Introduction
Your online ordering site shows different messages and options to customers based on your store's operating hours. This guide explains how to configure your Opening Hours and Delivery Times, and what your customers will experience when visiting your site.
Important: Never Disable Delivery Entirely
Do NOT set "Offering Delivery" to No when your store is closed or during off-hours.
Many stores make the mistake of disabling delivery altogether when they're closed, thinking this prevents orders. However, this causes serious problems:
| What You Do | What Customers See | The Problem |
|---|---|---|
| Set "Offering Delivery" to No | Delivery option completely hidden | Customers think you don't offer delivery at all, and may never return |
| Use proper Opening Hours and Delivery Times | "Store currently closed" or "Delivery starts at 16:00" with Pre Order option | Customers know delivery is available and can schedule for later |
The correct approach:
- Always keep "Offering Delivery" set to Yes
- Configure your Opening Hours for when your store operates
- Configure Delivery Times for when delivery is available
- The system will automatically show appropriate messages and allow Pre Orders
When configured correctly, customers visiting outside delivery hours will see a helpful message like "Delivery starts at 16:00" and can still place a Pre Order. This keeps customers engaged instead of driving them away.
Opening Hours
Location: Setup > Online Ordering > Opening Hours
These are your store's general operating hours - when your physical store is open for business.
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Closed | Check this to mark the day as completely closed |
| Opening Time | When your store opens (e.g., 9:00) |
| Closing Time | When your store closes (e.g., 23:00) |
What customers see when outside Opening Hours:
- Blue banner: "Store currently closed"
- Subtext: "You can schedule a Pre Order for later"
- ASAP option is hidden
- Schedule picker is shown for future times
- Button says "Pre Order" instead of "Start Order"
Important: Opening Hours affect both Collection AND Delivery orders if you haven't set separate Delivery Times.
Delivery Times
Location: Setup > Online Ordering > Delivery > Delivery Times
Delivery Times allow you to specify when delivery service is available. This can be different from your store's general opening hours.
Common scenario: Your store opens at 9:00 AM for collection orders, but delivery doesn't start until 4:00 PM when your drivers begin their shift.
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Closed | Check this to mark delivery as unavailable on this day |
| Start Time | When delivery becomes available (e.g., 16:00) |
| End Time | When delivery stops (e.g., 23:00) |
What customers see when store is open but delivery hasn't started:
- Blue banner with clock icon: "Delivery starts at 16:00"
- Subtext: "You can schedule a Pre Order for later"
- ASAP option is hidden
- Schedule picker shows times starting from delivery start time
- Button says "Pre Order" instead of "Start Order"
What customers see when delivery is available:
- No status banner
- ASAP option is shown
- Schedule picker shows available times
- Button says "Start Order"
Collection Settings
Location: Setup > Online Ordering > Collection
Collection orders use your general Opening Hours. There are no separate collection-specific hours.
| Setting | Effect |
|---|---|
| Offer Collection | Enable/disable collection orders entirely |
| Collection Temporarily Disabled | Temporarily pause collection orders (e.g., during busy periods) |
| Preparation Time | Minutes needed to prepare collection orders (added to earliest available time) |
Delivery Settings
Location: Setup > Online Ordering > Delivery
| Setting | Effect |
|---|---|
| Offering Delivery | Enable/disable delivery orders entirely |
| Delivery Temporarily Disabled | Temporarily pause delivery orders (e.g., during busy periods) |
| Delivery Time (minutes) | Estimated delivery time added to order time |
Customer Experience Summary
| Store State | Customer Sees | Can Order? |
|---|---|---|
| Store closed (outside opening hours) | "Store currently closed" banner | Yes - Pre Order for later |
| Store open, delivery starts later | "Delivery starts at 16:00" banner | Yes - Pre Order for when delivery opens |
| Store open, delivery available | No banner, ASAP shown | Yes - Immediate or scheduled |
| Delivery closed today | "Delivery is closed today" banner | Yes - Pre Order for tomorrow |
| Delivery temporarily disabled | "Delivery is temporarily unavailable" widget | No - Try Collection instead |
Example Configurations
Example 1: Restaurant with late delivery start
- Opening Hours: 11:30 - 23:30 (for collection/dine-in)
- Delivery Times: 16:00 - 23:00 (drivers start at 4 PM)
- Result: Customers can collect from 11:30, but delivery shows "Delivery starts at 16:00" until 4 PM
Example 2: Different hours on weekends
- Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 10:00-23:00, Sat-Sun 9:00-23:00
- Delivery Times: Same as opening hours
- Result: Store and delivery are both available during opening hours
Example 3: Closed on Mondays
- Opening Hours: Monday marked as "Closed"
- Delivery Times: Monday marked as "Closed"
- Result: On Mondays, customers see "Store currently closed" and can only pre-order for Tuesday onwards
Best Practices
-
Never disable delivery entirely - Keep "Offering Delivery" set to Yes at all times. Use Opening Hours and Delivery Times to control availability. Disabling delivery makes customers think you don't offer it anymore.
-
Set accurate Delivery Times - The system automatically calculates the first available delivery slot by adding your "Delivery Time (minutes)" to your delivery start time. For example, if delivery starts at 16:00 and delivery takes 30 minutes, the first available slot will be around 16:30.
-
Use "Temporarily Disabled" for short-term issues - If you're suddenly too busy, use this instead of changing hours. It shows a clear message to customers and still allows them to try Collection.
-
Closed days vs Closed checkbox - Use the "Closed" checkbox for regular closed days (e.g., every Monday). This is clearer for customers and allows them to Pre Order for the next available day.
-
Delivery end time - The system automatically calculates the last available delivery slot by subtracting your "Delivery Time (minutes)" from your delivery end time. This ensures orders can be completed before closing.
-
Test your settings - Visit your own ordering site at different times to see what customers experience.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Delivery option not showing at all | Check "Offering Delivery" is set to Yes - never disable this entirely |
| "Store currently closed" shows when store is open | Check Opening Hours are set correctly for today |
| Customers can't order ASAP | Check you're within both Opening Hours AND Delivery Times |
| "Delivery starts at X" shows wrong time | Check Delivery Times settings for today |
| Delivery showing as unavailable | Check "Delivery Temporarily Disabled" is set to No |
Need Help?
If you have questions about configuring your opening hours or delivery times, please contact our support team.