Holiday Bookings: An Operational Plan for Capacity, Menu and Service
An operational plan for how restaurants can prepare for Christmas parties, Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, with routines for capacity, menu information, seating times, groups, communication and daily checks in the weeks leading up to the holidays.
Set capacity date by date
Before opening the booking calendar for Christmas parties, Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, capacity should be assessed date by date rather than applying one shared limit across all of December. How many tables and seats are realistic for each individual evening, and can some dates handle multiple turns per table while others require longer seating times because the menu includes more courses?
It can be useful to hold back a few tables for walk-in guests or last-minute requests from regulars. How many tables should be reserved for this purpose ought to be decided before the holiday season begins and written down, so that whoever is responsible for service doesn't have to improvise in the middle of a busy evening.
Make menu information and communication clear for guests
During the holidays, many restaurants switch to a fixed menu or a set number of courses, and this information should be available well before guests reach out to ask about it. How detailed should the description of price, number of courses, any add-on choices and allergens be, and where should the information be made easy to find on its own, so the phone doesn't fill up with the same questions every day?
Good communication also means clarifying how changes to the menu or opening hours will reach guests before they book a table. Which channel does the restaurant use for this, and who is responsible for updating the information whenever something changes? Once the answer is clear internally, it reduces the risk of staff having to explain the same thing verbally over and over during a hectic evening.
Set realistic seating times and a clear group plan
Holiday menus often take longer to serve than a regular à la carte menu, and seating times should be assessed accordingly rather than reusing the standard setup from the rest of the year. How many turns per evening are realistic, and how clearly are start and end times communicated to both guests and the kitchen for each table?
For groups, a deadline for confirmed guest numbers and a designated contact person should be agreed upon well in advance, so that table setups and any combined tables can be planned without stress close to the evening itself. How much notice does the restaurant give groups to confirm the final headcount, and who follows up if the answer doesn't arrive by the deadline?
Create a daily check-in routine ahead of the holidays
It can be useful to set aside a bit of time each day in the weeks before the holidays to review bookings, guest numbers and table maps for upcoming days. How much time is realistic to spend on this daily, and who is responsible for following up on discrepancies such as double bookings on the same table or unconfirmed groups?
Restaurants can create a booking link that guests use without creating an account, and configure opening hours, capacity and tables in TableBooking. The dashboard shows bookings, guests and table maps, and tables can have a reference photo that helps staff find the right table during service. The solution has an interface in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and English, and getting started is free as described on the pricing page.
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