How to manage restaurant bookings with the on-demand booking system

Last updated

25 February 2025

Overview

When guests make a booking at a restaurant using the on-demand booking system, these reservations must be managed by hotel staff. The staff needs to either confirm or reject each request manually.

Bookings can be managed through three different channels:

1. In the CMS, under the Requests section inside Activity (top menu).
2. Via email, where staff members receive notifications for each new booking (only if email addresses have been configured in the restaurant’s booking settings).
3. Using the staff app, in the Requests section.

This article explains how to manage on-demand bookings through each of these channels.

Managing requests in the CMS

Every time a guest makes a booking at a restaurant using the on-demand system, the request will appear in the CMS under the Requests list in the Activity section.

Step 1: Access the requests list

1. Navigate to Activity > Requests in the CMS.
2. Look for the booking request you want to manage.
   • New and unprocessed requests will have a New status and will be highlighted in light blue.
   • In the Requests section, you can view requests from all hotel services that use the on-demand booking system. If you only want to see restaurant requests, use the service type filters.
   • You can also filter by date and request status; and you can search a request by guest name.
3. Click the Edit icon (pencil icon) next to the request.

Step 2: Manage the request

In the pop-up window, you will see the booking details. You have three options:

• Confirm the booking:

  1. Click Approve.
  2. (Optional) Type a message in the comments box to send additional information to the guest.
  3. Click Save changes. The guest will receive a push notification informing them that their booking is confirmed.

• Reject the booking:

  1. Click Reject.
  2. Type a message in the comments box that will appear with the reason for rejection. This note is only visible to staff.
  3. Click Save changes. The guest will receive a push notification about the cancellation.

• Send a message without changing the booking status:

  If you need to request additional information (e.g., indoor or outdoor seating preference), type your message in the comments box and click Send message.

  

When you return to the Requests list, the request status will update based on the action taken (Solved or Rejected).

Extra tip

If a guest requests a booking by phone or in person, you can manually add the reservation in the CMS.

1. Click Add reservation.
2. Fill in the booking details (guest name, date, time, number of people, etc.).
3. Click Book to confirm the reservation.

This ensures that all reservations—whether made through the guest app or manually—are properly recorded and managed.

Managing requests via email

If you have configured email notifications for on-demand bookings, hotel staff will receive an email each time a guest makes a booking. The email allows staff to confirm or reject the reservation directly.

Step 1: Access the email notification

1. Open your email inbox and look for the notification from STAY.
2. The email contains details such as:
   • Guest’s name
   • Room number
   • Check-in and checkout dates
   • Date and time of the booking

Step 2: Manage the request

1. Click the Manage booking button in the email. This will redirect you to a management page.

2. Choose one of the following options:

   • Confirm the booking:

     1. Click Confirm.
     2. Optional: Add a comment in the text box.
     3. Click Send. The guest will receive a notification confirming their reservation.

   • Reject the booking:

     1. Click Reject.
     2. Optional: Add a comment explaining the rejection. This note is only visible to staff.
     3. Click Send. The guest will receive a notification about the cancellation.

   • Send a message without confirming or rejecting the booking:

     Type a message in the comments box and click Send.

   

Managing requests with the staff app

If your hotel staff uses the STAY staff app, they can also manage on-demand bookings from their smartphones.

Step 1: Download the staff app

• iOS: Download from App Store
• Android: Download from Google Play

Step 2: Sign in to the staff app

1. Use the same credentials as the CMS.
2. If managing multiple properties, select the correct hotel by tapping the Menu button on the top left corner, and then Search hotel.

Step 3: Manage the request

1. Tap the Requests section from the left-side menu.
2. Find the booking you want to manage and tap on it.
3. Tap Manage and choose one of the following actions:
   • Approve the booking:
     1. Tap Approve.
     2. Optional: Add a comment for the guest.
     3. Tap Save changes.
   • Reject the booking:
     1. Tap Reject.
     2. Tap Save changes.

The guest will receive a push notification with the updated booking status and any comments sent. When you return to the Requests list, the request status will update based on the action taken (Solved or Rejected).

Extra tip

If a guest requests a booking by phone or in person, you can manually add the reservation from the staff app:

1. Tap the Guests section in the side menu.
2. Search for the guest by name or room number. You can also select them from the list.
3. Tap the + icon.
4. Tap the calendar icon to add a new reservation.
5. Fill in the reservation details (date, number of people, service, time, etc.).
6. Tap Book to confirm the reservation.

This ensures that all reservations—whether made through the guest app or manually—are properly recorded and managed.

Next steps

Once your hotel starts managing on-demand bookings, consider:

• Training staff on best practices for handling booking requests efficiently.
• Reviewing the booking flow to ensure the process is smooth for both staff and guests.
• Enabling Concierge chat to assist guests with booking inquiries directly from the app.

Need further assistance?

If you have additional questions or require further assistance:

• Contact us via live chat
• Send a ticket to our Support team
• Visit STAY Academy, our training platform.