Managing Entry Point Availability

What this feature does

Managing entry point availability lets you control which locations at your venue can accept orders at any given moment. You can instantly mark tables, rooms, or counters as available for customers, reserved for specific guests, or temporarily unavailable for various reasons. This real-time control helps you manage customer flow, handle reservations, close areas for cleaning or maintenance, and respond to changing business conditions throughout your service day. The system updates immediately, so customers see accurate availability when they try to scan and order.

Who it is for

This feature is valuable for:

• Managers and staff controlling table turnover during meal service

• Hotel reception teams managing check-in desk availability

• Floor supervisors closing sections during slow periods

• Owners handling special reservations or private events

• Team members coordinating cleaning and maintenance schedules

Anyone with manager or owner access can change availability status, making it easy for your team to respond quickly to operational needs.

When to use it

Adjust entry point availability whenever you need to:

• Open or close sections of your venue based on customer volume

• Mark tables or rooms as reserved when guests make advance bookings

• Temporarily close areas for cleaning between services

• Block off locations during maintenance or repairs

• Manage capacity during busy periods by controlling available spots

• Prepare sections before shift starts or shut them down after service ends

• Handle private events by reserving specific areas

Availability management is an ongoing, daily activity that keeps your operations running smoothly and prevents customers from scanning QR codes at locations that aren't ready to serve them.

Key concepts

Availability Toggle A simple on/off switch that controls whether an entry point accepts new orders. When on (green), customers can scan the QR code and place orders. When off, the location is closed to new orders. You can toggle this instantly without any delay.

Available Status Indicates an entry point is open and ready to serve customers. The location appears active in your system, and customers scanning the QR code will successfully reach your menu. Use this status for locations that are clean, staffed, and ready for service.

Unavailable Status Marks an entry point as temporarily closed to new orders. Customers who try to scan the QR code won't be able to place orders. Use this when a table needs cleaning, an area is understaffed, or a section is closed for the day. The entry point still exists in your system—it's just paused.

Reserved Status Indicates an entry point is being held for specific customers who made a reservation. Like unavailable status, reserved locations don't accept new orders from walk-in customers. The difference is reserved status tells your team (and potentially customers) that the spot is spoken for, not just closed.

Status Updates Changes you make to availability happen immediately throughout the system. If you mark a table as unavailable, customers trying to scan its QR code right then will see it's not accepting orders. There's no waiting period or delay—your changes are live instantly.

Bulk Management While you update availability one entry point at a time, you can work quickly through multiple locations. Many businesses adjust several entry points at once during opening or closing procedures, working through their list systematically.

Common questions

How quickly do availability changes take effect?

Instantly! The moment you toggle availability on or off, the change is live throughout the system. If a customer is in the middle of scanning a QR code when you change the status, they'll see the updated availability. There's no synchronization delay or waiting period—your changes happen in real time, giving you complete control over your venue's operations.

Can customers see why an entry point is unavailable?

Not directly through the system. When customers scan a QR code for an unavailable or reserved entry point, they'll simply see the location isn't accepting orders at the moment. This protects your operational details while preventing confusion. If needed, your staff can verbally explain the situation—perhaps the table is being cleaned or reserved for someone else.

What's the best way to handle cleaning between customers?

Most businesses mark an entry point as unavailable as soon as customers leave, then switch it back to available once cleaning is complete. This prevents new customers from sitting down before the area is ready. During busy periods, some venues leave tables marked available and handle cleaning quickly, while others prefer the control of explicitly managing each location's status.

Can I mark multiple entry points as reserved for a large group?

Absolutely! If you have a party of twelve that needs three tables, simply mark all three entry points as reserved. Each entry point maintains its own status independently, so you have complete flexibility. When the group arrives, you can provide them with specific instructions about which QR codes to use, or you can switch the tables to available once they're seated and ready to order.

Should I mark closed sections as unavailable or just leave them?

It's better to mark them as unavailable if you're not actively using that section. This prevents customers from wandering into closed areas and trying to order from tables that aren't being monitored. It also helps your team focus on the active sections and gives you cleaner reporting—you'll see actual activity in your available areas rather than having empty locations cluttering your data. When you're ready to open a section, simply switch those entry points back to available.