Location: Settings > General > Advanced > Booking Types
What are Booking Types?
Booking types are custom categories you can create to offer different booking experiences or options for guests. These types can include specific requirements, conditions, or options that apply to certain bookings. They allow you to tailor how and when guests can make reservations, providing flexibility to match the needs of your restaurant.
Why Use Booking Types?
Booking types are useful in various scenarios where you want to distinguish between different types of reservations or offer specific booking options. Here are some common reasons to use booking types:
- Seating Options:
- Example: You have different seating areas like an Indoor Dining Room and an Outdoor Terrace. You can create separate booking types for each area, allowing guests to select their preferred seating when making a reservation.
- Special Offers or Events:
- Example: If you host a Wine Tasting Night or Holiday Brunch, you can create a booking type specifically for those events. This helps manage guest expectations and ensures that only those interested in the event book during those times.
- Seasonal Availability:
- Example: You might have a Winter Garden seating option that’s only available in colder months. Using a booking type allows you to make this option available only during the specified season.
- Different Booking Rules:
- Example: If you want to require prepayment for certain types of bookings (like Private Dining Rooms) or enforce a different cancellation policy for specific types, you can set up a booking type with those rules.
- Group Bookings:
- Example: You may want to differentiate between Regular Dining and Group Bookings. You could create a booking type for larger groups with adjusted seating arrangements, longer durations, or specific menu options.
How to Use Booking Types
- Creating Booking Types:
- Go to Settings > General > Booking Types.
- Click on Add Booking Type to set up a new type.
- Name the type, add a title and description (visible to guests), and select options like minimum and maximum guest counts, duration, and room allocation.
- You can add images and descriptions for guests to better understand what the booking type entails.
- Using Booking Types in the Booking Flow:
- When guests book online, they will see the available booking types and select the one that best suits their needs.
- The selected booking type determines the seating, payment requirements, and any other specific rules that apply to their reservation.
Example Use Cases
- Different Meal Times: If you have a Lunch and Dinner menu with different pricing or rules, you can create separate booking types to distinguish these meal periods.
- Outdoor vs. Indoor Seating: Allow guests to book specifically for Terrace seating in summer and Indoor Dining during winter.
- Prepaid Events: Use booking types for special events like a New Year’s Eve Dinner that requires full payment in advance.
- Private Functions: Create a booking type for Private Room Reservations with a different minimum guest count and longer booking duration.
When Not to Use Booking Types
- If all your bookings follow the same rules and don’t need any differentiation (e.g., same seating, payment, and availability), it might be simpler to manage without booking types.
- Overusing booking types can make the booking process more complex for guests. It’s best to create types only when a distinct booking option is truly necessary.
Summary
Booking types in easyTable provide a powerful way to customize the booking experience for your guests. They are ideal for handling different seating preferences, special events, varying booking rules, and other scenarios that require flexibility. Using booking types helps you better manage your restaurant’s offerings while ensuring that guests have a clear and straightforward booking process.
For more detailed guidance on setting up booking types, feel free to explore our step-by-step guides on creating and applying booking types in the system. See the guides here.