How to assign tables to orders and take table reservations

If you run a restaurant, bar or café, Checkmate can keep track of your tables: which ones are free, which are taken, and which are booked. This guide shows you how to:

  1. Set up your dining areas and tables
  2. Assign a table to an order at the till
  3. Take table reservations, at the till or online
  4. Add a reservation form to your own website

Part 1: Set up your tables

Step 1: Turn on restaurant features

Go to Settings > Business > Industries > Restaurant. Make sure the right business and branch are selected at the top of the page.

Switch on My business is a restaurant. The Table Management and Table Reservation Settings sections then appear below it.

Step 2: Add a dining area

A dining area is a part of your restaurant, such as "Patio" or "Upstairs beside the bar". Under Table Management, click Add Dining Area.

Click Create Area. Checkmate numbers the tables for you, carrying on from your last table number. For example, if you already have tables 1 to 4, the next area starts at table 5.

Step 3: Set the seats for each table

Click Edit tables beside an area. For each table you can set:

Use Add table for another table, or the bin icon to remove one. Click Save changes when you are done.

Part 2: Assign a table to an order

Step 1: Open the tables from the POS

Once restaurant features are on, the POS shows a fork and knife button at the top (Table management). Tap it to see your dining areas.

Tip: if you have just switched restaurant features on and the button is not there, close the POS and open it again.

Step 2: Choose the dining area

Each area shows how many tables are Available, Reserved and Occupied. Tap View Tables on the area you want.

Step 3: Select a free table

Tables are colour coded:

Step 4: Ring up the order as usual

The cart now shows Dine in with the area and table number (for example "Dine in · Patio, Table 1"), and the table is added to the order note. If you charge a service charge on table orders, it is added automatically.

Add the items and take payment as normal. When the order is paid, the table is freed automatically and turns green again.

Need to free a table without a sale? Managers and admins can tap Release on the table, or Release All for the whole area. Both ask for a PIN.

Part 3: Table reservations

Step 1: Set your reservation rules

Go back to Settings > Business > Industries > Restaurant and scroll to Table Reservation Settings:

Click Save changes. Booking times follow your opening hours, and the last booking is 2 hours before closing.

Step 2: See your bookings at the till

In the POS, open the tables (fork and knife button) and tap Reservations. The Upcoming tab lists the day's bookings with the time, party size, phone number and table. For each one you can:

The Past tab shows earlier bookings. A notice also appears in your notification bell when a table goes on hold for a booking.

Step 3: Take a booking for a customer

When a customer phones or asks in person, tap the New Reservation tab:

  1. Pick the Location (if you have more than one branch) and the Party size.
  2. Optionally pick a Seating area and a specific table, or leave it on Any available table and Checkmate picks the best fit. Only tables with enough seats are shown.
  3. Tap Continue.
  1. Choose the Date and a Time. Times that are already booked are crossed out.
  2. Tap Continue.
  1. Enter the guest's Full name, Phone and Email, plus any Special requests such as an anniversary, allergies or a high chair.
  2. Tap Confirm reservation.

The guest gets a confirmation email with a reference number and a link to cancel if their plans change. When they cancel, the time becomes free for other guests.

Step 4: Let customers book online

Your business has its own booking page where customers can book a table themselves:

https://checkmateposhub.com/reserve/your-store-name

Replace your-store-name with the name in your store link. You can find it under Ecommerce > Your Store URL; it is the part after /site/. Share the booking link on WhatsApp, Instagram, Google or your receipts. Customers follow the same steps as above, and their booking shows straight away in your POS under Reservations.

Part 4: Add reservations to your website

If you have a Checkmate website, you can put a booking form right on it. The online store is part of the Business Pro plan and above.

Step 1: Open Studio

Go to Ecommerce and click Open Studio.

Step 2: Find the Reservations widget

On the left, choose the page you want the form on, for example Home or a "Book a table" page. In Search widgets…, type Reservations. It is in the Forms group. Click it, or drag it onto the page where you want it.

Step 3: Make it yours

With the widget selected, the panel on the right lets you change:

The form on your website is the same live booking form as your booking page. It uses your tables and reservation settings, so there is nothing else to set up.

Step 4: Publish

Click Publish at the top right (it says Update if the page is already live). Your website now takes table bookings, and they appear in your POS under Reservations.

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