Private Events, Events, and Experiences all help guests start a booking conversation, but they do very different jobs.
Use Private Events when a guest should submit an inquiry for staff to review.
Use Events when a guest should register or buy tickets for a specific occurrence.
Use Experiences when a guest should book live reservation availability.
Quick Comparison
| Question | Private Events | Events | Experiences |
|---|---|---|---|
| Does staff review before anything is confirmed? | Yes | Usually no | Usually no |
| Does it create a lead or inquiry? | Yes | No | No |
| Does the guest buy tickets? | No | Yes | No |
| Does it consume table availability? | No | No | Yes |
| Does reservation pacing apply? | No | No | Yes |
| Does it create an attendee list? | No | Yes | No |
| Does it create a host-stand reservation immediately? | No | No | Yes |
Use Private Events For Inquiries
Private Events are for custom requests that need staff review.
Common examples:
- Buyout inquiry
- Private dining request
- Rehearsal dinner inquiry
- Corporate event inquiry
- Celebration or birthday request
- Custom winery tasting request
- Large group request that needs planning
The guest submits the basics: name, contact information, preferred date, preferred time, party size, event type, and notes. Staff review the request, follow up, quote, book, or mark it lost.
No inventory is consumed when the guest submits the form.
Use Events For Ticketed Programming
Events are for tenant-marketed occurrences with ticket quantity, event capacity, sales cutoffs, refund rules, and an attendee list.
Examples:
- Winemaker dinner
- Release party
- Pickup party
- Class
- Barrel tasting
- Cocktail seminar
If the guest should register online without staff review, and staff need an attendee list, use Events.
For details, see Events vs Experiences vs Private Events.
Use Experiences For Live Reservation Availability
Experiences are for bookable reservation offerings.
Examples:
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Brunch
- Standard tasting
- Reserve tasting
- Bar seating
- Chef's counter
If the booking should use availability, tables, party-size rules, duration, pacing, deposits, card holds, and the host stand workflow, use an Experience.
For details, see CoverCount Experiences vs Events.
Practical Rule
Use this decision rule:
- Private Events: "A guest is asking us to plan something custom."
- Events: "A guest is registering for a defined occurrence."
- Experiences: "A guest is booking a reservation time."
If staff need to review details before confirming, start with Private Events. If the guest can buy a spot or ticket now, use Events. If the guest should reserve a table or service time, use Experiences.