 October 2026 we found no announcement that the sale had completed.
Yes, through a booking link you add to your Google Business Profile. It is a link to your booking page, not a Reserve with Google integration.
Sources (checked 27 October 2026)
Direct bookings, card guarantees and text reminders, with billing that pauses when you close.