Table reservations at a pool hall: no-shows and double bookings

Table reservations at a pool hall work when three rules hold: every booking goes into one book, every booking has a start and an end time, and the late rule is told to the guest when they book. Then two groups never turn up for the same table, and a guest who doesn't show doesn't keep your most expensive evening hour empty. Below: when to take bookings, what to write down, where double bookings come from, and what to do about no-shows.

When to take bookings, and how many tables to hold

You don't need bookings for every hour. In the afternoon, when tables are free, people just walk in and play, and a booking is only extra paperwork. Bookings pay off when tables run short: evenings, weekends, VIP tables and groups.

Don't hand every table over to bookings. Walk-ins bring money too, and "we're full" sends them to another hall. For example, in an 8-table hall you might hold up to 5 tables for bookings on Friday and Saturday nights and keep 3 for walk-ins. Adjust the split after a month, based on your reports.

Set a minimum for evening bookings, for example 1.5 or 2 hours. Otherwise a 30-minute booking at peak time cuts a table in two: there's no room for a long game before it or after it. How to fill quiet daytime hours is covered in day and night rates.

What to write down for each booking

A good booking record can be read by someone on another shift without asking anyone. It has:

• the guest's name and phone number;
• the date, plus start and end time: not just "8 pm" but "8–10 pm";
• the number of guests and the table type (standard or VIP), and a table number if it matters;
• who took the booking.

Once it's written, read it back to the guest: "Saturday, 8 to 10 pm, four people, VIP table." State the late rule right then. A wrong date or time gets fixed at that moment, not when the group is standing at the counter.

If a regular group comes at the same time every week, book them one or two weeks ahead and confirm the day before each time.

Where double bookings come from

Two groups at one table at the same time almost always comes down to the same few causes:

• Several channels. Bookings come in by phone, messaging apps and social media, each handled by a different person or written in a different place.
• "I'll write it down later." The booking is taken verbally and reaches the book late, or never.
• Start time only. A booking written as "8 pm, table 3" has no end, so the next person puts another booking on that table at 9 pm.
• Shift change. A booking taken on the day shift never gets passed to the night shift.

The fix is one book. Wherever a booking comes from, it goes into one place, and it only counts if it's there. Leave a 15-minute buffer between bookings, so that if the previous group runs a little over or the table needs racking and brushing, the next group isn't kept waiting. Karaoke and VR rooms need a bigger buffer; see karaoke and VR rooms.

In ClubTime you book up to 14 days ahead with a time and a name, and overlapping bookings are blocked: two staff members can't put two bookings on the same table at the same time.

A walk-in at a reserved table

The table is booked for 8 pm, it's 6:40, and the table is free. Leaving it empty costs money. You can give it to a walk-in, on two conditions:

1. Say so up front. "This table is booked from 8, you can play until 7:45." Tell them before the game starts, not at the end.
2. Set a timed session. Not an open timer, but one with a fixed end time.

For example, at $12 per hour, 6:40 to 7:45 is 65 minutes and brings in $13.00. Left empty, it brings in nothing. The remaining 15 minutes, 7:45 to 8:00, are for tidying the table and the buffer.

ClubTime timers can be set for a fixed time or a fixed amount, and the app warns before they run out. The attendant closes the session, so clearing the table for the booked group is still their job. If the table light is on a smart plug, it switches off by itself when the time limit runs out, as long as ClubTime is open on the device that runs the club.

No-shows: a late rule and a reminder

A no-show costs you an empty table and the walk-ins you turned away. For example, at $12 per hour, three 2-hour bookings don't show up on a Saturday night and the tables are held "in case they come": 3 × 2 × $12 = $72. With a 15-minute late rule, the loss would be $3 per table, $9 in total.

Rules that cut no-shows:

• A late rule. For example, 15 minutes: after that, the table goes to the next guest. State it when the booking is made, so there's nothing to argue about later.
• A reminder. On the day, 1–2 hours before, call or send a message: "We'll see you at 8." No reply? Mark the booking as doubtful.
• Make cancelling easy. Ask: "If you can't make it, just send us a message." A guest who feels awkward about cancelling simply doesn't come.
• Repeat no-shows. If someone has twice failed to show without warning, take their next booking only after a confirmation call.
• Deposits only for the busiest nights. For example, a large group or a holiday evening. Write down in advance whether it's refundable and how late they can cancel, and make it clear who took the money. ClubTime doesn't take booking deposits, so this stays a house rule.

Where to keep the booking book

A paper book works if there's only one and it always stays at the counter. The trouble is that it only lives at the counter: an attendant takes a call out on the floor, and the booking turns into "I'll write it down later" again. A shared chat or a phone log has the same rule: a booking only counts in one place.

The main benefit of bookings in software is that the software, not the attendant's attention, stops double bookings. ClubTime runs on Android, iPhone/iPad, Windows and macOS, and staff devices are free; only the club owner pays. It keeps working without internet: everything is saved on the device first and syncs to the cloud on its own once the connection is back. What else ClubTime does for a pool hall is on the billiards page.

FAQ

How long should I hold a table if a guest with a booking is late?

That's your call, for example 15 minutes. What matters is stating it when they book, so there's no argument when the table goes to someone else.

Should I take a deposit for a pool table booking?

It isn't required. It can make sense for the busiest nights and large groups, but write down the refund terms in advance. ClubTime doesn't take booking deposits.

How far ahead can I book a table in ClubTime?

Up to 14 days ahead, with a time and a name. A second booking on the same table at the same time is blocked.

Can I give a reserved table to a walk-in?

Yes, if there's enough time before the booking starts. Tell the guest up front how long the table is free, and set the timer to end 15 minutes before the booking.

In short

• Every booking goes into one book, with a start and an end time.
• Don't hold every table for bookings; leave room for walk-ins.
• Keep a 15-minute buffer between bookings; a walk-in at a reserved table gets a timed session only.
• State the late rule when the booking is made, and send a reminder on the day.
• Deposits only for the busiest nights, with written terms.

ClubTime puts bookings, timers and the bar in one app. Try it free for 15 days, no card needed. The plan depends only on the number of tables: see pricing.