How to manage your takeaway timeslots?
For all Takeaway menus, you can configure the available takeout timeslots.
Go to Menus, select your take-away menu, and navigate to 'Takeaway Settings' to edit your takeaway timeslots.
Note: Most of the time, a Take-Away menu is always active (opening hours) and the only limit can be found in the pick-up days. This means a take-away menu can be visible 24/7, but orders may only be collected between 5 PM and 9 PM. You can allow orders at any time, but restrict the actual pickup window.
If needed, you can also control the menu’s overall availability by setting specific opening hours.
For the take-away settings, please go to Menu → Takeaway Settings. Here you will see this:
There are two types of timeslots. Let's start with:
A. Recurring timeslots
In the recurring timeslots you can determine the hours between which the customer can choose to come and collect the order or choose a delivery moment. There are also a few options you can determine to optimize incoming orders:
Limit slot capacity
Orders: Set a maximum number of orders allowed per time slot (e.g. max 10 orders every 30 minutes).
Revenue: Set a maximum total order value per time slot (e.g. up to €300 in sales per slot).
Takeout slot interval - The time between timeslots in minutes. If your timeslots on wednesday are between 5pm and 9pm for example, the interval will determine the specific times a customer can choose to collect the order.
When you add for example a interval time of 10min, your customer will be able to choose between 5.00pm - 5.10pm - 5.20pm and so on. Most clients have a range between 5 and 30 minutes.
Amount of days a customer can order ahead of time - The maximum limit of time in the future a customer can place an order, expressed in days. If its 7 days as in the example and today is Monday, a client can ultimately choose next Monday as order pick-up date.
Amount of minutes a customer can order ahead of time - The maximum limit of time in the future a customer can place an order, expressed in minutes. We added this one because it should be possible to limit these orders to 7 days and 12h for example and not just 7 days. That's why the minutes is also important to complete. If you just like 7 days, you can multiply 1440 (#minutes in a day) with the number of days and fill in the number that comes out.
Allow changing takeout hour before buffer time - This setting lets customers edit the pick-up time of their order as long as the buffer time hasn't started yet. Example: If the buffer time is 30 minutes and the order is scheduled for 6 PM, the customer can still change the time until 5:30 PM.
Show only the next available timeslot - This setting hides all future timeslots and only shows the soonest possible available slot. Use case: Helps create a sense of urgency or streamline choices, especially for quick-service businesses.
Show only the next available time slot
For recurring time, define the hours during which customers are allowed to pick up their orders in the takeaway settings, and set the maximum number of orders or maximum revenu per time slot.
Order time buffers
Here you can configure how much time in advance customers must place a takeaway order. You can choose between two types of buffers: Cutoff Time or Buffer Time.
Cutoff Time
With a cutoff time, orders must be placed before a fixed daily deadline.
You can configure:
Buffer days – The minimum number of full days in advance an order must be placed.
0 = same-day orders allowed
1 = orders must be placed at least 1 day in advance
2 = orders must be placed at least 2 days in advance, etc.
Cutoff time – The specific time of day before which the order must be placed.
Examples
2 buffer days + 14:00 cutoff
Customers must place their order at least 2 days in advance and before 14:00.0 buffer days + 11:00 cutoff
Customers can order for the same day, but only before 11:00.
Buffer Time (Minutes)
With a buffer time, the required time is calculated as a rolling window before the pickup time, instead of a fixed daily deadline.
You can configure:
Buffer days – The minimum number of full days in advance an order must be placed.
Buffer time – Additional time that must be respected before pickup.
Examples
2 buffer days + 60 minutes
Customers must place their order at least 2 days and 60 minutes before the selected pickup time.0 buffer days + 60 minutes
Customers can place same-day orders, but must order at least 60 minutes before pickup.
B. Fixed timeslots
Use this feature to set up one-time pick-up slots for special menus, like an Easter brunch, Christmas dinner, or end-of-year gift deliveries.
It allows you to launch a menu well in advance, so customers can place their orders early and you have time to prepare. You can define the specific day and time range for pick-up, and also set a maximum number of orders.
Example:
If you're offering 100 breakfast baskets, you can limit orders to 100 on one day, or split it - e.g. 50 on Saturday and 50 on Sunday.
For fixed time slots, you can also set the days when customers can pick up their orders and the maximum number of orders or revenue.
