Configuring Services in TableBloom
Services in TableBloom define the distinct dining experiences you offer — Dinner, Lunch, Brunch, Private Events, and more. Each service has its own schedule, time slots, capacity rules, and booking window so guests always see accurate availability.
Step 1: Go to Services settings
From the TableBloom dashboard, click Settings then select Services. This page lists all your active and inactive services. Click any service to edit it, or use the toggle to enable and disable services without deleting them.
- Disabled services do not appear on the public booking widget
- You can create seasonal services and activate them on a schedule
- Services are shown to guests in the order you arrange them
Step 2: Create service types
Click Add Service and enter a name for the service. Common service types include Dinner, Lunch, Brunch, Afternoon Tea, and Private Event. Add a short description that guests will see when booking.
- Choose which days of the week the service runs
- Set a start and end time for the service period
- Upload a cover image to make the service visually distinct in the booking flow
- Mark a service as "Private Event" to hide it from the public widget and allow staff-only booking
Step 3: Set time slots and duration per service
Within each service, define the booking time slots. Choose the interval between available slots (e.g., every 15, 30, or 60 minutes) and the default duration of each reservation. The duration controls how long a table is held after seating.
- Dinner services typically use 90–120 minute durations
- Shorter lunch services may use 60-minute slots
- Duration affects when the table shows as available again on the timeline
- You can override duration for individual reservations if needed
Step 4: Configure covers limit per service
Set a Maximum Covers limit for each service to cap the total number of guests that can be seated during that period. Once the limit is reached, guests see the service as fully booked in the booking widget.
- Covers limits prevent over-seating during peak services
- You can also set per-slot covers limits to spread bookings evenly
- Manually added walk-ins count toward the covers total
- Admins can override the limit for special circumstances
Step 5: Set the advance booking window
Define how far in advance guests can book by setting the Booking Window. For example, set a maximum of 60 days ahead for regular dining and a minimum of 24 hours notice. You can also set a cutoff time (e.g., bookings close 2 hours before service).
- Minimum notice prevents last-minute bookings your kitchen can't accommodate
- Maximum window keeps your availability calendar manageable
- Private Events often have a longer minimum notice (e.g., 7 days)
- Staff can still manually book outside the public window when needed
💡 Tip: Create separate services for regular dining vs private events. Private event bookings often require deposits, custom menus, and staff coordination that are very different from standard dining. Keeping them separate lets you apply the right rules and notifications to each experience.