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A Stuck table is one where the floor plan shows a busy status (Ordering, Preparing, etc.) but the Table Session modal can’t find an actual session. It’s rare, and always fixable.

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Overview

Stuck happens when a table’s status was written to the server but the matching session record didn’t land — usually because of a network drop mid-write, or a partial sync from an offline device. DishInk detects this state automatically and marks the card with a Stuck badge after a 600 ms delay (to avoid flashing “Stuck” during normal loading).

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How to spot a stuck table

  • Card shows a busy border colour (e.g. Ordering red) but the guest count and total show as blank.
  • Stuck badge appears at the bottom-right of the card.
  • Opening the Table Session modal shows: “No session found for this table.”
Stuck table

Stuck table card with badge and empty session modal

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Wait first, then act

Before force-resetting, wait 10–30 seconds. Most stuck states self-heal when:
  • An offline write completes syncing.
  • A different terminal finishes its transaction.
  • The tablet re-establishes its Supabase realtime channel.
If the badge is still there after 30 seconds, proceed to reset.

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Force-reset (Manager PIN)

Only managers can force-reset a stuck table:
  1. Open the stuck table.
  2. In the “No session found” body state, tap Force Reset.
  3. Enter your Manager PIN.
  4. Confirm.
DishInk clears the table’s server-side status back to Free. Any orphaned session records are marked resolved in the audit log.
Force-reset is destructive to unrecovered data. If a session was mid-write and about to sync, force-reset will discard it. Wait first.

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Why stuck tables happen

Common causes:
  • Network drop mid-order. A waiter added items on an unstable link; the status was queued locally, uploaded, but the session record was retried and dropped.
  • Two terminals conflicting. Cashier closed a session on Terminal A while Waiter was editing it on Terminal B — the loser’s write lands but its session is gone.
  • Server-side glitch during a spike. Rare, but a partial write during peak load can leave a status without a session.
  • Manual database intervention. Support or engineering deleting a session for debugging.

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Prevention

  • Keep tablets on stable Wi-Fi. See Network Issues.
  • Avoid closing tables from two terminals simultaneously. Whoever has the modal open should complete or cancel first.
  • Report repeat stuck patterns to Support so we can trace the root cause.

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Tips & best practices

Establish one rule: wait 30 seconds, then force-reset. No exceptions. This eliminates the temptation to reset during an ongoing sync.
Managers, keep a note if you force-reset. If it happens more than once per shift, escalate to Support.
Stuck badges on multiple tables at once usually mean a network issue, not a data problem. Check connectivity before resetting.

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Common mistakes

  • Resetting immediately. The session was probably about to sync. Wait.
  • Non-manager staff attempting reset. Blocked — they’ll be prompted for a Manager PIN.
  • Assuming stuck means “empty and safe.” It might have unsynced items. Waiting preserves them.
Last modified on July 19, 2026