How do I make sure certain bookings always get a certain table?

Table rules send a party size, a regular or a booking source to a chosen table — or to two tables that join — whenever ResoFlow picks the table.

"Parties of eight always get tables 4 and 5." "Mr Smith always gets table 1." "Walk-ins go to the bar tables." Table rules let you say that once, in Settings → Bookings → Tables and seating, in the Table rules section. Owners, Admins and Managers can open this page.

These settings are plan-gated: Available on Plus plan and above, because a rule only matters when ResoFlow is the one picking a table. On a plan without them, your rules are kept but not applied, and Remove them all clears them on any plan.

What a rule is — and what it is not

A rule is a tie-breaker, not a reservation. When ResoFlow picks a table for a booking that matches a rule, it picks the rule's table (or tables) instead of its usual "smallest table that fits". That is all it does:

• It never holds a table empty. If the rule's table is already taken at that time, ResoFlow picks the next best table as usual — a rule can never turn a bookable time into "no tables".
• The guest's own seating request comes first. If a guest asked for a window seat and the rule names a table that isn't a window, the window wins. (See How do I let guests choose where they sit?.)
• A rule never seats a party somewhere too small. A party of four is never sent to a two-seater, whatever the rule says. It can seat a party of two at a six-seater — that is your choice to make.
• Staff can still move any booking. A booking sitting away from its rule's table shows a small Off its usual table note on the bookings list and in the booking panel. It is information, not a warning — nothing to act on.

Rules apply where ResoFlow picks: online bookings, staff bookings (the table New booking marks Best fit follows them — pick another and that's the one it gets), and Smart walk-ins. They do not touch the waitlist or a guest changing their own booking.

Tables that join

A rule can send a party to two tables that join — "Parties of 7–8 → Tables 4 + 5". Which tables join is each table's "Joins with" list, set when you edit your floor plan's layout (tables only join within one room). The rule's table choice lists them after the single tables, with their seats added up — for example "Tables 4 + 5 (they join) · seats 8".

Two tables are only ever used together when both are free at that time, and only when their seats genuinely add up to the party. There is no separate list of pairings to keep up to date any more: change a table's "Joins with" and the rule's choices follow.

Table rules

Under Table rules, click Add a table rule — a step-by-step window opens:

• Which bookings? — what the rule matches; choose one of:
• Parties of a size range (for example 7 to 8 guests);
• A named regular — use Find the regular to search your guests by email, phone or name and pick the person (the guest search needs the guest profiles feature);
• VIP guests — anyone flagged VIP on their guest profile;
• Bookings from one source — online bookings, staff bookings, walk-ins or event tickets. A booking your team makes counts as a staff booking whatever How they booked says (Phone, In person and the rest); online bookings are the ones made on your booking page, your widget or website, a booking link, or the waitlist's own page.
• Which table? — a table, or two tables that join (Table or tables to pick lists every table, then the tables that join).
• Review — what the rule will do, and when it would do nothing: if the table seats fewer than the smallest party, the Review says so ("no party of 6 or more ever goes there"). Click Save rule — it's saved straight away.

Each rule then shows as one line ("Parties of 7–8 → Tables 4 + 5 · seats 8") with its switch — turn it off to pause the rule without deleting it — and Change. To remove a rule, click Change, then Remove this rule, and Remove rule on the Review. On a plan without table rules, each kept rule shows Remove.

If several rules match the same booking, the most specific is tried first: a named regular, then VIP guests, then a party size, then a booking source. Rules of the same kind keep the order you listed them in. If its table is taken or too small, the next matching rule is tried, then the normal smallest-table pick — so several rules for the same party size act as a fill order.

The window won't go on until a rule has what it matches and a table, so a half-filled rule can't be saved. (A half-filled rule kept from before is removed when you save the page — it tells you before you do.)

Seeing rules in the floor-plan editor

Open the layout editor (Edit layout on the Floor plan page) and a Reserved for strip in the panel beside the floor lists every table in that room a rule sends bookings to — so anyone drawing the room can see why a table tends to stay empty until its party arrives.

Related: How are tables assigned to online bookings? · How do I build my floor plan and add tables? · How do I let guests choose where they sit? · How do I take walk-ins?