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Overview

The table management system provides complete control over restaurant tables, including status tracking, capacity management, and integration with the reservation system.

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Table Model

The Table model represents physical tables in the restaurant:
app/Models/Table.php
class Table extends Model
{
    use HasFactory;

    protected $fillable = [
        'name',
        'number',
        'type',
        'status',
        'seats',
    ];

    public function orders()
    {
        return $this->hasMany(Order::class);
    }
    
    public function reservation()
    {
        return $this->hasOne(Reservation::class);
    }
}

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Table Attributes

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name
string
required
Display name for the table (e.g., “Table 5”, “Window Booth”)
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number
integer
required
Unique table number for identification (must be unique)
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type
string
required
Type of table (e.g., “booth”, “standard”, “outdoor”, “bar”)
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status
string
required
Current table status: disponible, reservada, or ocupada
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seats
integer
required
Number of seats/capacity (minimum 1)

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Table Relationships

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One-to-One with Reservations

public function reservation()
{
    return $this->hasOne(Reservation::class);
}
A table can have only one active reservation at a time. When assigned, the table status changes to ‘reservada’.

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One-to-Many with Orders

public function orders()
{
    return $this->hasMany(Order::class);
}

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Table Status System

Tables can have three distinct statuses:
Available for use
  • No active reservation
  • Not currently occupied
  • Can be assigned to new reservations
  • Can be seated immediately

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Table Controller

The TableController handles all table management operations.

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List All Tables

app/Http/Controllers/Admin/TableController.php
public function index()
{
    $tables = Table::orderBy('number')->paginate(20);
    return view('admin.tables', compact('tables'));
}

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Create New Table

app/Http/Controllers/Admin/TableController.php
public function store(Request $request)
{
    $data = $request->validate([
        'name'   => 'required|string|max:255',
        'number' => 'required|integer|unique:tables,number',
        'type'   => 'required|string|max:50',
        'seats'  => 'required|integer|min:1',
        'status' => 'required|string',
    ]);

    Table::create($data);

    return redirect()
        ->route('admin.tables.index')
        ->with('success', 'Mesa agregada correctamente.');
}
Unique Constraint: The number field must be unique across all tables. Attempting to create a table with a duplicate number will fail validation.

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Update Table

app/Http/Controllers/Admin/TableController.php
public function update(Request $request, Table $table)
{
    $data = $request->validate([
        'name'   => 'required|string|max:255',
        'number' => 'required|integer|unique:tables,number,' . $table->id,
        'type'   => 'required|string|max:50',
        'seats'  => 'required|integer|min:1',
        'status' => 'required|string',
    ]);

    $table->update($data);

    return redirect()
        ->route('admin.tables.index')
        ->with('success', 'Mesa actualizada correctamente.');
}
The validation rule unique:tables,number,' . $table->id ensures the table number is unique except for the current table being updated. This allows keeping the same number during updates.

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Delete Table

app/Http/Controllers/Admin/TableController.php
public function destroy(Table $table)
{
    $table->delete();
    return redirect()
        ->route('admin.tables.index')
        ->with('success', 'Mesa eliminada correctamente.');
}

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Mark Table as Used

Special endpoint to mark reserved tables as available after guest departure:
app/Http/Controllers/Admin/TableController.php
public function markAsUsed($id)
{
    $table = Table::findOrFail($id);

    if ($table->status !== 'reservada') {
        return response()->json([
            'success' => false, 
            'message' => 'La mesa no está reservada.'
        ]);
    }

    // Delete reservation if relation exists
    if (method_exists($table, 'reservation') && $table->reservation) {
        $table->reservation()->delete();
    }

    $table->update(['status' => 'disponible']);

    return response()->json([
        'success' => true, 
        'message' => 'Mesa marcada como utilizada.'
    ]);
}
When marking a table as used, the system:
  1. Verifies the table is in ‘reservada’ status
  2. Deletes the associated reservation record
  3. Changes status back to ‘disponible’
  4. Makes the table available for new reservations

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Update Table Status from HomeController

The HomeController provides an additional method for status updates:
app/Http/Controllers/HomeController.php
public function updateStatus(Request $request, Table $table)
{
    $data = $request->validate([
        'status' => 'required|string|in:disponible,reservada,ocupada'
    ]);

    $table->update(['status' => $data['status']]);

    return redirect()
        ->back()
        ->with('success', 'Estado de la mesa actualizado correctamente.');
}
The validation rule in:disponible,reservada,ocupada ensures only valid status values can be set.

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Routes and Access Control

Table management routes are restricted to admin and mesero roles:
routes/web.php
Route::middleware('role:admin,mesero')->group(function () {
    Route::resource('tables', AdminTableController::class)
        ->names('tables');
    
    Route::post('tables/{table}/mark-as-used', [
        AdminTableController::class, 'markAsUsed'
    ])->name('tables.markAsUsed');
});
Access Permissions:
  • ✅ Admin: Full CRUD access
  • ✅ Mesero: Full CRUD access
  • ❌ Chef: No access
  • ❌ Customers: No access

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Status Workflow

Typical table lifecycle:
Disponible → Reservada
  • Triggered when reservation is assigned
  • Sets table_id on Reservation model
Reservada → Ocupada
  • Manual update when guests arrive
  • Table still linked to reservation
Ocupada → Disponible
  • Manual update after service complete
  • Table ready for next use
Reservada → Disponible
  • Via markAsUsed() endpoint
  • Deletes reservation record

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Validation Rules

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name
string
Required, max 255 characters
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number
integer
Required, must be unique across all tables
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type
string
Required, max 50 characters (e.g., “booth”, “standard”)
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seats
integer
Required, minimum value of 1
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status
enum
Required, must be one of: disponible, reservada, ocupada

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Common Queries

// Get all available tables
$available = Table::where('status', 'disponible')->get();

// Get tables by capacity
$fourSeaters = Table::where('seats', 4)->get();

// Get reserved tables with reservation details
$reserved = Table::with('reservation')
    ->where('status', 'reservada')
    ->get();

// Get tables by type
$booths = Table::where('type', 'booth')->get();

// Count tables by status
$statusCounts = Table::selectRaw('status, COUNT(*) as count')
    ->groupBy('status')
    ->get();

// Get occupied tables with active orders
$occupied = Table::with('orders')
    ->where('status', 'ocupada')
    ->get();

// Find tables that can accommodate party size
$suitableTables = Table::where('seats', '>=', $partySize)
    ->where('status', 'disponible')
    ->orderBy('seats', 'asc')
    ->get();

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API Endpoints

Endpoint: POST /admin/tables/{table}/mark-as-usedSuccess Response:
{
  "success": true,
  "message": "Mesa marcada como utilizada."
}
Error Response:
{
  "success": false,
  "message": "La mesa no está reservada."
}

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Best Practices

  1. Unique Numbers: Always use unique table numbers for clear identification
  2. Status Validation: Only allow valid status transitions
  3. Reservation Cleanup: Delete reservations when marking tables as used
  4. Capacity Matching: Match table seats to reservation guest count
  5. Ordering: Display tables ordered by number for easy navigation
  6. Type Consistency: Use consistent type values (booth, standard, etc.)
  7. Pagination: Paginate table lists for large restaurants

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Integration with Reservations

When a reservation is assigned to a table: 
// In ReservationController::assignTable()
DB::transaction(function () use ($reservation, $table) {
    // Link reservation to table
    $reservation->table_id = $table->id;
    $reservation->save();

    // Update table status
    $table->status = 'reservada';
    $table->save();
});
The system enforces that reservation->guest must equal table->seats for assignment to succeed.

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Future Enhancements

Consider implementing:
  • Table sections: Group tables by area (patio, main dining, bar)
  • Auto-release: Automatically free tables after reservation time expires
  • Occupancy tracking: Track time guests spend at tables
  • Table combinations: Allow combining multiple tables for large parties
  • Priority seating: VIP or priority customer table assignments

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