Skip to main content

Managing Reservations

Handle reservations, waitlist, and walk-in seating.

Viewing Reservations​

Reservations Screen​

  1. Tap Reservations in navigation
  2. View today's reservations by default
  3. See upcoming reservations timeline

Reservation Display​

Each reservation shows:

  • Guest name
  • Party size
  • Reservation time
  • Contact phone
  • Special requests
  • Status (confirmed, arrived, seated, no-show)

Reservation Timeline​

Timeline View​

5:00 PM  ┃ Smith (4)     ✓ Confirmed
5:15 PM  ┃ Johnson (2)   ✓ Confirmed
5:30 PM  ┃ Garcia (6)    ⏳ Awaiting confirm
5:30 PM  ┃ Williams (4)  ✓ Confirmed
5:45 PM  ┃ Brown (2)     ✓ Confirmed
6:00 PM  ┃ ████████████  BUSY PERIOD
6:15 PM  ┃ Davis (8)     ✓ Confirmed

Color Coding​

ColorStatus
GreenConfirmed
YellowAwaiting confirmation
BlueChecked in/arrived
GraySeated
RedLate/No-show

Taking a Reservation​

Phone Reservation​

  1. Tap + New Reservation
  2. Enter guest details:
    • Name (required)
    • Phone (required)
    • Email (optional)
    • Party size
  3. Select date and time
  4. Add special requests (allergies, occasion, preferences)
  5. Tap Save
  6. Confirmation sent automatically (if enabled)

Walk-In Conversion​

Convert walk-in to reservation:

  1. If no immediate table available
  2. Tap Add to Waitlist or Future Reservation
  3. Enter guest info
  4. Give estimated wait time
  5. Guest tracked like reservation

Online Reservations​

Guests can book online:

  • Shows in same system
  • Auto-confirmed or requires approval
  • Guest receives confirmation email/SMS
  • Syncs in real-time

Managing Reservation Details​

Viewing a Reservation​

Tap any reservation to see:

  • Full guest details
  • Reservation history
  • Table assignment (if pre-assigned)
  • Notes and special requests
  • Deposit status (if required)

Editing a Reservation​

  1. Open reservation
  2. Tap Edit
  3. Modify details:
    • Time
    • Party size
    • Table preference
    • Special requests
  4. Save changes
  5. Guest notified of changes (if enabled)

Adding Notes​

  1. Open reservation
  2. Tap Notes
  3. Add info:
    • Allergies
    • Birthday/celebration
    • VIP status
    • Seating preferences
  4. Notes visible to all staff

Confirmation Process​

Sending Confirmations​

Confirmations sent automatically:

  • Immediately upon booking
  • Reminder 24 hours before
  • Day-of reminder (optional)

Manual Confirmation​

  1. Open unconfirmed reservation
  2. Tap Confirm
  3. Mark as confirmed
  4. Or tap Call Guest to verify by phone

Confirmation Status​

StatusMeaning
PendingAwaiting guest response
ConfirmedGuest verified
ModifiedChanged, needs re-confirm
CancelledGuest cancelled

Guest Arrival​

Check-In Process​

When guest arrives:

  1. Find their reservation in list
  2. Tap Check In
  3. Reservation status changes to "Arrived"
  4. Guest appears in arrived queue

Early Arrivals​

If guest arrives early:

  • Mark as arrived
  • Add to waitlist if needed
  • Seat when table ready

Late Arrivals​

If guest is late:

  • Reservation turns yellow (5 min late)
  • Turns red (15 min late)
  • May offer table to waitlist
  • Hold per restaurant policy (typically 15-30 min)

Seating Reservations​

From Reservation​

  1. When table is ready
  2. Open reservation
  3. Tap Seat Now
  4. Select table
  5. Guest moves to seated status

Table Assignment​

Options for assigning tables:

  • Auto-assign: System picks optimal table
  • Manual select: Host chooses table
  • Guest preference: Honor request if possible

No-Shows​

Marking No-Show​

If guest doesn't arrive:

  1. Open late reservation
  2. After grace period (15-30 min)
  3. Tap No-Show
  4. Reservation released
  5. Guest flagged in system

No-Show Policy​

note

Your restaurant may charge deposits for large parties, track no-show history, and restrict future bookings for repeat no-shows. Check with your manager for your location's specific policy.

Cancellations​

Guest Cancellation​

If guest calls to cancel:

  1. Open reservation
  2. Tap Cancel
  3. Select reason (optional)
  4. Reservation removed from active list
  5. Table becomes available

Cancellation Policy​

Common policies:

  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours
  • Fee for late cancellation
  • Full charge for no-show
  • Deposit forfeiture

Waitlist Management​

Adding to Waitlist​

For walk-ins when tables aren't available:

  1. Tap + Waitlist
  2. Enter:
    • Guest name
    • Phone number
    • Party size
  3. System quotes estimated wait
  4. Guest receives text with wait updates

Waitlist Queue​

WAITLIST
═══════════════════════════════
1. Thompson (4)  - 10 min quoted
   Added 5:32 PM | Wait: 8 min

2. Martinez (2)  - 15 min quoted
   Added 5:40 PM | Wait: 5 min

3. Anderson (6)  - 25 min quoted
   Added 5:45 PM | Wait: 3 min
═══════════════════════════════

Notifying Waitlist Guests​

When table is ready:

  1. Open waitlist entry
  2. Tap Notify
  3. SMS sent: "Hi [Name], your table is ready!"
  4. Guest has 5-10 minutes to arrive

Waitlist Priority​

Factors affecting priority:

  • Time added to list
  • Party size match
  • VIP status
  • Special needs (wheelchair, high chair)

Estimated Wait Times​

How Wait Times Calculate​

System considers:

  • Current table turns
  • Upcoming reservations
  • Historical turn times
  • Party size requirements

Adjusting Wait Time​

  1. Manager can override
  2. Tap waitlist entry
  3. Edit Wait Time
  4. Enter new estimate
  5. Guest notified of change

Large Parties​

Booking Large Parties​

For parties of 6+:

  1. Check table availability
  2. May need to merge tables
  3. Consider deposit requirement
  4. Note special timing needs
  5. Confirm with manager

Large Party Features​

  • Pre-assign merged tables
  • Fixed menu option
  • Deposit/prepayment
  • Extended time slot
  • Dedicated server

Special Occasions​

Tracking Occasions​

Flag reservations for:

  • Birthday
  • Anniversary
  • Engagement
  • Business meeting
  • Date night
  • Graduation

Occasion Actions​

Kitchen/staff notified:

  • Complimentary dessert
  • Special table placement
  • Card/candles
  • Photo opportunity

VIP Guests​

VIP Flagging​

Mark guests as VIP for:

  • Regular customers
  • High spenders
  • Celebrities
  • Business clients
  • Friends of owner

VIP Treatment​

  • Priority seating
  • Best tables reserved
  • Management greeting
  • Special amenities
  • Personalized service

Voice Commands​

SayAction
"Show reservations for tonight"View today's reservations
"Is the Smith party here yet?"Check reservation status
"Add 4 to waitlist, name Johnson"Add to waitlist
"How long is the wait?"Current wait time
"Table ready for Martinez"Notify waitlist guest
"Seat the 6:00 reservation"Begin seating process

Reservation Reports​

Daily Summary​

View at end of day:

  • Total reservations
  • Covers (guests) expected
  • No-shows
  • Walk-ins converted
  • Wait time accuracy

Guest History​

For returning guests:

  • Previous visits
  • Favorite tables
  • Spending history
  • Notes from past visits

Troubleshooting​

Double-Booked Table​

  1. Check actual times (may not overlap)
  2. Reassign one reservation
  3. Contact guest if needed
  4. Offer upgrade/compensation

Reservation Not Showing​

  1. Check date/time filter
  2. Search by guest name
  3. Check cancelled list
  4. Verify source (online vs phone)

Guest Disputes Time​

  1. Check confirmation record
  2. Show confirmation message
  3. Accommodate if possible
  4. Document issue

Best Practices​

Taking Reservations​

tip

Always ask about allergies and special occasions when taking a reservation. This information helps the kitchen prepare in advance and lets servers deliver a personalized experience.

  1. Always confirm spelling of name
  2. Read back phone number
  3. Note occasion if mentioned
  4. Confirm time zone if needed

Managing Floor​

  1. Monitor arrivals vs reservations
  2. Communicate with servers about turns
  3. Balance walk-ins with reservations
  4. Keep waitlist updated
  5. Adjust quotes based on reality

Guest Communication​

  1. Confirm reservations proactively
  2. Update wait times if delays
  3. Apologize and compensate for issues
  4. Follow up after no-shows
Last updated on