Setting Up Your Reservation Widget: Time Slots, Capacity and Closed Days

Your reservation widget is live, guests can book, and the first reservations are coming in. But if it’s still running on default settings, you’re probably losing more revenue than you realise: a time slot that stays open while the kitchen is already full, a busy Thursday evening that isn’t set up as a busy evening, or a public holiday when you’re closed but guests can still book anyway. This article walks you through setting time slots, capacity and closed days so your widget matches exactly what your restaurant can actually handle.

Why default settings cost you revenue

Most reservation systems start with a generic setup: fixed time slots, a fixed number of guests per slot, and everything else left open unless you change it yourself. That works fine to get started, but it rarely matches how a restaurant actually runs day to day. A quiet Tuesday afternoon and a packed Friday evening call for different capacity, and a kitchen running with a smaller team simply can’t handle as many tables at once on some shifts as on others. Leave that setting untouched, and one of two things happens: you open the door to more bookings than you can handle, or you close off slots that still had room to spare.

Set time slots per service

Start by splitting your services: lunch, dinner, and a separate drinks or terrace service if you run one. Each service has its own rhythm, so each one needs its own time slots.

• Lunch: usually a shorter table turnaround, so you can space slots closer together.
• Dinner: longer table times, especially at weekends; build in wider gaps here.
• Drinks or terrace: a steady flow of walk-ins without a fixed end time; a looser, wider slot usually works better than a tight schedule.

Also lock in the last booking time for each service. Nothing is more frustrating than a booking fifteen minutes before closing while the kitchen is already washing up the pans.

Capacity per time slot: how many guests can you really handle

Capacity isn’t just about the number of tables. Your kitchen and your floor staff also determine how many guests you can serve well at the same time. So set your capacity based on what your current team and kitchen can comfortably handle, not on the maximum number of seats in the room.

• Base it on the number of tables you can actually keep free for reservations, not your total seating capacity.
• Lower capacity on evenings when you’re running with a smaller team.
• Raise it during quieter periods if you want to attract guests who would otherwise go to a competitor.
• Keep a small margin free for walk-ins, especially if your restaurant also relies on spontaneous guests.

Buffer time between reservations to prevent double-booking

A table isn’t free the moment a guest finishes eating: it still needs clearing, resetting, and sometimes rearranging. Build in a buffer between two bookings on the same table, so your widget doesn’t automatically allow a new booking at a time the previous guest is still there. For an average dinner, plan on at least forty-five minutes of buffer, more for larger groups. Without that margin, you get one of the most awkward situations there is: two bookings for the same table at the same time, and a host who has to improvise on the spot.

Track closed days and holidays

Nothing frustrates a guest more than a confirmed booking for a day you’re actually closed. Enter all your regular closing days, your annual holiday closure and public holidays into your widget in advance, ideally a full year ahead. If you run adjusted hours around, say, Christmas or New Year’s Eve, update them well in advance too. That way you avoid not only bookings on a day you’re closed, but also a stream of phone calls and cancellation requests afterwards.

Handle groups and events separately

Your standard time slots and capacity are built for regular tables of two to four guests. Larger parties call for a different approach: a different table layout, sometimes a set menu, and often more prep time. Set a clear threshold in your widget, for example eight guests, above which a guest doesn’t book a table directly but submits a request instead. You can read how to capture those requests in a structured way in Capturing events and group requests through your website.

Step-by-step: setting up your reservation widget

1. Split your services (lunch, dinner, drinks) and give each one its own time slots.
2. Set capacity per time slot based on your kitchen and staffing, not your maximum seating.
3. Build in a buffer between bookings to prevent double-booking the same table.
4. Enter closed days and public holidays at least a year ahead.
5. Set a group-size threshold so larger parties come in as a request instead of a direct booking.
6. Review your settings every quarter, especially around seasonal changes and busy periods.

Working with an external reservation system such as Formitable, Zenchef or Resengo? Then you set time slots, capacity and closed days directly in that system, and the connection with your website automatically shows what’s been configured there. Want to cut no-shows further once your capacity is dialled in? Take a look at deposits, reminders and a cancellation policy. Does your business also run a booking widget for rooms or pitches? Read about what a hotel or campsite site needs alongside time slots and capacity.

Frequently asked questions

How often should I review my capacity settings?

At least every quarter, and extra whenever the seasons change, around holidays, or when your team’s size changes.

What if I set things too tight and tables sit empty?

Start with a realistic estimate based on an average busy evening, and adjust based on what you actually see in practice. Setting things too tight costs just as much revenue as overbooking does.

Can I make an exception for specific days, like Mother’s Day?

Yes, set up adjusted time slots and capacity for those days, separate from your regular settings, so you stay in control on a day when demand is much higher than usual.

Ready to set up your reservation widget so every booking matches what your restaurant can handle? Try Sitebite for free and get the most out of your reservations.