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Slot timing and lead times

The four Collection times settings that decide when slots appear and when the kitchen starts, with a quick-start for a 20-minute collection target.

On Click and collect → Availability, open the Collection times card. (On the older single-page settings screen the same card is called Slot timing.) Its closed row shows what the four settings currently add up to (for example "30 min slots · 30 min lead · 30 min cutoff"), so you can check them at a glance without opening it. Four settings decide when slots appear and when orders reach the kitchen.

Note

This card no longer has its own Save button. Changes here are committed by the one Save button in the bar at the top of the screen, together with your web address and the Accepting online orders switch — so you can set your address and tune these timings in a single click, even on first-time setup.

The four settings

  • Time between slots — how often a collection time is offered: every 15 minutes, every 30 minutes, or every hour. For example, 30 minutes gives 12:00, 12:30, 13:00…
  • How much notice you need (minutes) — the soonest a guest can collect, measured from now. For example, 20 means the soonest slot a guest sees is 20 minutes away. It simply hides slots that are too soon. No error, just breathing room for prep.
  • Stop taking orders before you close (minutes) — stops orders within this many minutes of closing. For example, 30 minutes blocks a 21:55 order against a 22:00 close.
  • Send to the kitchen before collection (minutes) — how far ahead the order reaches the kitchen. Set 0 and the kitchen gets it the moment it comes in, which suits quick prep. Set a higher number to make hot food just in time.

A How availability is computed card on the same screen restates these settings in plain terms so you can sanity-check what customers will see.

Quick-start: a 20-minute collection target

If you want customers to be able to collect about 20 minutes after ordering, these values are a good starting point. Open Collection times and set:

  • How much notice you need — 0 (or 5 if you want a small buffer). The soonest slot is now-ish, so a customer can collect about 20 minutes out once the kitchen has made it.
  • Time between slots — 15 minutes, so guests get plenty of times to choose from (2:00, 2:15, 2:30…).
  • Send to the kitchen before collection — 0, so the kitchen starts as soon as the order is submitted rather than waiting.
  • Stop taking orders before you close — 30 minutes, so you don't take an order you can't make before closing.

The trade-off: a higher lead time pushes the soonest slot further out (calmer kitchen, slower-feeling service); a higher fire-ahead delays when the kitchen starts (fresher food, less prep runway). For a fast 20-minute promise, keep both low.

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