Date Overrides

Date Overrides

Date Overrides in Restaurant Settings allow you to set specific dates with different operating hours, special rules, or closures. This is useful for holidays, special events, maintenance days, or any dates that differ from your regular operating schedule. This guide covers all date override configuration options.

Accessing Date Overrides

To configure date overrides:

1. Navigate to Settings → Restaurant Settings
2. Click on "Date Overrides" or "Operating Hours" → "Date Overrides"
3. View existing overrides or create new ones

Understanding Date Overrides

What are Date Overrides?

Date overrides allow you to:

• Set different operating hours for specific dates
• Close restaurant on specific dates (holidays, maintenance)
• Set extended hours for special events
• Apply special booking rules for specific dates
• Override default operating hours temporarily

When to Use Date Overrides

• Holidays: Different hours or closure on holidays
• Special Events: Extended hours for events, festivals
• Maintenance Days: Close for maintenance or renovations
• Private Events: Close for private bookings
• Seasonal Changes: Temporary schedule changes

Creating Date Overrides

Single Date Override

Override operating hours for one specific date:

1. Click "Add Date Override" or "New Override"
2. Select the Date from calendar
3. Choose override type:
   • Closed: Restaurant closed on this date
   • Custom Hours: Set different operating hours
   • Extended Hours: Longer operating hours
4. Configure hours if not closed
5. Add description or reason for override
6. Click "Save"

Date Range Override

Override hours for multiple consecutive dates:

1. Click "Add Date Override"
2. Select "Date Range" option
3. Select Start Date and End Date
4. Configure override settings for the range
5. Choose if same hours apply to all dates or different hours per day
6. Save the override

Override Types

Closed Date

Mark restaurant as closed on specific date:

• Fully Closed: No bookings allowed on this date
• Reason: Add reason for closure (holiday, maintenance, etc.)
• Customer Notification: Show closure message to customers
• Existing Bookings: Handle existing bookings (cancel, reschedule, honor)

Custom Hours

Set different operating hours for specific date:

• Opening Time: Different opening time
• Closing Time: Different closing time
• Multiple Periods: Set multiple time slots if needed
• Break Times: Configure break times for override date

Extended Hours

Set longer operating hours for special occasions:

• Extended Opening: Open earlier than usual
• Extended Closing: Close later than usual
• 24-Hour: Open for 24 hours on special date

Recurring Date Overrides

Recurring Patterns

Create overrides that repeat automatically:

• Weekly: Same override every week (e.g., every Monday)
• Monthly: Same override every month (e.g., first Monday of month)
• Yearly: Same override every year (e.g., specific holiday)
• Custom Pattern: Define custom recurrence pattern

Managing Recurring Overrides

• Edit Pattern: Modify recurrence pattern
• End Date: Set when recurring override should stop
• Exceptions: Exclude specific dates from recurring pattern

Special Rules for Override Dates

Booking Rules

• Advance Booking: Different advance booking rules for override date
• Deposit Requirements: Different deposit rules
• Minimum Duration: Different minimum booking duration
• Table Restrictions: Restrict certain tables on override date

Pricing Rules

• Special Pricing: Different pricing for override date
• Premium Pricing: Higher prices for special events
• Discount Pricing: Special discounts for override date

Managing Date Overrides

Viewing Overrides

• Calendar View: See all overrides in calendar format
• List View: View all overrides in list
• Filter: Filter by type (closed, custom hours, extended)
• Search: Search for specific dates or overrides

Editing Overrides

• Edit Date: Modify override date
• Edit Hours: Change operating hours
• Edit Type: Change override type
• Update Description: Modify override description

Deleting Overrides

• Delete Single: Remove single date override
• Delete Range: Remove date range override
• Delete Recurring: Remove recurring override pattern
• Bulk Delete: Delete multiple overrides at once

Override Notifications

Customer Notifications

• Closure Notice: Notify customers about closures
• Special Hours Notice: Inform about special hours
• Advance Notice: Send notifications in advance
• Portal Display: Show override information on booking portal

Staff Notifications

• Override Reminder: Remind staff about upcoming overrides
• Schedule Changes: Notify about schedule changes
• Dashboard Display: Show overrides on restaurant dashboard

Holiday Management

Holiday List

• Predefined Holidays: Use system holiday list
• Custom Holidays: Add custom holidays
• Holiday Hours: Set hours for each holiday
• Holiday Rules: Apply special rules for holidays

Holiday Templates

• Standard Holidays: Common holidays (New Year, Christmas, etc.)
• Regional Holidays: Regional or local holidays
• Religious Holidays: Religious observances
• Business Holidays: Business-specific holidays

Best Practices

• Plan Ahead: Set up date overrides well in advance
• Clear Descriptions: Add clear descriptions for overrides
• Notify Customers: Inform customers about schedule changes
• Handle Existing Bookings: Decide how to handle existing bookings
• Review Regularly: Review and update overrides regularly
• Use Recurring: Use recurring overrides for regular patterns
• Document Reasons: Document reasons for overrides

Related Settings

Date overrides work together with:

• Operating Hours: Overrides modify default operating hours
• Booking Settings: Override dates may have different booking rules
• Public Booking Settings: Overrides affect public booking availability
• Notification Settings: Configure notifications for overrides

Troubleshooting

Override not applying?

• Verify override date is correct
• Check if override is active/enabled
• Ensure no conflicting overrides exist
• Clear cache and refresh

Existing bookings on override date?

• Review existing bookings before creating override
• Contact customers if bookings need to be changed
• Consider honoring existing bookings even if closed

Proper date override management ensures accurate scheduling and customer communication!