Restaurant reservation glossary
Plain-language definitions of the words behind reservations and repeat guests, written for operators on the floor. Each term gets its own entry.
- Written for operators on the floor
- A worked example on every term
- Reservations and loyalty in one system
What is a restaurant reservation glossary?
A restaurant reservation glossary is a plain-language list that defines the words behind reservations, covers, and repeat guests. It covers no-show, cover, table turnover, deposit, and wallet coupon, the terms an operator meets every shift, each with a worked example. On Goboblo the same words map to one system that runs restaurant reservation software and restaurant loyalty program software together, not two tools that never talk.
- No-show
- Cover
- Table turnover
- Deposit
- Floor plan
- Wallet coupon
Which reservation terms decide the margin?
Four words tell you where revenue comes in and where it leaks, before you open the next covers report. No-show burns a seat you sold, a cover is the unit you are priced on, turnover sets the ceiling, and the wallet coupon wins the guest back.
- No-show = revenue lost on a fully booked night
- Cover = one guest served, not a reservation
- Table turnover = parties per table, per service
- Wallet coupon = the lever for repeat visits
What does a restaurant reservation glossary cover?
A definition, a worked example, and related words per term. Tap through for the full explanation — the words split into two families: a table moving from request to seated party, and a guest coming back.
No-show
A guest who books a table but never arrives and never cancels, leaving the seat empty.
Read the full entry →Guest dataGuest profile
One profile per guest — reservations, allergies, visits and loyalty in one place you own.
Read the full entry →OccupancyCover
A served guest, not a reservation. The unit you measure occupancy and staffing in.
Read the full entry →BK-404
Read the full entry →Repeat visitsWallet coupon
A digital offer the guest opens in their phone browser that pulls a guest back for a repeat visit.
Read the full entry →Repeat visitsGuest retention
The share of guests who come back and book again instead of visiting once and never returning.
Read the full entry →Guest dataRestaurant CRM
The system that keeps every guest on one database you own — reservations, visits and preferences per guest.
Read the full entry →Which reservation and loyalty terms work together?
No-show, deposit, cover, and table turnover describe how a table moves from a request to a seated party. Wallet coupon, stamp card, and regular describe how a guest comes back. The reservation that fills a table tonight starts the relationship that fills it next month.
- Reservation chain: request → confirmed table → seated cover
- Repeat visits: guest profile → wallet coupon → next reservation
- One engine confirms the table and wins the guest back
One system behind every reservation term
Frequently asked questions
What is a no-show in a restaurant?
A no-show is a booked seat the guest never arrives for and never cancels. The full entry on what a no-show is works through the cost and how Goboblo cuts it.
What is a cover in a restaurant?
A cover is one guest served, not one reservation. The entry on what a cover is shows how a four-top booked full counts as four covers.
What is table turnover?
Table turnover is how many parties one table seats during a service. Higher turnover fills more covers from the same room. The guides for restaurant owners work through turning tables faster.
What is a deposit on a restaurant reservation?
A deposit is a card hold or prepayment a guest leaves to secure a reservation. It commits the guest and covers part of the loss when a seat goes empty. In Goboblo, parties from a size you choose save a card when they book: nothing is charged up front, and a fee applies only if the party doesn't show and hasn't canceled.
What is a wallet coupon?
A wallet coupon is a digital offer the guest opens in their phone browser, no app and no plastic card. The entry on what a wallet coupon is shows how it drives repeat visits.
Every term here runs inside one system. Goboblo's restaurant reservation software confirms the table and cuts no-shows, while its loyalty program software wins the guest back with a wallet coupon. The reservation that fills a table tonight starts the relationship that fills it next month.
See Goboblo turn reservations into regulars
Book a short demo and we will show no-show protection, the floor plan, the covers report, and wallet coupons in a concrete restaurant flow.