Applies to IRIS Manager | Guest Room | Guest Mobile | Guest Web | Mobile Dining What are timeslots?
Timeslots (also called order throttling) limit how many orders your outlet can receive within a set time window. Instead of all orders arriving at once, they are spread across short intervals — for example, no more than 10 orders every 15 minutes.
This is useful for outlets that need to manage kitchen capacity, especially during peak periods like breakfast service or a busy lunch rush. Without timeslots, a sudden spike in orders can overwhelm staff and lead to delays.
How timeslots work
When timeslots are enabled, GXP divides the day into equal intervals based on the Interval Time you set (e.g. 15 minutes). Each interval has a maximum number of orders, set by the Time Slot Capacity.
When a guest places an order, GXP checks how many orders have already been placed in the current interval. If the slot is full, the guest is offered the next available interval instead. This means orders are automatically spread out, with no manual queue management needed from your team.
The interval time also affects Deliver Later orders — when guests schedule an order in advance, they choose from the same interval slots.
Setting up timeslots
Timeslots are configured in IRIS Manager under Outlet Settings for the relevant outlet.
- Open IRIS Manager and navigate to Outlet Settings.
- Select the outlet you want to configure and open its Settings.
- Scroll to the ordering section and turn on the Enable Time Slots (Order Throttling) toggle.
- Set the Time Slot Capacity — the maximum number of orders allowed per interval.
- Set the Interval Time (minutes) using the dropdown — this controls how long each slot lasts.
- Save your changes.
Timeslots will take effect immediately for any new orders placed by guests.
Settings reference
Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Enable Time Slots (Order Throttling) | Turns timeslots on or off for the outlet. When disabled, guests can place unlimited orders at any time. |
| Time Slot Capacity | The maximum number of orders accepted per interval. Once a slot is full, guests are moved to the next available one. |
| Interval Time (minutes) | The length of each time slot in minutes. Also used to define the available times for Deliver Later orders. |
Choose your interval time and capacity based on how long your kitchen takes to handle a batch of orders. For example, a 15-minute interval with a capacity of 8 means up to 8 orders every 15 minutes.
Related settings
Two other settings on the Outlet Settings page work alongside timeslots:
Allow Deliver Later — When turned on, guests can schedule an order for a future time rather than receiving it as soon as possible. The time options guests see are based on your Interval Time setting, so these two features share the same time grid. You do not need to enable timeslots to use Deliver Later, but the interval time affects both.
Lead Time (minutes) — This is the minimum preparation time your outlet needs before an order can be delivered. It applies to both immediate and Deliver Later orders. For example, a lead time of 30 minutes means guests cannot schedule delivery sooner than 30 minutes from now.
For further help with outlet configuration, see the Outlet Settings guide or contact IRIS Support.
How does this display for the Guests?
When a guest adds an item to their cart, the system automatically finds the next available time slot based on your Interval Time and Time Slot Capacity settings. If a slot is free, it is assigned to the guest straight away and they can review their scheduled delivery time on the Cart page.
When a time slot is full
If the next available slot has already reached capacity, the guest will see a message letting them know their order cannot be placed for that time. The message will suggest the next available delivery time within a three-hour window.
When a guest edits their basket
If a guest adds or removes items from their basket, their assigned time slot may change. This is because individual items can have their own lead times, which affects the earliest the order can be delivered. If the slot changes, the guest will see a notification on the Cart page showing their updated delivery time.
When all slots are full (ASAP orders)
If Deliver Later is turned off and all time slots within the next three hours are taken, a guest trying to place an ASAP order will see a message letting them know no slots are currently available.
Using Deliver Later to choose a time
If Deliver Later is enabled, guests can manually select a preferred time slot. Both Time Slots and Deliver Later must be turned on in Outlet Settings for this to work. If the slot a guest selects is no longer available by the time they reach the Cart page, they will be shown a list of suggested alternative times to choose from. Once they select a time and proceed, the slot is confirmed.
