The decision this workflow supports
A request for later today can arrive while staff are busy with the current service. The fact that the inquiry is urgent does not mean the assistant can check the dining room or guarantee a response before the requested time.
Put the review process in place
Capture the date explicitly and ask for the preferred arrival time. Use the owner’s approved same-day contact route if one exists. If no timely review is assured, explain that the request remains pending and avoid encouraging the caller to arrive as though confirmed.
Worked example for your team
A fictional guest calls during lunch about dining that evening and says they will leave home soon. The assistant must keep the pending status clear rather than implying staff will reply before departure. The note should contain the calendar date, desired arrival and best reachable contact. Ask the on-shift reviewer to find it using the approved queue. If it lands only in an inbox checked the next morning, the same-day routing design needs correction even if the conversation itself sounded helpful and captured the right details.
Sample wording to approve
“I can pass this same-day request to staff, but I cannot confirm availability or a table. What arrival time and party size should I include for their review?” This wording is a draft for the restaurant owner to approve before use.
Fields for the staff handoff
Staff need requested arrival today, party size, reachable contact, time request received, and on-shift reviewer. Mark uncertain details explicitly and keep the requested action separate from anything restaurant staff have already confirmed.
Acceptance tests before use
Today is recorded as a calendar date. The caller receives no arrival assurance. The request is visible to the current reviewer rather than only tomorrow’s inbox. Record the observed result, assign any mismatch, and repeat the affected scenario after correction.
Further reading
Catering inquiry value calculator ↗
Try Ava with your business’s public information ↗