How to set up the PRO ordering system for a room service

Overview

The PRO ordering system allows hotels to offer room service through the app, enabling guests to order food or drinks from their smartphones and receive the delivery directly in their room (or another agreed location).

This improves the guest experience and streamlines operations by eliminating phone calls, reducing wait times, and allowing the team to manage and fulfill orders in real time through the CMS.

This article explains how to set up the PRO ordering system for a room service.

Before getting started

Before enabling the PRO ordering system, make sure you have:

• Access to Content > Services > Room service in the CMS.
• A room service already created in the system.
• A digital menu set up in the Advanced catalog section.
• Defined the availability schedule for the room service.

Step-by-step guide

Step 1: Request activation from Support

Before you can configure the PRO ordering system, you need to request its activation. Please contact our Support team through any of these channels:

• Live chat via the CMS.
• Support ticket
• Email

Once activated, you can proceed with the next steps in this guide.

Step 2: Enable the PRO ordering system

1. Go to Content > Services > Room service in the CMS.
2. Select the room service you want to configure.
3. Click Edit.
4. Navigate to the Hours & booking system tab.
5. Select PRO.
6. Click Save changes.

Step 3: Access PRO settings

1. After enabling PRO, a button labeled Go to PRO settings will be enabled at the bottom of the screen.
2. Click Go to PRO settings to access the configuration options.
3. Alternatively, you can access PRO settings by navigating to PRO (top menu in the CMS), selecting the relevant service, and clicking the settings icon (first icon from the right).

 

 

Step 4: Select the setting mode

Since this article focuses on Order mode, follow these steps:

1. In PRO Settings, go to the Setting mode section.
2. Select Order.
3. If you want guests to choose a specific delivery time, including future dates, activate the Scheduled delivery switch. If you prefer to fulfill orders as soon as they are placed, leave it deactivated.
4. Click Save changes.

 

Step 5: Define delivery options

Define where orders can be delivered. These delivery options will be shown to the guest during the ordering process so they can choose the preferred location (e.g., “My room”, “Lobby”).

You can add as many delivery options as needed.

To add a delivery option:

1. Go to PRO > Your room service > Settings > Delivery options.
2. Click Add delivery option.
3. Click the flag icon
4. Enter a name (e.g., "My room") and add translations to other languages.
5. Click Confirm to save the option.
6. Click Save changes to apply them.

To delete a delivery option, click the trash bin icon next to the corresponding entry.

 

Step 6: Set an availability schedule and link the menu.

Set the opening hours for your room service and link the corresponding menu. This determines when guests can place orders and what catalog is available during those times.

To create a timetable:

1. Go to Settings > Timetable.

2. Click Add schedule.

3. Select the days of the week this schedule will apply to.

4. Define one or more intervals (name, start time, and end time) and assign them to a room service catalog. If you activated Scheduled delivery under Setting mode, you’ll also need to set available times for each interval.

5. Configure additional settings:

   Click the pencil icon to edit an interval. A pop-up window will open with one or two tabs, depending on whether scheduled delivery is active:

   1. Available times:
      
      • Custom times: Set specific quotas per time and apply customer segmentation.
      • Frequency: Define how often delivery slots are available (e.g., every 30 minutes).
      • Quota: Specify the maximum number of orders that can be handled based on frequency.
      • Segmented quota: Assign a specific quota per customer segment. This requires predefined segmentation (CMS home > Settings icon > Hotel > Segmentation).
   2. Catalogs:
      
      
      • Select the menu(s) that apply. These must be previously created in the Advanced catalog section of the service (CMS > Content > Services > Room service > Edit > Advanced catalog).

6. To allow orders, turn on Enabled.

7. To add more intervals to the same schedule, click Add interval and follow the same steps.

8. If you need different schedules for specific days (e.g., weekends), click Add schedule. Each schedule will be displayed as a separate tab.

9. If you need the service to be shown as unavailable for some time, activate the Temporarily closed switch. This prevents any new orders until the switch is turned off.

10. Configure exception days:

    You can override the regular schedule by setting exception days. This is useful when the service needs to close for maintenance, for example.

    1. Click Add exception day.
    2. Select a date from the calendar.
    3. Choose one of the following:
       • Activate the Closed switch to mark the service as unavailable all day.
       • Define specific intervals for that day (name, start and end time, etc.). Click the Edit icon to configure advanced settings.
    4. Activate the Enabled switch if orders should be allowed during the interval.
    5. Optional: Add more intervals for the same day.
    6. To create additional exception days, click Add exception day. Each exception day will be displayed as a separate tab.
    7. Click Save changes to apply the settings.

Step 7: Set ordering restrictions

You can set restrictions to control how and when guests can place orders.

Order advance notice

Define the minimum and maximum advance time required for orders:

• Maximum days in advance: How far in advance guests can placer orders. Set in days based on the order date.
• Minimum time in advance: The shortest notice required to place an order. Set in minutes and can be referenced from:
  • The opening time of the service.
  • The time the guest wants the order delivered.

 

Orders per day

You can limit the number of orders guests are allowed to place on the same day.

Products per order

Set the maximum number of products that can be added to each order.

Step 8: Customize ordering messages

You can personalize the messages guests receive at different stages of the ordering process.

Go to Settings > Customization.

The following elements can be customized:

• Comment field during the ordering process – Adjust the prompt shown above the comment field during the ordering process.
• No availability message – Set a custom message displayed when no delivery times are available.

Step 9: Set an ordering policy

You can define an ordering policy that guests must review before completing an order.

How to add an ordering policy:

1. Go to Settings > Policy.
2. Type or paste the ordering policy into the text box.
3. Toggle the Activated switch to make it visible to guests.
4. Optional: If you require guests to acknowledge and accept the policy before ordering, enable Acceptance of the ordering policy is mandatory.
5. Click Save changes.

 

Step 10: Configure order notifications

To ensure staff receive real-time order notifications, configure notification preferences:

1. Go to Settings > Management.
2. Enter the email addresses of staff members who should receive order alerts.
3. Each staff member added will receive notifications when a new order is placed.
4. Click Save changes.

Step 11: Configure payment options

You can choose which payment methods are available to guests when placing an order from your room service.

Available payment options for guests:

• Charge to room – The booking amount is added to the guest’s room bill.
• Pay on delivery – Guests pay on-site to the service staff using cash or card.
• Pay online – Guests pay through a secure payment gateway (Stripe or Adyen). Learn more here.

Step 12: Place QR codes in rooms

Place QR codes in guest rooms so they can access the room service directly from their smartphones.

• Make sure the QR codes are in a visible and accessible location (e.g., desk, bedside table).
• By scanning the code, guests can:
  • Open the room service menu
  • Place an order
  • Pay from their phone (if online payment is enabled)

To generate a QR code:

1. Go to My app > Promote your app > Custom links.
2. Click Add.
3. In the Link type drop-down, select the type of link you want to generate (QR code).
4. Enter a name for the link.
5. Choose the location (e.g., Room, Lobby, Elevator) to identify the QR code later.
6. Select the relevant service (e.g., Room service).
7. Click Generate link.

The QR code will be displayed. You can copy and paste it wherever needed (e.g., printable materials).

To edit an existing QR code, click on the pencil icon next to the link.

Step 13: Enable and test the ordering system

Once all settings are configured:

1. Enable the ordering system by toggling the Activated switch for the relevant intervals under Settings > Timetable.
2. Click Save changes.
3. Use the app preview option in the CMS home to test the ordering process as a guest.

Next steps

Now that your room service PRO ordering system is set up:

• Make your room service visible on the app front page to start receiving orders.
• Monitor incoming orders in the PRO > Orders (columns/list view) screen.
• Train staff on managing orders through the CMS.

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.