Restaurant Floor & Table Management in Odoo 18
By Braincuber Team
Published on December 26, 2025
Restaurant hosts juggling mental table maps create seating chaos: servers assigned to tables 12 and 15 don't know table 12 just seated new guests, the hostess walks parties past empty tables because she can't see real-time status, large groups wait while scattered 2-tops sit empty instead of being combined, and order mix-ups occur when servers forget which table ordered what because there's no visual system linking orders to specific seats.
Odoo 18's Restaurant Floor & Table Management transforms chaotic seating into visual command centers. Digital floor plans display real-time table status (available, occupied, ordering, paying) with color coding, drag-and-drop table positioning mirrors your actual layout, servers tap tables to view active orders, and the system tracks covers per table, wait times, and turnover rates—all from the POS interface without clipboards or guesswork.
Floor & Table Management Features:
- Visual floor plan designer
- Drag-and-drop table positioning
- Real-time table status tracking
- Multiple floor support (Patio, Main Dining, Bar, etc.)
- Custom table shapes (Square, Round)
- Seat capacity configuration
- Color-coded table identification
- Order transfer between tables
Understanding Floor Plans
Floor plans provide visual representations of your restaurant layout, showing table locations, capacity, and current status.
Why Floor Plans Matter
Seating Efficiency
Visualize available tables instantly—seat guests faster without walking entire restaurant to check availability
Server Coordination
Assign servers to specific tables/sections—prevent order confusion and improve service quality
Table Turnover
Track how long tables occupied—optimize turnover during rush hours to maximize covers
Capacity Planning
Know total seats per floor/section—manage reservations and walk-ins effectively
Step 1: Enable Restaurant Mode
Configuration
- Navigate to
Point of Sale→Configuration→Settings - Select your POS configuration
- Set Point of Sale Type to "Restaurant"
- Enable "Table Booking" under Restaurant Mode section
- Click
Save
Note: Restaurant mode is different from retail mode—it enables table management, floor plans, and order transfers.
Step 2: Create Floor Plans
Floor Plan Creation
- Access Floor Plans: Go to
Configuration→Floor Plans - Create New: Click
New - Configure Floor:
- Floor Name: Descriptive name (e.g., "Main Dining Room", "Outdoor Patio", "Bar Area")
- Point of Sale: Select your Restaurant POS
Example Floor Setup
Floor 1: Main Dining
- Capacity: 80 seats
- Tables: 20 (mix of 2, 4, 6-tops)
- Climate: Air Conditioned
Floor 2: Outdoor Patio
- Capacity: 40 seats
- Tables: 10 (4-6 person tables)
- Climate: Open Air
Floor 3: Bar Area
- Capacity: 16 seats
- Tables: 8 (2-person high-tops)
- Climate: Air Conditioned
Step 3: Add Tables to Floor
Table Configuration
Adding Tables:
Step 1: Add Line
Click "Add a Line" in Tables section
Step 2: Table Properties
- Table Number: Unique identifier (1, 2, 3... or A1, B2, etc.)
- Seats: Number of seats (2, 4, 6, 8, etc.)
- Shape: Square or Round
- Color: Visual identifier for easy recognition
Step 3: Advanced Settings (Optional)
Click "Adjust Settings" for:
- Appointment: Link to table booking system
- Height/Width: Adjust visual size on floor plan
- Active: Enable/disable table availability
Table Design Best Practices
| Table Type | Recommended Seats | Shape | Color Strategy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deuce (2-top) | 2 | Square | Light Blue (quick turn tables) |
| Four-top | 4 | Square or Round | Green (standard seating) |
| Six-top | 6 | Round | Yellow (medium groups) |
| Large Party | 8-10 | Round | Orange (VIP/large groups) |
| Bar Seating | 1-2 | Square | Purple (bar section) |
Step 4: Edit Floor Plan Layout
Visual Designer
- Open POS (Restaurant mode)
- Select floor plan from floor list
- Click Hamburger Menu (three lines, top-right corner)
- Select
Edit Plan
Designer Tools
Paintbrush Icon
Change background color to match actual restaurant aesthetics or section coding
Plus Icon
Add new floors or tables directly from visual interface
Rename Icon
Change table number/name without recreating
Duplicate/Delete
Clone similar tables or remove unused ones
Drag-and-Drop Positioning
- Click and hold on table
- Drag to desired position on floor plan
- Release to drop in place
- Arrange tables to mirror actual restaurant layout
Tip: Position tables to match physical layout exactly—servers navigate floor plan visually without checking table numbers.
Step 5: Using Floor Plans in Service
Table Status Colors
Available (White/Gray)
Table open and ready for seating
Occupied (Orange/Yellow)
Guests seated, order in progress
Paying (Green)
Bill requested, payment in process
Reserved (Red/Purple)
Advance booking, waiting for guest arrival
Workflow
Host Seats Guests
Tap available table → Table changes to occupied status
Server Takes Order
Tap occupied table → Add items to order → Send to kitchen
Guest Requests Check
Tap table → Print bill or request payment → Table shows paying status
Payment Complete
Process payment → Table returns to available → Ready for next guests
Advanced Features
Order Transfer
Move order from one table to another when guests switch seats—maintain order integrity without re-entering items.
Wait Time Tracking
System tracks how long tables occupied—identify slow turnover tables for manager intervention during busy periods.
Capacity Reports
View covers served per floor, peak occupancy times, and average table turnover—optimize staffing and reservations.
Reservation Integration
Link online reservations to specific tables—reserved tables show clearly on floor plan with guest name and arrival time.
Best Practices
Mirror Physical Layout Exactly
Drag tables to match actual restaurant—servers should navigate floor plan purely visually without cross-referencing numbers. Wall placement, kitchen location, and traffic flow should be obvious from digital map.
Color Code by Section or Server
Use table colors to designate sections (Blue = Server A's section, Green = Server B's section) or table types (Yellow = high-tops, Purple = booths) for instant visual identification.
Update Floor Plans Seasonally
Adjust table counts when adding/removing patio seating for weather changes. Deactivate outdoor tables in winter, reactivate in spring—system adapts to actual capacity.
Train on Floor Plan Discipline
Servers must tap tables when seating/clearing—if they skip steps, floor plan shows incorrect availability causing seating confusion. Make it a non-negotiable part of service workflow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion
Odoo 18's Restaurant Floor & Table Management eliminates seating guesswork and order confusion by providing real-time visual command of your dining room. Hosts instantly see which tables are available without walking the floor, servers tap tables to access orders without memorizing who ordered what, and managers track turnover rates to optimize capacity during rush periods—all from the POS interface.
By mirroring your actual restaurant layout with drag-and-drop precision, color-coding tables by section or server, and updating status in real-time as orders flow from seating through payment, the floor plan system transforms chaotic table management into a coordinated digital workflow. Whether you're managing a casual cafe with 10 tables or a fine dining establishment with multiple floors and 100+ seats, Odoo's floor management scales to your needs while keeping the entire team synchronized on a single source of truth for seating status.
Need Help Optimizing Restaurant Operations?
Our restaurant technology experts can help you design optimal floor plans, configure table management workflows, train staff on POS systems, integrate reservation platforms, implement kitchen display systems, and build complete digital restaurant operations that maximize table turnover and guest satisfaction.