Offsets let you control when you start and stop accepting online orders without changing the operating hours guests see on Google and other sites. Changing your store hours instead would also update your Google Business Profile, which could confuse guests about when you're open.
Where to find offsets
In your Owner Dashboard, go to Settings › Hours › Online hours and choose Offset from store hours. Your Owner tablet has the same options under Settings › Hours › Online hours.
Choosing Custom instead lets you set specific pickup and delivery hours by day.
ℹ️ Note: You may also hear an offset called a "buffer."
The two offsets
Opening offset: how long after you open before you start accepting online orders (the "Start accepting online orders" setting).
Closing offset: how long before you close that you stop accepting online orders (the "Stop accepting online orders" setting).
How offsets work with prep time
Your prep time is added on top of the offset. Example: you close at 9:00 PM with a 30-minute closing offset.
With 0 minutes of prep time, the latest a guest can order for pickup (ASAP or scheduled) is 8:30 PM.
With 15 minutes of prep time, a guest can schedule a pickup up until 8:45 PM. ASAP orders still stop at 8:30 PM.
For delivery, the delivery time is added too. A 15-minute delivery time plus 15 minutes of prep means the system uses 30 minutes total.
Accept orders earlier or later
You can accept orders before you open or after you close. You always enter the amount as a positive number and choose before or after open (or close) from a dropdown.
Open at 7:00 AM with a 15-minute "before open" offset: ASAP orders start at 6:45 AM.
Close at 9:00 PM with a 15-minute "after close" offset: orders stop at 9:15 PM.
Good to know
Scheduled-order pickup times round to 15-minute slots.
The offset applies to every open and close in a day, not just the first open and last close.
The most you can offset is 8 hours (480 minutes) in either direction, in 5-minute steps. The opening and closing offsets combined can't exceed 480 minutes.
The offset is one location-wide value with no day selector. For different online hours by day, choose Custom instead.