Complete Setup Guide for a Sit-Down Restaurant
Your restaurant has 15 tables, a kitchen that needs to stay organized, waiters who need to know when orders are ready, and customers who expect a smooth dining experience. This guide walks you through setting up OtoPoint for a full-service sit-down restaurant — from your menu with steak temperatures and sauce choices, through table service points, to a loyalty program that brings diners back.
A full restaurant setup takes about 2-3 hours with a complete menu. The menu is the most time-consuming part. Service points, settings, and loyalty can be done in under an hour total.
Step 1: Menu Setup
A restaurant menu is more complex than a coffee shop or takeaway. You have multiple courses, option groups for cooking preferences, and items that pair together. Organize your menu to mirror how customers think about a meal.
Recommended Categories
Starters
| Item | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Garlic Bread | $6.00 | Toasted ciabatta with garlic butter and herbs |
| Soup of the Day | $7.50 | Chef's daily selection, served with crusty bread |
| Caesar Salad | $9.00 | Romaine, parmesan, croutons, house-made dressing |
| Bruschetta | $8.00 | Grilled sourdough, fresh tomato, basil, balsamic glaze |
| Calamari | $10.00 | Lightly fried, served with aioli and lemon |
Mains
| Item | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Ribeye Steak (300g) | $28.00 | Grass-fed ribeye, served with your choice of side |
| Grilled Salmon | $24.00 | Atlantic salmon, lemon dill butter, seasonal vegetables |
| Chicken Parmesan | $19.00 | Crumbed chicken breast, napoli sauce, melted mozzarella |
| Mushroom Risotto | $18.00 | Arborio rice, mixed wild mushrooms, parmesan, truffle oil |
| Lamb Shank | $26.00 | Slow-braised, red wine jus, mashed potato |
Sides
| Item | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Fries | $5.00 | Hand-cut, seasoned |
| Mashed Potato | $5.00 | Creamy, butter-whipped |
| Seasonal Vegetables | $6.00 | Steamed and lightly seasoned |
| Garden Salad | $5.50 | Mixed greens, cherry tomato, cucumber, house vinaigrette |
| Sweet Potato Fries | $6.00 | Crispy, with chipotle mayo |
Desserts
| Item | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate Fondant | $12.00 | Warm molten center, vanilla ice cream |
| Tiramisu | $10.00 | Classic Italian, mascarpone, espresso-soaked ladyfingers |
| Crème Brûlée | $10.00 | Vanilla bean custard, caramelized sugar |
| Cheese Board | $15.00 | Selection of three cheeses, fruit, crackers, honey |
Drinks
| Item | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Still Water (750ml) | $3.00 | Bottled |
| Sparkling Water (750ml) | $3.50 | Bottled |
| Soft Drink | $3.50 | Coke, Sprite, Fanta, or ginger ale |
| Fresh Orange Juice | $5.00 | Squeezed to order |
| Coffee | $4.00 | Espresso, americano, cappuccino, or flat white |
Option Groups
Option groups are what make a restaurant menu work properly in OtoPoint. Create these and attach them to the relevant items:
Cooking Temperature (attach to Ribeye Steak)
- Rare (+$0.00)
- Medium Rare (+$0.00)
- Medium (+$0.00)
- Medium Well (+$0.00)
- Well Done (+$0.00)
Side Choice (attach to Ribeye Steak, Grilled Salmon, Chicken Parmesan, Lamb Shank)
- Fries (default, +$0.00)
- Mashed Potato (+$0.00)
- Seasonal Vegetables (+$1.00)
- Garden Salad (+$0.50)
- Sweet Potato Fries (+$1.00)
Sauce (attach to Ribeye Steak, Chicken Parmesan)
- No Sauce (default, +$0.00)
- Peppercorn (+$2.00)
- Mushroom (+$2.00)
- Garlic Butter (+$1.50)
- Red Wine Jus (+$2.00)
Salad Dressing (attach to Caesar Salad, Garden Salad)
- House Vinaigrette (default, +$0.00)
- Ranch (+$0.00)
- Blue Cheese (+$0.50)
Coffee Type (attach to Coffee)
- Espresso (default, +$0.00)
- Americano (+$0.00)
- Cappuccino (+$0.50)
- Flat White (+$0.50)
For option groups where the customer must choose exactly one option (like Cooking Temperature), set the group to required, single selection. For optional add-ons (like Sauce), set it to optional, single selection. This prevents orders from arriving in the kitchen with missing information.
See Adding Menu Items and Options & Extras for step-by-step instructions.
Step 2: Service Points
Tables 1-15 (Table Service + Pickup)
Create 15 service points for your dining tables:
- Go to Service Points and create Table 1 through Table 15
- Set delivery mode to Table Service as the primary mode
- Optionally enable Pickup as well — some customers at tables may prefer to pick up desserts or drinks at the bar
- Print QR codes for each table
Takeaway Counter (Pickup Only)
If you accept takeaway orders:
- Create a service point called Takeaway
- Set delivery mode to Pickup only
- Place the QR code near your entrance or on the counter where takeaway customers wait
Number your tables consistently between your physical layout and OtoPoint. When a kitchen ticket says "Table 7", your waiter needs to know exactly where that is. Use the same numbering you already have on your floor plan.
See Setting Up Service Points for detailed instructions.
Step 3: Merchant Settings
| Setting | Recommended Value |
|---|---|
| Business Name | Your restaurant name |
| Categories | Choose what fits (Italian, Grill, Seafood, etc.) |
| Delivery Modes | Table Service + Pickup |
| Payment Methods | Cash + Card |
| Working Hours | Mon-Sat: 11:00-22:00, Sun: 11:00-21:00 (adjust to your hours) |
| Currency | Your local currency |
See Merchant Settings for all options.
Step 4: Kitchen Dashboard Configuration
The kitchen display is critical for a sit-down restaurant. Your kitchen staff need to see incoming orders clearly, track preparation status, and notify waiters when dishes are ready.
Recommended Kitchen Setup
- Mount a tablet or screen in the kitchen area
- Log in with a Kitchen role account
- The kitchen display shows orders in real time, grouped by table
- Kitchen staff tap orders to mark them In Progress and then Ready
Tips for Kitchen Efficiency
- Group by table: When multiple people at the same table order, their items appear together so the kitchen can prepare and plate them simultaneously
- Use the status flow: New → In Progress → Ready → Delivered. Each status change is visible to waiters on their dashboard
- Sound notifications: Enable sound alerts for new orders so the kitchen never misses an incoming ticket
See Kitchen Display for configuration details and Waiter Dashboard for the waiter-side view.
Step 5: Loyalty Program
Restaurants have higher average order values than coffee shops, so your loyalty rate should be lower — you are rewarding bigger spends, not daily visits.
Points Configuration
| Setting | Value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Auto Points | Enabled | Automatic on every completed order |
| Rate | 5% | A $50 dinner earns 2.5 points — sustainable for higher tickets |
| Minimum Order | $10 | Excludes small drink-only orders from earning |
| Max Points/Order | 100 | Caps points on very large group bills |
At 5%, a couple spending $80 on dinner earns 4 points. After 10 visits ($800 total), they have 40 points. Price your vouchers so this feels rewarding.
See Points System for details.
Birthday Voucher: 20% Off
A birthday voucher builds personal connection with your regulars:
- Go to Loyalty > Vouchers and click Create Voucher
- Configure:
- Name: Birthday Treat — 20% Off
- Type: Discount
- Discount: 20%
- Cost: 0 points (awarded automatically or manually)
- Limit per User: 1 per year
- Save and activate
You can manually award this voucher to customers whose birthday you know about, or set it up as a reward for completing a profile in the app.
See Creating Vouchers for the walkthrough.
Monthly Challenge: Dine 4 Times
Encourage monthly return visits:
- Go to Loyalty > Challenges and click Create Challenge
- Configure:
- Name: Monthly Regular
- Description: Dine with us 4 times this month and earn 100 bonus points
- Goal: 4 orders
- Reward: 100 points
- Recurrence: Monthly (resets each month)
- Save and activate
100 points after 4 visits in a month is a meaningful reward — roughly equivalent to $2,000 in dining at your 5% rate. This encourages customers to concentrate their dining-out budget at your restaurant.
See Creating Challenges for details.
Step 6: Team Setup
A sit-down restaurant needs a more structured team than a coffee shop:
| Person | Role | What They Access |
|---|---|---|
| Owner | Owner | Everything — settings, menu, reports, loyalty, billing |
| Manager | Manager | Orders, menu changes, printers, loyalty config, team invites |
| Waiter 1 | Waiter | Order dashboard, table view, award points, customer chat |
| Waiter 2 | Waiter | Same as Waiter 1 |
| Waiter 3 | Waiter | Same as Waiter 1 |
| Kitchen 1 | Kitchen | Kitchen display only |
| Kitchen 2 | Kitchen | Kitchen display only |
How Roles Work in a Restaurant Setting
Waiters see the waiter dashboard, which shows them:
- Which tables have active orders
- Order status (waiting, in progress, ready for delivery)
- Ability to mark orders as delivered
- Quick-access buttons to award points to customers
Kitchen staff see only the kitchen display:
- Incoming orders with item details and table numbers
- Ability to mark items as in progress and ready
- No access to settings, menu editing, or customer information
Managers handle the operational side:
- Can modify menu items and prices during service (86'ing items, adjusting descriptions)
- Can manage service points and QR codes
- Can invite new team members
- Can configure loyalty features
Do not give all staff the Manager role "for convenience". Waiters with Manager access can accidentally change menu prices, delete service points, or modify loyalty settings. Use the appropriate role for each person.
See Team Management for invitation instructions.
Setup Checklist
- Created menu categories: Starters, Mains, Sides, Desserts, Drinks
- Added all menu items with prices, descriptions, and photos
- Created option groups: Cooking Temperature, Side Choice, Sauce, Salad Dressing, Coffee Type
- Set up Tables 1-15 (Table Service)
- Set up Takeaway counter (Pickup only)
- Printed and placed QR codes on all tables
- Configured merchant settings (hours, payments, delivery modes)
- Set up kitchen display on a tablet/screen
- Enabled auto points at 5% with $10 minimum
- Created Birthday Treat voucher (20% off)
- Created Monthly Regular challenge (4 visits = 100 points)
- Invited all staff: manager, waiters, kitchen staff
What to Do Next
Once your restaurant is running on OtoPoint:
- Observe the first service — watch how kitchen staff interact with the display, how waiters use the dashboard, and where bottlenecks occur
- Collect feedback from staff — waiters and kitchen staff will quickly tell you what works and what needs adjustment
- Review order patterns after the first week — which items are popular, which option combinations customers choose most, and whether your timing estimates are accurate
- Fine-tune the loyalty program after the first month — check how many customers are earning points and whether anyone has redeemed yet; adjust rates if needed
- Add promo stories for seasonal menu changes, special events, or holiday menus
The biggest impact on customer experience is how quickly orders reach the table after being marked "Ready" in the kitchen. Make sure your waiters have the waiter dashboard open during service and that sound notifications are turned on.