The restaurant discovery service First Table began in Ballarat in July, allowing customers who book the first table of the night to be treated to 50 per cent off their total food bill. 

There’s only one table available for the promotion each night. Users pay $10 to make a booking through the First Table website to then receive 50 per cent off their dinner bill. 

The service operates in 35 cities across Australia, New Zealand and the UK, with more than 760 restaurants in the network.

First Table’s Victorian territory manager Cameron Steele said the service in Ballarat had been quickly embraced . 

“Ballarat is going through an explosion of new and exciting restaurant openings and has been called Victoria’s new gastronomic mecca. That’s why we’ve launched First Table here — to help foodies discover everything the city has to offer,” he said. 

Diners can choose to book at eight participating restaurants in Ballarat, including The Forge Pizzeria, Red Peppa on Sturt, North Ballarat Sports Club, Pancake Kitchen, Indian Grill, Tokyo Grill House and Barkly’s Restaurant. 

Tokyo Grill House owner Neil Lu said he and his business partner decided to join the promotion hoping to draw customers who may have never been to the restaurant before. 

“In the past the restaurant has been very quiet before 6pm,” he said. 

“Since we joined the promotion more customers are coming earlier.”

The First Table promotion applies to bookings from two to four people. 

First Table founder Mick Weir said staff had received similar feedback from other restaurateurs, that they had seen an increase in early diners. 

“Locals who want to expand their palates and experience something new will love using First Table, as will restaurateurs keen to kick start their nighttime services by filling those early evening empty seats,” he said. 

Visit https://www.firsttable.com.au/ballarat/ for more information or to book the first table of the night at participating restaurants.