Inspiration
Booking a restaurant table should be simple for both guests and staff. Phone calls and manual reservation records can make it difficult to track availability, handle changes, and avoid overlapping bookings. We wanted to bring these tasks into one clear, accessible web application.
What it does
Our restaurant booking system connects the customer experience with daily restaurant operations.
Customers can browse available tables, make reservations, pre-order dishes, and view their booking history. Restaurant staff can manage reservations, handle check-ins and check-outs, and update table status. Managers can maintain tables, menus, and user accounts through a dedicated management portal.
How we built it
We built the frontend with React and Vite, focusing on a responsive interface and a straightforward booking flow.
The backend uses Node.js and Express to provide REST APIs, while PostgreSQL stores reservation, table, menu, and account data. We used JWT authentication and role-based access control to separate customer, staff, and manager permissions.
We organized the backend into routes, controllers, and services to keep business rules separate from request handling.
Challenges we ran into
One of the main challenges was handling reservation availability. A table may be available at one time and reserved at another, so checking its current status alone is not enough.
We also had to keep reservation and table states consistent as guests arrived, cancelled, or completed their visits. Designing permissions across three user roles required careful attention to both the interface and backend validation.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
We brought customer booking and restaurant operations into one connected workflow. Beyond submitting a reservation, the system supports the steps that follow, including pre-orders, arrival tracking, and table management.
We are also proud of building a foundation that our team can explain, test, and improve together.
What we learned
We learned how to turn a real-world workflow into database relationships, API endpoints, and user interfaces. The project strengthened our understanding of authentication, authorization, input validation, and reservation scheduling.
Most importantly, we learned that reliable software depends on handling changes and edge cases throughout the user journey.
What's next for restaurant booking
Our next steps are to improve availability checks under simultaneous booking requests, expand automated testing, and make the booking experience more accessible.
We also want to explore reservation reminders, online deposits, and clearer operational reports. Before broader public use, we plan to strengthen deployment security, monitoring, and recovery procedures.
