What's the biggest difference between Eatsy and the other 5?

Eatsy is usage-based + no lock-in, not a monthly-contract model: from NT$3/booking (NT$5/booking for deposit handling), regardless of volume, so off-season cost falls automatically. The other 5 are mostly monthly or monthly + commission, which suit venues with steady booking volume. For lower-volume venues, usage-based is usually cheaper than a monthly contract — estimate the exact gap with your own volume using the TCO calculator. The above is general market observation; please confirm against each vendor's latest announcements.

Eatsy vs Inline — which should a Taiwan restaurant pick?

Inline fits 3+ chains and large/fine-dining venues that need a consumer-brand network and centralized data. Eatsy fits small-to-mid, no-lock-in venues on usage-based pricing (from NT$3/booking, no monthly fee). If your bookings come mostly from LINE / IG / regulars rather than a platform's consumer traffic, Eatsy is usually the more cost-effective fit. Compare your real cost with the TCO calculator.

I do 500+ bookings a month — is Eatsy still worth it?

It depends on volume. 500 × NT$3 = NT$1,500/month. Most monthly-contract plans don't publish prices, so request a quote to compare. If you're steadily at 800+ bookings, a monthly-contract plan may pay off (predictable total cost). Use the TCO calculator to estimate your exact cost.

How do Inline and Eatsy differ on deposit handling?

Both support compliant deposit collection. Eatsy lets you configure a tiered cancellation policy — e.g. a full refund outside your free-cancellation window, partial or none inside it — with a force-majeure exception; you set the thresholds to meet the Consumer Protection Act Article 12 fairness standard. Implementation details differ by vendor.

I'm already on EZTABLE — should I switch?

It depends on whether EZTABLE's consumer network still has value for you. If diners find you through EZTABLE, staying makes sense. If most of your bookings come from LINE / IG / returning regulars and EZTABLE traffic isn't core, switching to usage-based may be more cost-effective.

How long does switching take? Can I move customer data?

Most systems support CSV export of your customer list. In practice, switching takes 1-2 weeks (run both in parallel): new bookings go to the new system, sync old customer data in, then turn off the old system once traffic is stable — no interruption to incoming bookings. Eatsy provides a CSV import tool with pre-mapped fields; most shops finish the initial import in well under an hour (varies by data volume).

Why aren't OpenTable / TableCheck in this comparison?

OpenTable mainly serves the consumer end (diners finding restaurants) and its merchant side isn't widespread in Taiwan; TableCheck is strongest in Japan with limited Taiwan localization. This article focuses on the 6 options a Taiwan SMB owner would realistically evaluate; broader options are discussed in the buyer's guide.

Taiwan Reservation Systems 2026: 6 Brands Compared

Why choosing a reservation system in Taiwan is so hard

There are 6 main options in the market, and they're positioned completely differently: some target chains, some are consumer-facing brands, some are POS add-ons, and some are new AI entrants. The "best fit" isn't about brand size — it's about your venue.

Quick answer: Eatsy fits small-to-mid venues that want usage-based pricing and no lock-in; Inline suits 3+ chains needing consumer-brand traffic; Oddle is for multi-channel (takeout + reservation); iCHEF when POS is the core; EZTABLE if you already ride its consumer network; VibeAI if you'll try a low-fee AI newcomer. The rest of this article is one table + a best-fit note for each.

Note: The following reflects 2026 market observations; for each vendor's plan details, please refer to their latest official announcements. This table focuses on "business model + best-fit venue" rather than comparing any single feature.

8 key comparison dimensions

Pricing model (monthly contract / usage-based / commission)
Lock-in (contract term / early-termination fees)
LINE integration (OA / push / reminders)
Best-fit venue (chain / small-to-mid / fine dining / themed)
Deposit handling (compliant collection / automatic refunds)
POS integration (deep integration / standard API / none)
Consumer network (consumer-side brand reach)
Trial / exit cost (free trial / switching friction)

6 brands × 8 dimensions comparison table

Dimension	Eatsy	Inline	Oddle	iCHEF	EZTABLE	VibeAI
Pricing model	Usage-based (from NT$3/booking)	Monthly contract	Usage-based (multi-channel add-ons)	POS monthly + reservation add-on	Commission-based platform (rates: contact vendor)	Low-monthly-fee focused
Lock-in	None	Depends on plan (not public)	Usage-based, no lock-in	Tied to POS	Month-to-month	None / short-term
LINE integration	LINE OA entry link (reminders via SMS / Email)	Yes	Yes (part of multi-channel)	Yes	Yes	LINE-focused
Best-fit venue	Small-to-mid ≤1000, incl. fine dining	Chains, large seat counts, 2000+ monthly bookings	Multi-channel (takeout + reservation)	POS-first, reservation as add-on	Already on EZTABLE's consumer network	Willing to try new AI, low average check
Deposit handling	Built-in deposit policy (configurable, compliant) with automatic refunds	Built-in	Built-in	Via POS	Built-in	See vendor's official announcements
POS integration	None (reservation-focused)	Has API	Yes (own full stack)	Deep integration (core)	Limited	None
Consumer network	Limited (brand pages + independent-dining community)	Strong (consumer brand)	Medium	Weak (POS brand awareness, reservation traffic not the focus)	Strong (legacy consumer brand)	None (new entrant)
Trial / exit	7-day trial, no termination fee	Has trial, contract lock-in	Has trial	Bundled with POS	Month-to-month, cancel anytime	Has trial

Actual plan details should be confirmed against each vendor's official announcements. This table emphasizes business model rather than feature-by-feature comparison.

Best-fit venue for each brand

Eatsy — usage-based, for small-to-mid restaurants

Best for: ≤1000 monthly bookings (incl. fine dining), want flexibility to adjust later, want to place the booking link across LINE OA / IG / FB / your own site / Google Business, and don't want to be locked in.

Business model: from NT$3 per booking, NT$5/booking for deposit handling, no monthly fee, no lock-in. Eatsy Care is an optional add-on (NT$1,000/month). 7-day trial; flow: discuss needs → set up a test account → sign → go live. No credit card required.

Inline — F&B groups and large chains

Best for: multi-brand F&B groups, 3+ branches, needing centralized customer-traffic data and consumer-brand trust, large chains with IT and marketing budgets. Fine dining fits too, but isn't the only scenario.

Business model: commonly a monthly-contract plan in the market (refer to official announcements); consumer-side app and brand reach.

Oddle — multi-channel integration needs

Best for: venues that need reservation + takeout + delivery + marketing integration in one place, and don't want multiple tools.

Business model: multi-channel integration is the core; reservation is one module.

iCHEF — deep POS integration needs

Best for: POS is the daily operations core, and you want reservation data to flow straight into your books with unified reports.

Business model: POS monthly fee is primary; reservation is an add-on module.

EZTABLE — venues already on the EZTABLE consumer brand

Best for: venues already accepting EZTABLE's consumer traffic and wanting to keep using its consumer channel, with month-to-month billing.

Business model: a legacy Taiwan reservation platform with high consumer-side awareness; for merchant plan rates, contact the vendor.

VibeAI — willing to try a new AI entrant, low-monthly-fee focus

Best for: interested in AI reservation, low average check, fee-sensitive, and OK doing your own homework on how mature a newcomer's features really are.

Business model: low monthly fee as the pitch; a recent market entrant.

4 must-check conditions (whichever you pick)

Compliant deposit handling: a fair, tiered refund policy (with a force-majeure exception) that complies with Taiwan's Consumer Protection Act — you legally can't say "no refunds, ever."
Take bookings via LINE / IG / multiple channels: Taiwan diners live on LINE; forcing an app download easily scares off regulars.
Minimal back office: often managed part-time by 1-2 staff; the back office should take 5 minutes to learn, with no dedicated operator needed.
Trial + no lock-in: every venue deserves the right to "stop anytime if it doesn't fit," avoiding long-term contract risk.

3 situations where you DON'T need a reservation system

The honest version: not every venue should install one. The following can keep using a Google Form or paper:

Fewer than 10 bookings/month (volume too small, manual is enough)
Pure pop-up / one-off events
100% walk-in / phone bookings, no online need

How to choose — a simple decision tree

< 3 branches, average check < NT$1,500 → look at Eatsy / VibeAI (usage-based or low monthly)
Chain of 3+ or fine dining → look at Inline (brand trust + consumer network)
Need takeout + reservation together → look at Oddle (multi-channel)
POS is the core → look at iCHEF (deep integration)
Already on EZTABLE's traffic → stay on EZTABLE

Not sure which side of the line you're on? Run your real booking volume through the Reservation System TCO calculator before you decide.

Bottom line: pick a framework, not a brand

None of the 6 brands is "the best" — there's only "the best fit for your venue." Our one bias: we are Eatsy, so we naturally emphasize the "small-to-mid, no lock-in, multi-channel booking links (LINE OA / IG / FB / your own site)" niche, because that's Eatsy's positioning. If your venue falls there, Eatsy is the most cost-effective fit; if not, the other 5 above are reasonable alternatives.

Want to see how Eatsy is designed? Check the usage-based pricing or start a 7-day trial (no credit card required).

Taiwan Reservation Systems Compared 2026: Eatsy vs Inline / Oddle / iCHEF / EZTABLE / VibeAI