Overview

The Floor Management lets you manage the sections of your restaurant. It gives you an instant overview of your table plan. From this information, you can have information on your table status, the number of customers seated at the tables, the number of tables available and the step at which the customers stand in their meal. With that information, you can use the Floor Management to seat the customers according to the number of people in the group and to whether they are smoking or non-smoking. You can also put customers on wait if there is no available table at the present time. The Floor Management module is a very powerful tool that will assist your hostess in managing the tables and the congestion at your restaurant entrance. In order to access this module, click on the Floor Management icon on the screen of the Back-Office or of the module you are in.

After selecting the Floor Management option, the Floor Management menu displays.

Sequence of Events in Floor Management Set Up

The following section explains how to set up the database in the Floor Management. It is important to follow the correct sequence of events in setting up the system because each module builds on the other. We explain each of those steps in this manual. Depending on the time of the day or the week, your tables available might be different. For example, even if you have the same amount of server, you don't use the same section configuration for lunch and dinner or when the terrace is open or not.

Step 1.

You must first select the field Table Assignment under Point of Sales Control / View / Options.

Step 2.

Basic configuration of Floor Management options under Floor Management / View / Options

Step 3.

Configuration of your restaurant plans under Floor Management / File / floor Editing / Floor Plan List section

Step 4.

Configuration of your restaurant table plan under Floor Management / File / floor Editing

Basic concept of Floor Management

Before you start programming your floor plan, you must first understand the basic concept of tables positioning on your plan.

Each object use X and Y axis to be positioned on the restaurant layout. The screen is divided by 640 positions for the X's (position 0 top 639 from left to right) and 480 positions for the Y's (position 0 to 479 from top to bottom).

Use the floor editor option to drag and drop elements to design your restaurant layout.

Property

Level Description

Enter the floor plan name.

Background Image

Enable the floor plan background.

Printer Setup

This option is driven by the operating system. This option allows to select the printer and parameters you wish to use to print your reports.

Print Last Report

This option allows to view the last report requested and to reprint it if necessary.

Tables Assignment Reasons

Tables assignment reasons can be used when entering customers on a table waiting list. The system can ask for up to 5 tables assignment reasons. Some examples are wheel chair and birthday party.

Description

Type in the description for this tables assignment reason here.

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Floor Editor

Modify

In order to access the Floor Editor, in the File menu, select the Floor Editor function, choose a Floor Plan and click on the Modify button. The floor editor is the tool that allows to create your restaurant floors efficiently. The Floor Editor option allows to setup all the elements that you will find on your floor plans. You can program up to 200 different elements on each floor plan including tables, horizontal and vertical lines and decorative elements. The drag and drop functionalities allow to easily design your restaurant layout. After the layout is designed, you can define the appropriate plan, section and each section's tables that are available.

The Floor plan editor is separated in 4 sections

A. Edit tools bar

B. Element frame

C. Floor plan list

D. Restaurant layout

A. Edit tool bar

This section includes all needed tools to create and setup your floor plan. In this section, there are seven edition tools to help you design your floor layout.

Enable this icon to get your default cursor icon back. You can then right-click on any object to access the contextual menu including the cut, copy and paste commands. You can also use the Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V keys to copy and paste an object. As well, you click on any object to resize it by stretching a corner of it with your mouse, or move it by dragging from the center of the object or by using the cursor keys on your keyboard.

Use this function to link tables together in order to sit larger group of people. To links tables, select the first table, next click on the link table icon, then select the table you want to join the first table. Maitre'D display a dot line that links both tables.

This option deletes objects, elements from the floor plan one by one. You must select the object to delete before selecting this function key.

This option displays the properties of the selected object. It allows to give a table #, view its position on the X and Y-axis, # of customers that can be seated at the table and if it can be join to another table and so on.

Use this function to draw vertical and horizontal lines on your display. This function is used to draw walls, steps and furniture in the restaurant.

Use this function to select your smoking and non-smoking tables. Select this function key and then touch the appropriate table to set as smoking. If a table already has a cigarette sign then the function set it as non-smoking.

Use this function key to define the numerous sections of your restaurant by different colors and numbers. The drop down arrow gives you a selection of 30 sections for your plan. You must select a section number and then touch the table you wish to assign to the section. NOTE: 2 different sections may have the same color, since there are 16 different colors available for your section definition.

B. Element frame

Object

From the Object tab, these icons represent different elements usually found on restaurant plans. Use these icons to build your floor plan and to represent as possible the reality of your restaurant layout. The more representative this plan will be, the easier it will be for the servers to locate rapidly their tables in their sections. Adding tables, stools, workstations are a simple drag and drop away.

Option

Show grid

When enabled, a grid is formed to help you align your tables and other object. You can also see blue lines across the restaurant layout to indicate the portion of the screen that would display on a handheld unit or when zoomed on a regular screen.

Snap to grid

When enabled, it aligns tables vertically, horizontally and the size to the grid. This function must be enabled before creating your table on the floor plan. It doesn't align existing table.

Show Client count

When enabled it shows the number of customer that can be seated at the table on the top left corner. The # of customers has to be set in the table properties before showing up here.

Show Joint information

When enabled it shows the join table number on the top right corner. If a table is setup that it can be join to another table then an = sign will precede the join table #.

Restore the whole floor plan to the state it was before you started your modification.

C. Floor plan list

This option allows to select the plan you wish to create or modify. To select a plan, click on the drop down arrow. You can program up to 30 different plan descriptions and each plan could contain up to 30 sections and each section could contain up to 30 tables. To rename a plan, click on the Rename key. The plans are used to setup your floor plan in relation with various sections configurations you might need in accordance with the various events you could have in your restaurant. You could, for example have a description called day that would split your floor plan in 4 sections, because you are using 4 servers daytime. You could also have a description called Thursday Night that would split your floor plan in 8 sections, because you are using 8 servers at that time.

Click on the drop down menu to reach the plan you want to edit.

D. Restaurant layout

The restaurant layout displays the results of your modifications (ex. Figure1). According to the selected plan under the Floor Plan List, the restaurant layout shows different colored sections.

Right mice click on an element from the plan and then select "Properties" to access and view the element definition.

Table

Id

Number

Enter here the table number that you want to program and that will be shown on the screen. For decorative elements use numbers that will start with a letter.

Joined to

Enter here the number of the table that it will be joined to in order to be able to sit larger group together. If you indicate 5 customers at the table and that it can be joined to a 4 customers table, and you have a party of 9 and no table for 9 people available, Maitre'D will joined those 2 tables to accommodate the group.

Customer

Table

Enable this option if you want this element to be considered as a table

Smoking

Enter here whether the table is in a smoking section or not. On the screen, a table in a smoking area shows a cigarette on the table and a non-smoking table will not show a cigarette.

Number

Enter here the usual number of customers for that table.

Max Number

Enter here the maximum number of customers for that table.

Position

Enter the position on the X axis (from left to right) between 0 and 640 and the position on the Y axis (from top to bottom) between 0 and 480 where you want your table to start. Don't forget that the upper left corner is position 0,0. Enter the values for the table width and height. If one of them does not have a value, a vertical line or a horizontal line appears. When you drag a table on the plan layout, this tab gets updated automatically with the new position.

Icon

Select the element icon to show on the floor plan.

Toolbar

This option let you choose whether you want to see toolbar (all the icons at the top of your screens) or not. This selection toggles from enable and disable. When there is a check mark besides the option, the option is enabled and you will see the toolbar.

Status Bar

This option let you choose whether you want to see status bar (the line located at the bottom of your screen) or not. This selection toggles from enable and disable. When there is a check mark besides the option, the option is enabled and you will see the status bar.

Editor frame

This option allows to choose whether to display or not display the editor frame. This selection toggles from enable and disable. When there is a check mark beside the option, the option is enabled.

Log

The Log option allows to start and view operations traces about Floor Management Module.

Log Level

Three different Log level are available, Standard, Detail and Debug. This option is for trouble shooting purpose and should be use only with the supervision of your Maitre'D reseller.

Use the View key to access to log file.

Options

This option allows to program the basic parameters of the Floor Management module for hostess' use. When you enable this option, the following screen displays:

General Branch

Stage

Wait Time

For each stage of the meal, enter here the average estimated wait times (in minutes). These numbers will be used to estimate the wait time for the next available table for the hostess' waiting list.

Order

Enter the estimated time needed to place the customer's order (between the time the customer is seated and the time when the order is placed). This number should be set to the same value as the drink wait delay on the status branch.

Appetizer

Enter the estimated time needed for the appetizer course of your customer's meal (between ordering the appetizer and the main dish). This number should be set to the same value as the appetizer wait delay on the status branch.

Main dish

Enter the estimated time needed for the main dish course of your customer's meal (between ordering the main course and the dessert). This number should be set to the same value as the main dish wait delay on the status branch.

Dessert

Enter the estimated time needed for the dessert course of your customer's meal (between ordering the dessert and the digestive). This number should be set to the same value as the dessert wait delay on the status branch.

Digestive

Enter the estimated time needed for the digestive course of your customer's meal (between ordering the digestive and printing the guest check). This number should be set to the same value as the digestive wait delay on the status branch.

Check

Enter the estimated time needed to finalize the guest check stage (between printing the guest check and the payment of the check.). This number should be set to total of the check and settlement wait delays values on the status branch.

Cleaning

Enter the estimated time needed to clean the table after the customer leaves and your staff redoes the table setup. This number should be set to the same value as the cleaning wait delay on the status branch.

Option

Allow table cleaning

Enable this option so that before the cleaning wait time has elapsed, the user can manually clean the table by touching it on the floor plan status screen saver. (The Floor Plan Status option P.O.S. Control/Workstation/Options/Advanced also has to be enabled)

Order by hostess

Enabling this option allows the hostess to put items on the clients order when assigning customers to a table.

No Section Assignment:

Enable this option to give the hostess a Table button at the bottom of the floor plan to assign incoming guests to servers without first having to assign sections for these waiters. On the workstation, the hostess can also choose a table by touching its button on the floor plan. When she then touches the Save button, she can enter the number of customers, and choose the employee from the screen. If the chosen employee has many functions, the proper one must be chosen so that the right revenue center is used. If the Order by Hostess option above is also enabled, the hostess can enter the guest's appetizers and/or cocktails. These items will be considered as ordered by the server, and no sales or server transfer will print on reports.

Use smoking status

Enable this option to be presented with the SMOKING / NO SMOKING selection. In a smoke free environment, disable this option.

Enable table assignment reason

Enable this option so that when a customer is entered on the waiting list for a table, the system will ask for up to 5 table assignment reasons (ex: Wheel Chair, max 5min, Birthday...). The list of selection will be stored in the static.dat file

If you disable this option, a WAITING CLIENT button displays on the Hostess's Function and Special Menu screens, under the Modify Client or Cancel Client buttons.

The Hostess can use any of these buttons prints out the Waiting List.

Share Client List

Enable this option so that bartenders can choose a table name from the floor plan waiting list. This is useful when a waiting guest is seated at the bar until a dining room table opens up, at which time the bar order can be transferred to the new table.

Update delay

Enter here the delay before the hostess screen is updated (in seconds). If you enter 10 seconds, the screen will be updated every 10 seconds.

Status Branch

The guest perception of speed of service is largely determined by the timeliness of all their interaction with the restaurant staff during their dinning experience. You can use the workstation to display an accurate status of all the tables included in the floor plan in real time. With a glance at the screen, the hostess, server or manager can tell which stage of the dining experience each table is in, providing instantaneous feedback of the guest experience cycle to improve the response time of the staff. A blinking table on the screen shows that the service is not proceeding as fast as it should.

Wait status

Wait delay

Enter here the maximum amount of time granted for each stage of the meal (in minutes). If the server has not brought this table to the next stage of the meal by the time this delay has expired, the table will start to blink on the screen. If the delay is set to 0, the table will not blink, but using blinking tables greatly improves the visibility of the floor status.

Status color

Using a combination of colors and blinking colors also improves the visibility of the floor status.

Current status symbol

Enter here a symbol that will show on the screen to know which stage the table is currently really on.

Free table

The default color is green and the symbol is usually left blank.

Drink

Enter the estimated time between the time the customer is seated and the time when the server enters a drink order.

Appetizer

Enter the estimated time needed for the appetizer course of your customer's meal (between the time the server enters a drink and the time he enters an appetizer.) The default color is dark blue and the default symbol is A.

Main dish

Enter the estimated time needed for the main dish course of your customer's meal (between the time the server enters an appetizer and the time he enters a main dish.) The default color is orange and the default symbol is M.

Dessert

Enter the estimated time needed for the dessert course of your customer's meal (between the time the server enters a main dish and the time he enters a dessert.) The default color is pink and the default symbol is D.

Digestive

Enter the estimated time needed for the digestive course of your customer's meal (between the time the server enters a dessert and the time he enters a digestive.) The default color is olive and the default symbol is F.

Check

Enter the estimated time needed for the check stage of your customer's meal (between the time the server enters a dessert and the time he prints the check.) The default color is red and the default symbol is $.

Settlement

Enter the estimated time needed for the settlement stage of your customer's meal (between the time the server prints the check and the time he finalizes it.) The default color is light blue.

Cleaning

Enter the estimated time needed to clean the table after the customer leave and your staff redoes the table setup. The default color is white, and the default symbol is C.