Understanding Venue Types
What this feature does
Venue types categorize your business based on your industry and operational model. When you create a venue, you select a business type that tells the system whether you're running a hotel, restaurant, retail store, or another type of establishment. This selection transforms how the dashboard speaks to you, changing generic terms into language specific to your industry.
Who it is for
This feature benefits every business owner using the dashboard, as it ensures the interface feels natural and relevant to your specific industry. Whether you're a hotelier, restaurateur, or retail manager, the dashboard adapts its vocabulary and structure to match how you think about your business.
When to use it
You'll choose a venue type when:
Creating your first venue during initial account setup
Adding any additional venue to your account
You want to ensure the dashboard uses terminology that matches your industry
The venue type is set during venue creation. While you can update other venue details after creation, the business type becomes part of your venue's core identity.
Key concepts
Business Type Categories: The system organizes venue types into three main categories. Review each category to pick the one that matches your primary operation.
Terminology Adaptation: Each business type category has its own vocabulary that appears throughout your dashboard.
Hoteliers see: "Properties" instead of venues, "Room Types" instead of catalog categories, "Check-in Points" instead of entry points, "Bookings" instead of orders, and "Amenities" instead of items
Food and Beverages see: "Restaurants" instead of venues, "Menus" instead of catalog categories, "Order Points" instead of entry points, "Orders" for transactions, and "Items" for menu offerings
Retail see: "Stores" instead of venues, "Product Categories" instead of catalog categories, "Sales Points" instead of entry points, "Sales" instead of orders, and "Products" instead of items
Order Type Matching: Your venue type also determines the types of transactions available. Hotels can process bookings, reservations, and room service. Restaurants handle dine-in, takeout, and delivery orders. Retail stores manage in-store sales and pickups.
Consistent Experience: Once you set a venue type, that language consistency applies throughout the entire dashboard for that venue—in navigation menus, buttons, page headers, reports, and notifications.
Mixed Business Models: If you operate different types of businesses (like a hotel with a restaurant), you can create separate venues for each, allowing each location to have the appropriate terminology and order types.
Common questions
Can I change my venue type after creating a venue?
The venue type is designed to be permanent since it's fundamental to how your venue operates. If you've selected the wrong type, the recommended approach is to create a new venue with the correct type and migrate your setup. Contact support if you need assistance with this process.
What if my business doesn't fit neatly into one category?
Choose the category that best represents your primary business activity. For example, if you run a boutique hotel with a restaurant, you might create two venues—one as a hotel and one as a restaurant—or choose hotel as the primary type if accommodations are your main focus.
Do customers see different interfaces based on my venue type?
No. Venue types primarily affect your dashboard experience. Customers see a consistent ordering interface regardless of whether they're booking a hotel room, ordering food, or buying retail products. The adaptation is designed to make your management experience more intuitive.
If I have multiple venues of different types, which terminology does the dashboard use?
The dashboard uses the terminology from your primary venue. If your primary venue is a restaurant, you'll see restaurant language throughout the main navigation. However, when you view details specific to your hotel venue, the interface will use hotel terminology in that context.
Why can't I select "All of the above" for a business that does everything?
Each venue needs a clear operational identity to provide you with the most relevant features and language. If you truly operate multiple business types, creating separate venues for each gives you better organization and more precise control over each operation's unique needs.