Restaurant Table Bookings – Online Reservations & Table Management

The Free version provides:

• [ln_restaurant_booking_form] (aliases: [ln_restaurant_booking], [restopub_booking_form], [restopub_booking]): Renders the interactive, multi-step customer reservation form.
• [ln_restaurant_cancel_booking] (alias: [restopub_cancel_booking]): Renders the self-service reservation cancellation portal for guests. (Note: The [restopub_staff_terminal] touch POS shortcode is unlocked with Restaurant Table Bookings PRO).

Yes! Customer self-service cancellation is 100% automated and managed securely via email. Every confirmation and modification email automatically embeds a tamper-proof cancellation link ({cancel_booking_link}) signed with a unique cryptographic HMAC security token. When the customer clicks the link, they land directly on an authenticated review screen displaying their reservation details (code, date, time, party size, table). Upon confirming the cancellation, the table is instantly released back into available inventory, the customer's CRM reliability score is updated, and an immediate notification email is delivered to the restaurant staff.

No. You do not need to create a cancellation page manually. The self-service cancellation flow is dynamic and secured with cryptographic tokens passed directly through the email link. If a visitor opens a standalone page containing [restopub_cancel_booking] directly without clicking a valid email link, the system displays an "Invalid Cancellation Link" security notice. This is a deliberate protection mechanism designed to prevent unauthorized third parties from guessing booking codes and cancelling someone else's table.

Under Restaurant Bookings → Settings → Operating Hours & Capacity Rules, configure the Public Availability Display setting. By default, it is set to Discreet / Simplified (displaying clean notices such as "Tables available for booking" and "Table available for your party" without exposing exact numbers or restaurant capacity). If preferred, you can select Hide Seat Capacities (shows only table counts) or Detailed (shows both table counts and remaining seat capacities). An interactive Live Customer Preview box updates instantly as you switch options.

Yes! In Restaurant Bookings → Settings → Email Notifications & Templates, you can customize both the subject and body copy for Confirmation, Pending Request, Modification, Cancellation, and Staff Alert emails. All templates support dynamic placeholders (e.g. {booking_code}, {client_name}, {booking_date}, {booking_time}, {table_location}, {ics_download_link}, {cancel_booking_link}). You can also load professionally designed HTML email templates with 1 click, preview them in an interactive modal, or revert at any time using the instant Undo / Restore button.

When a customer submits a reservation under manual approval mode (or when flagged for review), their request is saved in Pending status. The customer receives a dedicated Pending Notice Email clarifying that their booking is under review (without a premature .ics calendar invitation). Staff receive an urgent alert tagged [ACTION REQUIRED - Pending Approval] with a 1-click link to review the request in the admin dashboard. As soon as staff changes the status to Confirmed, the official confirmation email with .ics calendar invitation is dispatched automatically to the customer.

The Free version includes two professionally crafted themes: Modern Cards (crisp elevated cards with slate navy header & electric azure styling) and Classic Bistro (two-column grid layout, segmented pill tabs, and vibrant amber-orange & gold styling). Upgrading to Restaurant Table Bookings PRO unlocks additional luxury layouts, including Dark Mode Luxe (ultra-premium OLED obsidian black & 24K liquid gold) and the two-column Sidebar Split layout.

Staff and administrators manage all reservations directly in the WordPress backend under Restaurant Bookings → Reservations (admin.php?page=ln-restopub-dashboard&tab=reservations). The Classic Reservations Grid provides date filters, shift filters, real-time search, quick status change dropdowns, manual booking modal, and .ics calendar exports.

No. All database tables (wp_pub_reservations, wp_pub_clients, wp_pub_tables) and plugin settings are 100% shared. When you activate Restaurant Table Bookings PRO, your existing reservations, tables, and client profiles are instantly accessible. If PRO is deactivated at any time, all data remains intact in the Free version.

The Free version integrates with standard WordPress roles. Site Administrators have complete control over settings, tables, and reservations. Users with the Editor role can manage reservations and tables. Granular front-of-house roles (restopub_manager, restopub_staff, restopub_viewer) are available in the PRO edition.

Every time a reservation is updated, the customer's reliability score is recalculated inside the client CRM: Reliability Score (%) = (Completed Bookings / Total Bookings) * 100 Guests receive visual color-coded badges: Green (80-100% - Reliable), Yellow (50-79% - Moderate/Caution), and Red (< 50% - Low Reliability/High Risk).

Upon booking, customers receive a unique booking code and an instant download link (Download Calendar Invitation .ics). The link dynamically generates an RFC 5545 compliant iCalendar stream compatible with Apple Calendar (iOS/macOS), Google Calendar, and Microsoft Outlook.

A responsive HTML manual (docs/documentation.html) is included directly inside the plugin. You can access it anytime by clicking the Documentation button in the dashboard header or on the WordPress Plugins screen.

Simply leave the Opening and Closing time fields blank in the Settings panel (e.g. clear the "Lunch Opening" and "Lunch Closing" fields). The booking form will automatically remove all time slots for that shift.

Yes. By default, the plugin preserves your database so records are not lost during updates. To completely wipe all tables and settings when deleting the plugin, enable Clear All Data on Uninstall (clear_on_uninstall) in Settings before deletion.