Appearance
Close Kitchen
Temporarily close your kitchen for specific times or services.
Overview
Sometimes you need to close the kitchen while keeping the bar or other areas open, or stop accepting food orders at a certain time. Manage these closures independently from full venue closures.
Accessing Kitchen Closure
Navigate to All Venues > Select your venue > Close Kitchen
When to Close Kitchen
Common Scenarios
Time-Based Closures
- Last food orders time
- Kitchen closes before venue
- Late bar service only
- After-dinner drinks
Service Transitions
- Between lunch and dinner
- Prep time needed
- Staff changeover
- Deep cleaning
Special Events
- Private bar events (no food)
- Drinks-only parties
- Cocktail receptions
- Industry events
Operational Needs
- Equipment maintenance
- Staff training
- Inventory work
- Emergency repairs
Supply Issues
- Ingredient shortage
- Delivery delays
- Quality concerns
- Limited menu only
Strategic Closures
Slow Periods
- Quiet afternoons
- Off-peak days
- Seasonal low periods
- Cost management
Staff Availability
- Chef absence
- Skeleton crew
- Holiday periods
- Unexpected shortages
Creating Kitchen Closures
One-Time Closures
Close kitchen for specific date:
- Go to Close Kitchen
- Click Create Closure
- Select date
- Set closure times
- Choose affected services
- Add reason/note
- Notify customers (optional)
- Save closure
Recurring Closures
Set regular patterns:
Daily Kitchen Hours
- Kitchen opens: 12:00 PM
- Last orders: 9:30 PM
- Kitchen closes: 10:00 PM
- Bar stays open until midnight
Weekly Schedule
- Kitchen closed Sunday lunch
- Kitchen closed Monday-Tuesday
- Brunch service weekends only
- Dinner service Wednesday-Sunday
Service-Specific Closures
Lunch Only
- Kitchen closed lunch service
- Dinner still available
- Drinks and snacks only
- Light bites menu
Dinner Only
- Kitchen closed dinner service
- Lunch still available
- Early closure time
- Bar menu available
Full Day
- Kitchen closed all day
- Venue may stay open
- Drinks only
- Communicate clearly
Closure Settings
Time Configuration
Closure Types
Hard Close
- No food orders accepted
- Kitchen completely closed
- Clear cutoff time
- No exceptions
Last Orders
- Final order time
- Kitchen closes after
- Allows cooking time
- Realistic timing
Reduced Menu
- Limited offerings
- Simplified service
- Bar snacks only
- Small plates
Booking Impact
Accept Bookings
- Still take reservations
- Drinks and existing customers
- Walk-ins for bar
- Limited capacity
Block Bookings
- No new reservations
- Existing bookings honored
- Bar walk-ins only
- Prevent food expectations
Modified Bookings
- Drinks-only reservations
- Bar area only
- Special notes required
- Clear communication
Communication
Customer Notifications
Existing Reservations
If kitchen closes affecting bookings:
- Identify Affected Bookings - Find overlapping reservations
- Send Notifications - Email/SMS immediately
- Offer Alternatives - Different time, drinks only, reschedule
- Apologize - Professional and sincere
- Follow Up - Confirm customer choice
Website & Platform
Display prominently:
- Kitchen hours
- Closure dates
- Affected services
- Alternative options
- Contact information
Social Media
Announce closures:
- Instagram stories
- Facebook posts
- Twitter/X updates
- 24-48 hours advance notice
- Explain reasons (briefly)
Messaging Examples
Last Orders Time
"Our kitchen closes at 9:30 PM with last orders at 9:00 PM. Our bar remains open until midnight serving drinks and late-night snacks."
Service Closure
"Kitchen closed for lunch service today. Dinner service runs as normal from 5:30 PM. Bar open all day."
Emergency Closure
"Due to unforeseen circumstances, our kitchen is temporarily closed today. We apologize for the inconvenience. Our bar remains open, and kitchen service will resume tomorrow."
Planned Maintenance
"Our kitchen will be closed Wednesday, March 15th for scheduled maintenance. We'll be back serving our full menu Thursday. Thank you for your understanding!"
Late-Night Service
Kitchen vs Bar Hours
Typical Schedule
- Venue opens: 5:00 PM
- Kitchen closes: 10:00 PM
- Bar closes: 1:00 AM
- Different operating hours
Last Orders Management
- Announce last orders
- Allow reasonable time
- Staff notify customers
- Kitchen communication
Post-Kitchen Service
- Bar snacks available
- Cheese/charcuterie boards
- Dessert menu
- Drinks focus
Late-Night Menu
If offering food after main kitchen:
Cold Options
- No cooking required
- Pre-prepared items
- Cheese and crackers
- Desserts
Bar Snacks
- Nuts and olives
- Chips/crisps
- Simple small plates
- Easy assembly
Dessert Bar
- Cakes and pastries
- Ice cream
- Chocolate selection
- Coffee service
Emergency Closures
Unplanned Situations
Equipment Failure
- Oven breakdown
- Refrigeration failure
- Gas/power outage
- Hood system issues
Staff Emergencies
- Chef illness
- Staff shortage
- Accidents
- Weather preventing arrival
Supply Chain Issues
- Critical ingredient unavailable
- Delivery failure
- Quality problems
- Food safety concerns
Emergency Response
- Assess Situation - Can you operate?
- Make Decision - Close, reduce, or continue?
- Update System - Close kitchen immediately
- Notify Customers - All affected reservations
- Public Announcement - Website, social media
- Offer Alternatives - Reschedule, drinks only, voucher
- Document - Record reason and actions
Partial Menu Service
Reduced Offerings
Instead of full closure:
Limited Menu
- Core dishes only
- Popular items
- Simplified options
- Reduced preparation
Bar Menu
- Small plates
- Shareable items
- Quick preparation
- Bar-friendly food
Cold Options Only
- Salads
- Charcuterie
- Cheese boards
- No hot cooking
Communication
Be clear about limitations:
- Display reduced menu
- Explain situation
- Apologize for inconvenience
- Manage expectations
- Offer discounts (optional)
Staff Management
Kitchen Staff
Scheduling
When kitchen closes:
- Release kitchen staff early
- Skeleton crew for cleanup
- Prep for next service
- Efficient labor management
Alternative Tasks
- Prep work
- Deep cleaning
- Training
- Inventory
- Maintenance
Front-of-House
Service Continuation
Kitchen closed but venue open:
- Bar service
- Drinks orders
- Manage customer expectations
- Handle complaints professionally
- Alternative suggestions
Communication Training
Staff should know:
- Kitchen closure times
- What's still available
- Why kitchen is closed
- Alternative options
- Who to escalate to
Reporting & Analytics
Track Closures
Monitor kitchen closures:
Frequency
- How often closing
- Patterns emerging
- Planned vs emergency
- Duration of closures
Business Impact
- Lost revenue
- Customer complaints
- Bookings affected
- Cancellations
Root Causes
- Equipment issues
- Staff problems
- Supply chain
- Operational efficiency
Optimization
Use data to:
- Adjust kitchen hours
- Improve scheduling
- Prevent equipment failure
- Better inventory management
- Staff planning
Best Practices
Planning Closures
- Advance Notice - Give customers maximum warning
- Strategic Timing - Close during quieter periods
- Clear Communication - No ambiguity
- Alternative Options - Offer solutions
- Minimize Impact - Plan carefully
Communication Excellence
- Promptness - Notify immediately
- Clarity - Simple, direct messages
- Apology - Show understanding
- Solutions - Provide alternatives
- Updates - Keep customers informed
Customer Service
- Handle Complaints - Listen and empathize
- Offer Compensation - Discount, voucher, free drink
- Record Feedback - Learn from issues
- Follow Up - Ensure satisfaction
- Build Trust - Transparent and honest
Troubleshooting
Frequent Closures
If closing kitchen often:
Identify Causes
- Equipment reliability
- Staff availability
- Supply chain issues
- Inefficient operations
- Cost management
Solutions
- Invest in maintenance
- Improve hiring/retention
- Better supplier relationships
- Operational improvements
- Financial planning
Customer Frustration
Managing disappointed customers:
- Apologize sincerely
- Explain briefly (don't over-explain)
- Offer alternatives
- Provide compensation
- Invite them back
- Follow up personally
Booking Complications
If closures affect reservations:
- Update system immediately
- Prevent new bookings
- Contact existing bookings
- Offer options
- Process cancellations gracefully
- Record preferences for rebooking
Staff Morale
Kitchen closures can affect staff:
- Communicate reasons clearly
- Lost hours = lost income
- Consider alternative work
- Fair scheduling
- Maintain transparency
- Support your team
Integration with Full Closures
Relationship
Kitchen closures are separate from:
Venue Closures
- Full venue closed
- Everything shut down
- No service at all
- Different system
Kitchen Closures
- Kitchen only
- Bar/venue may stay open
- Partial service
- Independent setting
Combined Closures
If closing both:
- Set venue closure (primary)
- Kitchen automatically closed
- Single notification
- Comprehensive communication
- Clearer for customers
Reopening
After Planned Closure
Preparation
- Kitchen cleaned and stocked
- Equipment tested
- Staff briefed
- Menu ready
- Confirm in system
Announcement
- "We're back!"
- Social media post
- Email to customer list
- Highlight what they've missed
- Welcome return
After Emergency
Resolution
- Problem fixed
- Safety confirmed
- Quality assured
- Team ready
- Confidence restored
Rebuilding Trust
- Acknowledge issue
- Explain resolution
- Express gratitude
- Special offers (optional)
- Move forward positively
Support
Need help with kitchen closures?
- Email: [email protected]
- WhatsApp: WhatsApp Support
Related Pages
- Close Venue - Full venue closures
- View Reservations - Managing bookings
- Global Settings - Operating hours
Revenue Opportunity
Keep your bar open when the kitchen closes to capture late-night drinks revenue and maintain customer relationships.