Overview
Order Throttling helps restaurants manage order volume by setting limits on the number of orders or total dollar amount over a specified period.
This feature is particularly useful for managing high-demand periods, ensuring that the kitchen isn’t overwhelmed during peak service hours. You can configure Time Slots to apply Order Throttling automatically or enable it manually whenever you need to slow down incoming orders to your POS system. Guests will place orders as usual and receive an updated ready time at checkout.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Order Throttling is based on Prep Time, not Lead Time. Scheduled future orders are factored into throttling, which means same-day ASAP orders may be affected.
Order Throttling Configuration
In the following section, you will learn how to set up a Local Order Throttling Rule. Before we start, please note if you manage a single location, it will be preselected for you. If you manage multiple locations, check the Admin Dashboard header to see which store is currently selected. Any local throttling rule you introduce will apply only to that specific location.
To set the Order throttling rule,
Select Operate in the left-hand sidebar
Select Order Processing
Select Order Throttling Rules
Here, you need to choose between setting a Global or Local order throttling rule.Global rules are best for specific days when you anticipate high order volume across all restaurant locations. For example, a restaurant chain specializing in wings may benefit from a global throttling rule on game days.
Local rules are more commonly used for managing order volume at individual locations. We’ll explain how to set these up in the following steps
Select the Local Rules tab
Select + Add Local Rule
Select the service types you want to apply the rule to or toggle on ALL to apply the rule to all service types
In the time slot section,
Maximum Subtotal
Maximum orders (optionally).
Interval in minutes
Currently, the system doesn't support entering Maximum subtotal OR maximum orders.
To save the rule you must enter Maximum Subtotal and Interval in minutes, while Maximum Orders entry is optional.
Also, you cannot save the rule if you enter only Maximum Orders without specifying a Maximum Subtotal.
If you select both Maximum Subtotal and Maximum Orders for the rule, it will throttle based on what is hit first.
Example: If it is 7 pm, your prep time is set to 30 minutes and you would like to accept a maximum of $250 or 5 orders over a 15-minute time interval, the 1 guest who places an order that takes the total over $251 -OR- becomes the 6th order to be placed, will be throttled to 7:45 pm.
Select the Save button to save the rule
After saving the Order Throttling Rule, the Add Local Rule modal will close and you'll see the created rule on the list
Delete Order Throttling Rule
To Delete the order throttling rule,
Select the Three Dots by the rule you want to edit
Select Delete button
In the pop-up window, select the Yes button to confirm the deletion
The order throttling rule will be removed from the list
Order Throttling On 3PD
Order Throttling for 3rd Party Marketplaces are handled differently than online orders. When a 3rd Party Marketplace order is received by the Lunchbox Dashboard, and the throttling threshold has been met the order is not sent to the POS, nothing prints to the kitchen and the following occurs…
Step 1: Lunchbox will submit an updated time to the 3rd Party Marketplace.
Note: The 3rd Party Marketplace does NOT remove the timeslot off their site. The updated time that is sent occurs AFTER the order is sent from the 3rd Party Marketplace. This offers more control than before and helps avoid angry guests and drivers waiting for an order.
Step 2: The updated time is received by the 3rd Party Marketplace.
Step 3: The 3rd Party Marketplace updates the driver and the customer on the 3rd Party Portal of the pick up time adjustment (App) through a text or push notification. (Web) comes through an email.
What does it look like to the guest when an order is throttled?
Grubhub/Seamless: Sends the guest a text message.
Doordash/Caviar: Notifies via a push notification.
Doordash Drive: Notifies via a text message.
Ubereats/Postmates: Notifies via a push notification.
Step 4: If the provider is willing to accept the order - they'll resubmit and we'll have the order in our system.
Step 5: Order is sent to the kitchen and the food is prepared with the updated time.
Important Note: The updated time may sometimes be rejected by the provider. When this happens, the order is canceled by the provider and refunds/voids the transaction. The guest receives a cancellation email and text or push notification. The order is not re-submitted to Lunchbox. When this occurs there is no record of anything past the time not available. The order will not show in Lunchbox.
We update time based on… throttling & prep times
What does it look like to the guest when an order is cancelled?
Grubhub Seamless: Sends a text message & email.
Doordash/Caviar: Notifies via a push notification and email.
Doordash Drive: Notified via a text message.
Ubereats/Postmates: Notifies via a push notification & email.
Order Throttling FAQ
Here are the questions about Order throttling. All new questions and answers will be logged below:
Q: What happens if you have order throttling rules with NO time slots assigned and they both reflect different prices, does the system pick the cheaper or more expensive limit?
A: The Throttling rule will only take effect when the dollar amount reaches the $ threshold, once the dollar amount reaches the second throttling rule with the higher $ amount threshold, the new rule will take effect and the previous throttling rule will be ignored
Q: What takes priority if you have two order throttling rules and both have time slots assigned, but one time slot is for the day of the week, and the other is a specific date?
A: Whichever rule is created first, it would take priority.
Test 1: I created two throttling rules. First with the time slot "DayWeek" and second with "SpecificDate". After ordering, the time slot with DayWeek got the priority.
Test 2: I created two throttling rules. First with "Specific Date" time slot and second with "DayWeek" time slot. After ordering, the rule with SpecificDate got the priority.
Q: What happens if you have an order throttle setup with no time slot for $500 every 15 minutes and you have an order throttle setup for $250 every 15 minutes that is tied to a specific date?
A: On the specific date, the 250$ rule will also take into effect, so technically 15 min will be added to the order for all orders over 150$