How can online customers identify where they would like to be seated?

A frequent request risen from COVID is; can online customers let us know if they wish to be seated inside or outside?

You can set up the ability for online widget customers to request and let you know if they would prefer to be seated in a specific area such as; inside, outside, bar, or a dog-friendly table. You would just need to monitor this and then allocate the table to the specific table/area once you receive the booking email notification. We have a couple of ways you could set this up on your widget.

You could add a customer message here to ask customers to add into the 'comments box' of the widget where they would like to sit and then you can move the booking to the desired area once you receive the booking email and review the customer comments they have added.

Alternatively, restaurants can also use the booking option setting by creating a different option for each area they want customers to be able to select (Seated inside / Seated outside). Some are enforcing offers so customers need to choose an area in order to continue with the booking. To enforce the booking option, select the tick at the top of the page, "If you want to want to force widget users to select an offer, tick here".

After the customer selects a date/time, they will be presented with the offer stage in the widget. The customer then selected which offer 'area' they would like to sit.

Once the booking is confirmed, the selected Booking Options will then appear on the customer booking confirmation and booking place in your diary. You can also see offers selected quickly in the 'Diary view' when ticking to show "Quick info".

When you receive the booking email or check your recently added bookings in the Diary View from the tab 'Date added - Today', you will see which offer (area) the customer has selected and you will then need to update their booking accordingly to the requested area.

If you ever need to turn off bookings in certain areas, find out how here.

See our article here on how to add options. Booking Options can also be set to private booking via a link for special events/promotions, see how to do this here.