This feature is available for the following POS integrations:
Mapping Menu Items
During the setup and configuration of your POS integration, a list of menu categories (including category name, POS ID, and desired course) will be required to map menu items to Tock party statuses. Available party statuses for mapping include:
- Appetizer
- Entree
- Dessert
Setting Tock Party Statuses
At the time of POS integration, Tock will automatically add the necessary statuses for the integration to your Tock party status settings, including “Paid,” which will be used to update the Tock party status at the time of POS check closing.
While these automatically created statuses don’t allow deletion or name updates, you can update the status indicator colors, which can provide your team a useful visual indicator during service on where a table is at in their meal, including what parties will be leaving soon.
Using In-Service Automated Party Statuses
Once a menu item within a mapped menu category has been fired/sent in the POS system’s associated check, the reservation’s party status in Tock will update to the corresponding course status within ~3 minutes.
Manual updates the Tock party’s status can be made at any time.
FAQs
What is the best setup for frequent menu changes?
For menus that frequently change or require multiple fires to the kitchen, configure a $0 universal course item within a separate (per status) category that doesn’t appear on the guest facing receipt. In many POS systems, you can set an item to print, or not print, to the kitchen based on individual need.
Example:
Employee adds and sends “Fire Appetizer Course” item to POS check, which then triggers the associated Tock party’s status to automatically change to “Appetizer.” The configuration for this item exists under a separate, specially created “Appetizer Status Fire” menu category.
This method of menu/category mapping allows for the greatest flexibility, without required update coordination. Your team is able to benefit from the automated party status updates with the lowest required administrative coordination over time.
What happens if items from multiple categories are added to the POS check at the same time?
If multiple items within menu categories mapped to different courses are added to the POS check simultaneously, the latest course will be used to set the Tock party status.
- Example: Entree item and Dessert item fired at the same time, Tock party status updates to “Dessert”
If items within menu categories mapped to earlier courses are subsequently added to the POS check, the latest course status will persist.
- Example: Appetizer item is added after a Dessert item, no new status update occurs (last update of “Dessert” status persists)
How can you change menu category statuses after they have been created?
If menu categories change, requiring a mapping update, please reach out to hospitality@tockhq.com with the requested updates. Updates may take ~1 week to complete.
Does the “auto-open POS checks” feature need to be active in order to use automated party statuses?
It is not a requirement to have the “auto-open POS checks” feature active for the POS integration to have automatic party status updates occur in Tock. However, check matching will be delayed in this case, which means automatic status updates may not occur in real-time.
For more assistance, click Help on your Tock Dashboard or email hospitality@tockhq.com.