Plans change: a table for four becomes six, or 7pm becomes 8pm. With online changes switched on, a guest can change the time or number of guests on their own booking from a link, instead of ringing you or cancelling and rebooking. NomNom only accepts the change if a suitable table is free, and lets you know when it happens.
Switch on online changes
1. Open Cancellations & No-shows. In NomNom Web, open Settings and choose Cancellations & No-shows.
2. Turn on Allow online changes. It’s under ONLINE CHANGES. Newer venues start with it on; for others it’s off until you turn it on.
3. Turn on Add change link to confirmation email. This puts a Change My Booking button in your confirmation emails, which is how most guests will find it.
4. Set a Minimum notice, if you like. Click Minimum notice and enter how many hours before the booking a guest can still change it online. Leave it blank for No limit.
5. Choose who hears about it. Notify staff sends a Booking changed notification to the NomNom phone app, saying what changed. Email the customer sends the guest an updated confirmation. Both start on.
In NomNom Web: Settings → Cancellations & No-shows → ONLINE CHANGES. In the phone app: Settings → Cancellations & No-shows → ONLINE CHANGES.
What your guest sees
The Change My Booking button opens a page for their booking. They choose the number of guests and NomNom lists the Available times for that party size, with their current time marked (current). They pick a time, click Save Changes and see Booking Updated. If you allow online cancellations, there’s a Cancel this booking link too.
Your booking page also has a Change an existing booking link, whichever style your page is, and so does the booking form on your own website: the guest enters their booking reference and email address, and NomNom re-sends their confirmation to the address on the booking. That email always has the Change My Booking button, even if Add change link to confirmation email is off.
What guests can and can’t change
- Time and party size only. Names, contact details, notes, allergies and status are never touched.
- Same day, same meal. Guests can’t change the date, and only see times in the meal they booked — lunch can’t become dinner. For another day, they’re asked to contact you.
- Only when a table is free. The times follow the same rules as your booking page (see How NomNom decides which times to offer online), and NomNom checks again as the guest saves.
- Within your online party size (see Limiting how many guests can book online).
Deposits and cards
An online change never takes a payment or gives a refund. NomNom works out what the booking would need under your meal’s deposit and card rules (see Setting up deposits and card requirements on a meal) before and after the change. If that differs — a per-person deposit and a new party size, or a bigger party crossing your deposit or card threshold — the change is refused and the guest is told: This change would alter the deposit for your booking, so it can’t be made online. Please contact the restaurant directly. Nothing is sent to you, so expect a call.
A time change on the same day never alters the deposit, and nor does a new party size on a flat-fee deposit or a card hold that covers both sizes. A deposit or card already taken stays with the booking.
Good to know
- The table can change. NomNom picks a table as it does for an online booking (see How NomNom picks a table for an online booking), so the booking may move to another table or area, even if Requested table is ticked. Its turn length is worked out again too.
- When changes are refused. Cancelled bookings, bookings that have started and bookings inside your Minimum notice can’t be changed online; the guest is asked to contact you.
- Leave Email the customer on. With it off, the guest isn’t emailed an updated confirmation, and their page doesn’t say one was sent. If Copy my restaurant on confirmations is on in Email Settings, you get a copy too.
- Switching it off works straight away: Change My Booking buttons in emails already sent then ask the guest to contact you.