Prep Time x Lead Time
Prep Time: the amount of time it will take for a store to prepare the order. It's calculated at check-out to ensure the location has enough time to prepare the order and that the order promise time is adjusted accordingly at checkout.
Lead Time: the earliest possible time that a customer can order. This static value sets customer expectations as to the earliest time they can place their order, and it’s set per Service Type in Management.
Key Concepts of Prep Time
Used to determine order ready time
Calculated at check out after customer has added entire order to cart
Ensures the restaurant has enough time to prepare customer’s order
Determines the time that the order is fired to POS if you have a POS-integrated system
Consists of 3 cumulative components:
Prep time per service type - configurable by location
Prep time by menu item - configurable at the chain level
Prep time by order subtotal - configurable at the chain level
Phone order example:
Customer: “I’d like to place a pick-up order. How early can I get it?”
Restaurant: “We need at least 15 minutes”
The customer places a large order
Restaurant: “Due to the size of your order, we will need two hours to complete it. Would you like to pick it up in two hours or set another time?”
Prep time causes the customer to be prompted with the 'Accept updated order time' when attempting to check out with a larger order.
Prep Time is calculated using the specified prep time rules when the customer checks out. Using the example from above, if the same customer starts checking out at 11:03, with an order of $15.00, the prep time is calculated to be 10 minutes based on the prep time rules. Since 11:03 (current time) + 10 minutes (prep time) = 11:13 and is still less than 11:15, they can check out and keep the 11:15 promise time. However, if they place a $40.00 order, prep time is calculated to be 30 minutes based on the rules, and since 11:03 (current time) + 30 minutes = 11:33 and is greater than the original time customer selected (11:15), the customer is prompted to accept the new ready time of 11:33 or select a new, later time.
Key Concepts of Lead Time
Used to determine the earliest available time when the customer is placing an order
Manages customer expectations at the earliest order time
Used only when the customer starts an order
Configurable by service type (pick-up, delivery, catering) and location
Configurable using time slots by service type
Phone order Lead Time Example:
Customer: “I’d like to place a catering order. How soon can I get it?”
Restaurant: “We need at least 4 hours on catering orders” before knowing what the customer will actually order
Lead Time sets the earliest time a customer can place an order before we know what the order is, how big, etc. For example, if a customer comes to the site at 11:00 a.m. and wants to start an ASAP order, and the lead time is set to 15 minutes, then the earliest time they can select is 11:00 + 15 minutes = 11:15 a.m. This is before they’ve added any items to their cart, etc.
| Lead Time | Prep Time |
Used when starting an order | X | Only if greater than Lead Time |
Used in calculating total order prep time |
| X |
Varies based on orders in the queue | X |
|