When the weather improves, the outdoor dining season starts again. But with outdoor dining, you are always dependent on the weather forecast. How do you best deal with this in your reservation system? Read below how you can optimize the reservations on your outdoor dining area.
Step 1: Create an outdoor dining area
Create one or more outdoor dining area(s) via Settings > Tables.
Tip ❗If you want to keep a number of tables available for walk-ins, you can set a number of tables in your outdoor dining area to 'offline' so that they cannot be booked online.
📌 Read in this article how to add areas and tables.
Step 2: Create an outdoor dining ticket
Offer your guests the opportunity to book a seat on your outdoor dining online. As a result, the guests know that they will be seated outside upon arrival.
📌 Read in this article how to add a ticket.
Tip ❗ Clearly indicate in the ticket description what the guest can expect during an experience on your outdoor dining. Also, describe a short protocol for bad weather scenarios. Then add a matching image of the terrace to the ticket.
Step 3: Set up shifts for outdoor dining
By adding a shift to your outdoor dining ticket, you will make this available online.
The shift settings for the outdoor dining can be different than the shifts for indoors. Important points that may differ from your normal shift for the outdoor dining are:
Time & days indicate the period for which you can make a reservation on your outdoor dining. 📌 Read in this article how to set a start and end date.
Areas select the areas of your table plan that should be used for the outdoor dining ticket. 📌 Read in this article how you can select specific areas.
Booking window to avoid booking too far in advance. Bookings on your outdoor dining are often depending on the weather forecast. By setting that you cannot book too far in advance for the terrace, you avoid the chance of cancellations due to the weather. 📌 Read in this article how you can change your booking window
Tip ❗ Also mention this booking window in the description of the outdoor dining ticket.
📌 Read in this article how you can, step-by-step, add your shifts.
Step 4. Manage your outdoor dining reservations on the day itself
Are there last-minute weather changes? You can always limit the number of guests or close the outdoor dining for reservations completely. With the area limits, you can adjust the maximum number of guests per area. And close the area for reservations by adjusting the number of guests to "0".
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Go to the Overview, click on the 'open' label at the bottom right.
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Change the max number of guests for the area that applies
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Click on Apply.