What the guest sees

1
They choose party size, date and time
Google shows the times available around the time they ask for. When the shift lets guests choose their room, the times are grouped by dining area, under your room names.
2
They confirm with their Google details
Google fills in their name, email and phone number from their Google account. Nothing else is passed on: no message, no allergies, no occasion.
3
The booking is created in EatNow
EatNow checks the slot again at that exact moment. The reservation appears in your lists with the source Reserve with Google, and the usual notifications go out: confirmation (or “request received”) email and WhatsApp to the guest, new-booking notification to your team.
What Google offers
Google offers the same times as your booking portal, worked out by the same engine:- your shifts and their public hours, days and dates;
- capacity, pacing, closures and table blocks, including the day’s adjustments;
- only tables marked Available for online booking;
- the notice period (each slot closes on Google at its cutoff) and Limit max reservation in advance;
- party sizes from the shift’s minimum to its maximum, up to 10 guests;
- the next 30 days.
What Google does not offer
Manual confirmation
When the shift’s Reservation system is Manual, or Advanced and the party is above the Manual threshold, Google shows the booking as waiting for the restaurant’s confirmation. The reservation arrives in EatNow as Pending. Accept or decline it as usual: Google tells the guest. A guest cannot change a booking that is still pending. They cancel it and book again.After the booking
From Google, the guest can:- cancel at any time. The portal’s Allow reservation cancellation setting and its threshold do not apply to Google bookings;
- change the time, date or party size, only if Allow reservation modification is on. The new slot is checked like a new booking (availability, notice period, booking window).
How up to date Google is
- Every morning at 06:00 UTC (08:00 in Paris in summer, 07:00 in winter), EatNow sends Google the next 30 days.
- Within about a minute of a change to your shifts, closures, rooms, tables, table blocks or the day’s adjustments, EatNow sends Google the new availability.
- Bookings made on your other channels (portal, phone, walk-ins, WhatsApp) are not sent to Google one by one. Google may therefore still show a slot that has just filled up. When the guest picks it, EatNow checks again and Google tells them it is no longer available.
- New days and times (a day entering the 30-day window, hours you add to a shift) appear on Google the next day. Changes to existing times, such as a closure or a notice period, show the same day.
Troubleshooting
Google shows no times for a day
Google shows no times for a day
Check that the shift is open that day on your portal. Then check the shift’s payment settings: if every party size needs a deposit or prepayment, nothing is offered on Google. If you have just added the day or the hours, wait until the next day.
A time shows on Google, but the guest is told it is no longer available
A time shows on Google, but the guest is told it is no longer available
The slot filled up through another channel since Google last received your availability. EatNow always checks live before creating the booking, so no overbooking is possible.
Large groups cannot book on Google
Large groups cannot book on Google
Google stops at 10 guests. Larger groups book through your portal or by phone.
The guest cancelled on Google although my portal does not allow cancellation
The guest cancelled on Google although my portal does not allow cancellation
Expected: Google always lets guests cancel. The portal’s cancellation setting only covers the portal, emails and the WhatsApp agent.