Creating an event can easily be done by duplicating an existing service/scenario, configure its settings, update the confirmation message, and assign it to a venue.
Duplicate an existing scenario
The quickest way to create an event scenario is to copy an existing one. This carries over all base settings and the existing confirmation templates, so you only need to update the event-specific details.
- Go to Munu Cloud Portal → Booking → Scenarios
- Click the existing scenario you want to use as a base
- Click Copy
- Enter the name for your new event and click Create Copy
Tip: Choose a base scenario that is closest to your event type - this minimizes how much you need to change.
Configure booking details
Update the scenario settings to match your event.
- Adjust the Default Duration to match how long each seating lasts.
- Set Min Time Upon Arrival to restrict how close to the start time guests can book - for example, 120 minutes means guests must book at least 2 hours before the event
- Resolution can be adjusted to specify the minutes between each bookable time slot in the widget.
- In the Marketing section, set the scenario type to Event to make it event-only and display it in the Special Events section in the widget
- Add a Short Description - this is shown to guests in the booking widget
- Add an Image that will be shown next to the description in the booking widget
Update the confirmation messages
Note: The copied scenario carries over the original email templates. If you want to keep the original, just skip this step.
If you want to change the confirmation message, you can update it to reflect the event.
- Scroll down to the Notifications settings and open the Confirmation tab
- Update the email subject line to reflect the event name
- Edit the body text of the confirmation to match the event details
- Set the Confirmation Mode - for most events, Both (SMS and email) is recommended
- Continue to Reminder and Cancellation if you want to change those as well.
- Click Save
Tip: You do not need to rewrite the entire confirmation from scratch. The previous template carries over -just update the event name in the subject line and the key details in the body.
Assign event the venue
- Go to Venues from the main menu
- Select the venue where the event will take place
- Scroll down to the Scenarios section and click Add Row
- Select your newly created scenario from the dropdown
- Set the Active From and Active To dates using the calendar picker
- Open the days dropdown and select the specific days of the week the event is active
- Set the Active Time From and Active Time To - if you want the last bookable time to be 20:00, set Active Time To to 20:01
- Click Save and Publish configuration
Tip: If you need to add multiple date rows quickly, click on an existing scenario row and select Duplicate Row to copy it and adjust the dates.
Close regular service on the event day
Hosting an event while keeping the venue open for other bookings
If you want to host the event and accept other bookings, the steps above will achieve this. To accept only bookings for this event and close others, follow the next step.
Close regular service on the event day
Example: You have an Afternoon Tea at 16:00 on Saturday 29 August and want to close the regular Dinner service for booking on that date.
-
Go to the Booking App and click Close booking in the top right corner
-
Select the service, set the date to
29.08, and make sure the closing covers only the time period the Dinner service is active - Click Save - it can take up to 5 minutes for this to become active in the widget
Important: Always check the online widget after making changes to confirm everything looks correct.
Optional
Enable payment on events
Prepayment, no-show fee, deposit
To enable payment options on your events, you can use the guides below.
Which Payment type should i use?
| Type | How it works | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
|
No-show fee (Card guarantee) |
Guest registers a card at booking. No charge is made upfront — the card is only charged if the guest does not show up. | Popular time slots, Friday evenings, New Year's Eve |
| Prepayment | Guest pays a fixed amount at the time of booking. No automatic refund if cancelled. Revenue is recognised on the booking date. | Ticketed events, set menus, Chef's table, wine tastings |
| Deposit | Guest pays a fixed amount at booking. The amount is deducted from the final bill at the table. Revenue is recognised when the table is closed in POS. | Group bookings, birthdays, corporate events, peak season |