Frequently Asked Questions

Learn how to use your online reservations, waitlist, guestbook, and more.

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Online Reservations

How do I enable reservations?
Open Online Settings and toggle on "Allow Reservation Requests." Set your minimum and maximum party sizes, same-day policy, and any time buffer before seating.
What does "Based on reserved tables" mean?
This option automatically checks all tables you've reserved and blocks new bookings when no table is available — recommended for accurate online availability.
Why do I get a warning about unavailable party sizes?
It means your maximum party size exceeds the tables or combinations available. Create table combinations or adjust minimum seat settings on larger tables.
Can guests pick their own tables?
Yes. Enable "Allow guests to choose tables". Guests will see your floor plan and select tables that fit their group size.
How do I add my reservation link to Google?
Go to your Google Business Profile, click "Bookings," then "Add a link" under "Links to your online booking tools." Paste your Simple Host reservation URL and save. See full guide with screenshots →

Online Waitlist

What do guests see while waiting?
Guests view their live position in line, estimated wait time, and number of parties ahead. They can message, call, or view your menu while waiting.
What is Force Sign-In?
It requires guests to sign in with Google or Apple before joining the waitlist or making a reservation, keeping guest data secure and synced with the guestbook.
Can I restrict who can join the waitlist?
Yes. Set a guest location radius in Online Settings, and enter your full restaurant address so guests must be within range to join.

Guestbook

How are guests added?
Guests who join the waitlist or make a reservation are automatically saved to your guestbook by phone number. You can also add them manually.
What are categories and tags?
Categories group similar tags (e.g., Allergies, Preferences). Use Edit Categories to create new ones and Edit Tags to manage them.

Table Management

How do I edit my floor plan?
Go to Edit Floor Plan. Drag tables into place, assign numbers, set capacity, and toggle reservation availability. Use the resizing bar to adjust scale.
What does the "Reservation" switch do on a table?
When off, you can still seat reservations manually, but the table will not appear for online bookings.
How do I combine tables?
Choose Combine Tables, select tables, then choose Flexible or Strict mode, set min/max size, and decide where combinations apply.

Activity & Statistics

What is the Activity Logger?
It records reservations, seated guests, waitlist events, server breaks, and more. Quick-view tools let you see open tables, over-time tables, and estimated waits.
What can I see under Statistics?
View ratios between reservations, waitlist, and walk-ins; guest and party totals; no-shows; guests per half hour; and server performance metrics.
What do the lightning and crown icons mean?
Lightning marks the server with the highest guest rate per hour. Crown indicates the server with the most guests for the day.

Messaging & Notifications

How do I notify a guest that their table is ready?
Click the guest's name, then Preset Message, then choose one of your presets. You can also click Table Ready but you must enable automatic text and email notifications in Settings to send instantly. This will send your first preset as a shortcut to whichever switch is on in Preset Message.
Can guests reply to messages?
Yes. Both text and online chat are two-way — guests can respond, and you'll see it directly in your chat panel.

Chit Printing

What is chit printing?
Chit printing lets you automatically print a small receipt-style ticket on a thermal printer when a guest is added to the waitlist or a reservation is created. Each chit includes guest details and a QR code.
What gets printed on a chit?
Waitlist chits include the guest name, party size, estimated wait time, and a QR code the guest can scan to check their place in line. Reservation chits include the guest name, date, time, party size, and a QR code to view their reservation details online.
What does the QR code on the chit do?
Guests scan the QR code with their phone camera to see their live waitlist position or reservation details in their browser — no app download needed.
What printers are compatible?
Any ESC/POS thermal receipt printer connected to your network via Wi-Fi or Ethernet. Popular models include Epson TM-T88, Epson TM-T20, and Star Micronics TSP100 series. The printer must be reachable on TCP port 9100.
How do I connect my printer?
Go to Settings → Printer Settings and tap Scan for Printers to find printers on your network automatically. If your printer doesn't appear, you can enter the IP address and port manually. See our full printer setup guide →
Can I customize what gets printed?
Yes. In Printer Settings, you can choose which guest details appear on the chit — such as name, phone number, party size, notes, wait time, table assignment, and more. Toggle each field on or off to match what your host stand needs.
What are the print modes?
Auto prints instantly when a guest is added or a reservation is created. Ask shows a confirmation dialog before each print. Off disables printing. You can change modes anytime in Printer Settings.
Do I need extra software for the web browser version?
Yes. Web browsers can't connect directly to printers, so you'll need the free SimpleHost Print Helper app running on a Mac or Windows computer on the same network. iPad, iPhone, and Android connect to the printer directly — no extra software needed. Download Print Helper →

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