The first place to book your dining: First Table
Now there is a new, faster, and easier way for Christchurch diners to find and book a restaurant.
Celebrating 10 years since its inception, the restaurant discovery platform First Table has helped transform the dining scene in New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom, connecting food lovers with incredible dining experiences.
Since 2014, the platform has grown from a simple idea into a dining phenomenon, now partnering with more than 2100 restaurants. Continuing its technology evolution, First Table has just released an innovative search tool that displays real-time availability for all partner restaurants, alongside its signature 50% off food, early bird offers.
Founder Mat Weir says it’s a seamless, user-centric experience for booking any table in one easy-to-use interface. Mat saw a gap in the market while trying to find a restaurant for himself and his friends. It dawned on him that because First Table already had the partner restaurants and connectivity, that they could build and offer a search engine that enabled people to find any table all in one place.
Asked why nobody has offered this before, Mat explains it’s hard, and technically challenging to search for table availability in real-time across multiple restaurant systems. “This update goes beyond just technological advancements; it’s about streamlining the process for diners to effortlessly search, find, and book restaurants with complete confidence, all from one platform.”
First Table showcases venues to more than 1.7 million foodies across the globe, from cosy neighbourhood bistros to high-end gastronomic venues. Bhubnesh Badoni, owner of The Goldfinch in Christchurch, says last year it attracted a significant number of new customers via First Table, and he predicts the new platform will have an even bigger impact.
“We are already seeing more regular bookings, and the integration has made online bookings incredibly easy for customers without any hassle. It has helped bring in customers during off-peak times, and also increased bookings on a more consistent basis every week.”
Christchurch is the second city to have the feature turned on, and Mat says it’s just the beginning of the evolution of the First Table brand from being an early bird 50% off platform to the first place to book any table.
To discover your next dining experience at one of First Table’s 180 partner restaurants in Christchurch, visit the website below.
In the beginning
First Table was inspired by a small French restaurant in the heart of Queenstown. The restaurant offered 50% off the food bill for the first booking of the evening, a strategy to draw in more diners by creating the appearance of a bustling venue. 
Mat, a software developer by trade, saw its potential, and built an online marketplace, connecting venues with diners using an offer on the first table of the night. “It’s hard to believe that what started in Queenstown with only 10 partner venues has grown into something that’s made a real impact on dining culture in New Zealand, Australia and the UK.
“Over the past 10 years, we’ve seated nearly five million people at off-peak times, but for me, the real achievement is how we’ve helped support local businesses and brought people together for memorable dining experiences.”
