First Table, the restaurant booking platform that gives diners 50% off their food bill for dining at an off-peak time while helping restaurants fill empty tables, has raised $12 million NZD to fund its next phase of growth, with the UK and Ireland at the centre of the strategy.
The round was backed by existing investors Altered Capital, Invest South, Mainland Angels and Snowball Effect shareholders, alongside new investors K1W1 and Icehouse Ventures.
The UK has emerged as First Table’s standout market, with bookings growing over 150% year on year and London now the company’s busiest city globally. Since entering the market, First Table has expanded rapidly across the UK and Ireland, launching in 22 cities to date,more than 10 of them in the past year alone, and building a network of over 2,000 restaurant partners across the two countries.
“The First Table model travels. 50% off your food bill is appealing no matter where in the world you are,” said CEO Alex Cappy.
“We’ve been seeing phenomenal growth across the UK and Ireland, so we know there’s a huge opportunity to take the business further here, and Europe more broadly is of particular interest to us.”
A significant focus of the new capital will be deepening First Table’s presence in the UK and Ireland, strengthening relationships with restaurant partners, and giving diners and restaurants more ways to use the platform. The raise will also support growing awareness in the company’s other core markets, including New Zealand, where First Table was founded in 2014.
“A big part of this raise is about going deeper in the markets where we’re seeing the strongest momentum, and the UK and Ireland are leading that charge,” Cappy said.
“That means bringing more value to our restaurant partners and diners, and creating more opportunities for the hospitality industry to thrive.”
Unlike most booking platforms, First Table charges restaurants nothing. Diners pay a small booking fee, and venues list for free.
“An empty table at 5.30pm is revenue a restaurant never gets back,” Cappy said. “We help to turn those empty seats into paying customers, and the diner gets a meal they might not have booked otherwise. Everyone wins.”
The company is seeing strong demand across the UK and Ireland, with bookings tripling over the past two years despite a prolonged squeeze on consumer spending.
“People are being cautious with how they spend their money right now, but we know they still want to go out and connect over a meal, and the benefit that we offer at First Table is really appealing,” Cappy said.
“Equally, it has been a tough time for hospitality, and First Table gives restaurants another way to get diners through the door and build a buzz during usually quiet times.”
First Table has now seated more than five million diners globally since launching in Queenstown, New Zealand in 2014, and today operates in over 65 cities across New Zealand, Australia, the UK and Ireland, connecting 3.9 million-plus diners with over 5,000 restaurants worldwide, with the UK and Ireland now its fastest-growing region.