Guest notes: what's actually useful, and what should never be stored?
A look at how restaurants can distinguish guest notes with practical operational value from information that merely describes the guest as a private individual - with emphasis on relevance to operations, respectful language, and who internally actually needs to see the note.
What makes a guest note useful for operations
A note with practical value answers a question that comes up again and again in service: where will the guest sit, what does the kitchen need to know, and what equipment must be ready at the table. Examples include nut allergies, the need for a high chair, or that the guest always asks for a table away from the entrance. Such information affects how the table is set and how the shift is planned.
What makes the note useful is that it is action-oriented - a server or kitchen staff member can read it and know exactly what needs to be done, without having to interpret or ask further questions. A good note is short, concrete, and tied to a specific need at the table, not to the guest as a person in general.
Information that rarely belongs in a note
Some notes describe the guest as a private individual instead of solving an operational problem. This can include details about marital status, occupation, appearance, or previous visits that have no connection to how the table should be set or how service should be carried out. Such information adds no value for the next shift and should not be stored at all.
A useful thought experiment is to ask whether the note would be uncomfortable to read aloud to the guest themselves. If the answer is yes, it probably doesn't belong in the system. The restaurant should also consider whether assumptions about preferences from previous visits are still accurate, since needs can change over time, and old notes can create incorrect expectations among staff.
Neutral language makes the note easier to use
The wording determines whether the note is perceived as useful or unnecessarily personal. "Prefers a table by the window" is neutral and action-oriented, while "doesn't like sitting near other guests" describes a personal trait without giving staff anything concrete to act on. The first provides a clear instruction, the second requires the server to interpret what it actually means in practice.
The same principle applies to allergies and special needs: write what the kitchen actually needs to avoid or accommodate, not why the guest has the need. "Gluten - celiac disease" is more useful for the kitchen than a longer explanation about diagnosis or medical history. The short, concrete format makes the note quick to read during a hectic shift, while not revealing more than necessary.
Internal use: who should see the note, and for how long
A guest note should be accessible to those who actually need it during service - floor staff and kitchen staff - and not spread further than necessary. In the dashboard, TableBooking brings together bookings, guests, and table maps in one place, so that relevant information is visible to the shift without having to be stored in separate lists or shared in messages that linger longer than needed.
Notes should not remain indefinitely. How long a preference remains valid is something the restaurant should assess itself - a guest's needs may have changed since their last visit. A regular routine for reviewing and removing notes that are no longer relevant helps keep the system tidy, ensuring that what remains is actually useful for the next shift.
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