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How to take table reservations

Tables keeps your tables by area, gives each reservation a table that fits the party, takes requests from a public page and keeps a walk-in waitlist.

Updated 2026-10-24

For a restaurant or café: e.g. "Ana, 4 people, Friday at 19:30, table 6 on the patio". It is part of Jobs, so Jobs must be switched on. Changing the setup needs someone who manages the business; anyone with Jobs can take reservations and seat guests.

Where

Tables in the menu for a shop, café or restaurant.

Set up your tables

  1. Open Setup. Under Tables, type each table's name or number, its seats and an optional area, e.g. Patio, and press Add.
  2. Under Reservation rules and hours, choose how long a table is held for each reservation (e.g. 90 minutes), the largest party taken online and the hours of notice needed online.
  3. Switch on each day you take reservations and set the first and last time a reservation may start, e.g. 17:00 and 21:30. Press Save.

Press Take off the floor to stop using a table; past reservations keep it.

Take a reservation

Press Add reservation, type the name, party size, day and time, and press Save. Otto gives it the smallest table that seats the party and is free for the whole time it is held. Pick a table yourself if you prefer; Otto checks it fits and is free. A reservation taken here is confirmed at once and no email is written.

The day

The Day tab shows the day's reservations, the covers confirmed and the Floor: each table by area with what is on it that day. On each reservation, change its table, or press Seat, Done (frees the table), No-show or Cancel.

Reservations from your website

  1. Under Setup → Online reservations, switch on Taking requests online. It needs at least one table and the hours for at least one day.
  2. Press Copy link and put it on your website.
  3. A guest picks a party size, a day and a time. Only times when a table for that party is free are offered. They type their name and email and send a request.
  4. The request appears under Requests to confirm, with a table already picked, and you are told in your notices. Press Confirm: the confirmation email is left in Reviews for someone to approve. Press Decline to turn it down; nothing is sent.

The waitlist

Press Add to waitlist for walk-ins waiting now: a name, party size and an optional phone number. Press Seat now to give them the smallest free table that fits, from now. Texting a guest that their table is ready is not available yet.

Good to know

  • "No table for 4 is free for that whole time." Every table that seats the party is taken for part of that time. Pick another time or a table by hand.
  • "Table 2 seats 4, fewer than 6." The table you picked is too small.
  • "Add at least one table before taking reservations online." Add your tables under Setup.
  • Otto takes no deposit or card for a reservation.
  • The floor is your tables by area, not a drawn plan of the room.