Automate waitlist offers (offer engine)
The offer engine automates the waitlist: when a table frees up, 10Seat offers it to the best-matched waiting guest with a time-limited hold, and if that guest doesn't claim it, it moves on down the list.
Where to find it
Host App › Waitlist › Open the offer engine (or the Auto offers pill). The page is called Offer engine and shows Live or Paused. The same settings are also in Backoffice › Settings › Waitlist Settings ("Shared with Back office → Settings → Waitlist").
What it does
- Offer mode: Automatic (offers are sent with no staff action) or Approve first (you get a "send offer?" card per opening and tap Send offer).
- Auto offers on / off switches the engine. When off, guests can still join the waitlist; nothing is sent.
- Opening: the freed table and slot, its status (Open, Awaiting approval, Deferred, Offering, Waiting for guests, Filled, Unfilled, Closed), seats, the current Pass and the hold ("Hold with …", "… left", deadline also shown in the email subject). Close this opening stops offering it.
- Matched queue: offers and waiting parties for that date, "Ranked by empty seats · then first come, first served", with each offer's state (Offer out, Claimed, No answer, Cancelled, Email not delivered).
- Engine log, Rules in play right now, and This month stats: covers recovered, claim rate, median time to fill, offers per fill.
How to set up automatic offers
- Open the offer engine and tap Automation settings.
- Switch Automated offers are on.
- Under When a table frees up choose Send automatically or Ask me first.
- Set the Hold ladder – how long a guest gets to claim, depending on the time before service (closer to service, shorter hold).
- Set Quiet hours (From / Until): no offers go out overnight, and a hold that spans quiet hours is extended.
- Under Fairness & limits set Open the table to the public after (15, 30 recommended, 60 minutes, or Keep it exclusive until the list is exhausted), Max empty seats, Min lead time (min), Rotations per guest, per table and Offers per guest, per day.
- Choose the Deposit on a claimed table: Same as the service (inherit), Always require or Never require.
- Tap Save settings.
How to switch offers off for one day
On the Waitlist page tap the Auto offers pill for that day. Guests stay on the list, nothing is sent ("Auto offers off for …").
Good to know
- Offers go out by email. The guest claims via the link in the email; with a deposit, they pay before the table is confirmed.
- Max empty seats stops a big table being offered to a tiny party.
- "Public after … minutes" means the waitlist gets a head start: after that time the table is bookable online again.
- Start offers in the service waitlist strip offers every table that is free right now.
Troubleshooting
The settings are greyed out: "Only admins can change these settings" Only Owners and Admins can change the engine or switch offers on or off. Ask an admin.
The pill says "The offer engine is off — open it to turn it on" Automated offers are off for the whole location. An admin can switch them on in the engine.
No offers are sent although tables free up Check: Auto offers on, the day not switched off, the mode not set to Approve first (waiting for your approval), quiet hours, and the Min lead time. Guests also need an email address.
"Could not load the offer engine" / "Could not save automation settings" A connection problem. Reload the page and try again.