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The + button on the Waiter Floor lets you create a temporary table on the fly. Perfect for walk-ins, patio spillover, or groups that appear without a reservation.

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Overview

Staff can create tables at any time, but the created table is always temporary — the “Temporary” checkbox is locked on when the actor isn’t a manager. Once the bill is paid and the session closes, the table auto-archives from the floor plan.
This is a Waiter Module-specific view of temporary tables. For the full concept, see Temporary Tables in Table Management.

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Create a temporary table

  1. On the Floor view, tap the emerald + button in the top bar.
  2. The Add Table modal opens.
Add temporary table

Add Table modal launched from the Waiter Floor

  1. Enter a name — e.g. Walk-in 1, Group of 6, Bar Stool, Birthday party.
  2. Set default capacity with the − / + stepper (optional).
  3. Pick a section (or + Create new section) — many restaurants use Walk-in.
  4. The Temporary table checkbox is checked and greyed out with the note: “Staff-created tables are always temporary.”
  5. Tap Add Table.
The card appears on your floor plan immediately, tagged with a purple Temp badge. You are automatically assigned as the covering waiter (assignToStaffMemberId = your staff ID).

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Auto-assignment

Because you created it, DishInk auto-assigns you to the table. You’ll see it on your My Tables view without asking a manager. Managers can reassign it later from Waiter Assignments.

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Opening the session

Tap the newly created card and follow the Opening Tables flow — same guest-count sheet as any other table.

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Auto-archive

Once both of these are true, the table auto-archives from the floor plan:
  1. The session is closed (via Closing Tables or the POS Pay & Close flow).
  2. The bill is fully paid (payment ≥ total).
Historical data (bill, ZRA submission, KDS records) is preserved. The card simply disappears the next time the floor refreshes.

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Editing and deleting

  • Rename: tap the table’s edit icon (available to you as the creator without a Manager PIN).
  • Change capacity / section: same edit modal.
  • Delete before ordering: allowed without Manager PIN for staff-created temporary tables.
  • Delete with unpaid bill: blocked. Close the bill first, or ask a manager to force-close.

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Offline creation

If your tablet is offline, temporary-table creation queues via the offline queue manager and applies on reconnect. The card appears optimistically so you can start taking the order.

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Tips & best practices

Give walk-in temporary tables descriptive names — Group of 4 · Patio, Birthday party · main floor. The kitchen sees these on tickets and can prioritise or ask questions if needed.
Use a consistent Walk-in section. Combined with the Floor Walk-in preference toggle, it keeps your permanent layout clean.
If you regularly create the same walk-in slot every night, ask a manager to convert it to a permanent table.

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Common mistakes

  • Trying to uncheck Temporary. Not possible for staff — this is by design.
  • Deleting a temporary table with an unpaid bill. Blocked. Settle first.
  • Creating a temporary table when a permanent one is free. Prefer the permanent table; it keeps reporting cleaner.
  • Naming everything Walk-in. They pile up. Add a descriptor.
Last modified on July 19, 2026