In this article, we explain how to manage incoming orders from customers via Order Anywhere.

Important: To receive orders, make sure the POS device that is assigned to Order Anywhere is connected to the internet and a staff member is clocked in. The device configuration assigned to the device must also have an assigned printer so that receipts will print for the incoming orders.

Handling online-paid orders

Learn what happens in the Restaurant POS app when customers pay online for orders placed via Order Anywhere. This section covers when orders sync to the POS, how tickets print, and what you need to do to complete each order.

1. A customer places a pickup or table order via Order Anywhere and pays online.

   To see how this works from the customer perspective, visit our Placing a pickup order and Placing a table order articles.

2. The order syncs to online POS devices either immediately or at a later time as described below.
   • All table orders sync to the POS immediately after they are placed.
   • Pickup orders sync to the POS in one of two ways:
     1. If the customer selects Pick up as soon as possible, their order syncs to the POS immediately after it is placed.
     2. If the customer chooses a later pickup time, their order syncs to the POS at the selected pickup time minus your preparation time and a few additional minutes. For example, an order with pickup time of 5:30 PM and preparation time of 30 minutes would be sent to the POS around 4:54 PM.

     Note: If desired, you can configure the POS to play a sound when receiving a pickup order. Just go to Back Office, edit the account profile with code OATA, and enable the Play sound when receiving online order setting.

3. If you've set up printing, a receipt and order tickets print when the order syncs to the POS. These contain details of the incoming order.
4. Prepare the order and give it to the customer. 

Handling in-person paid orders

Learn how to complete Order Anywhere orders in the Restaurant POS app when customers choose to pay in person. This section covers when orders sync to the POS, how tickets print, and how to accept payment.

1. A customer places a pickup or table order via Order Anywhere and chooses to pay in person.

   To see how this works from the customer perspective, visit our Placing a pickup order and Placing a table order articles.

2. The order syncs to online POS devices either immediately or at a later time as described below.
   • All table orders sync to the POS immediately after they are placed.
   • Pickup orders sync to the POS in one of two ways:
     1. If the customer selects Pick up as soon as possible, their order syncs to the POS immediately after it is placed.
     2. If the customer chooses a later pickup time, their order syncs to the POS at the selected pickup time minus your preparation time and a few additional minutes. For example, an order with pickup time of 5:30 PM and preparation time of 30 minutes would be sent to the POS around 4:54 PM.

   Note: If desired, you can configure the POS to play a sound when receiving a pickup order. Just go to Back Office, edit the account profile with code OATA, and enable the Play sound when receiving online order setting.

3. If you've set up printing, order tickets print when the order syncs to the POS. These contain details of the incoming order.
4. In the Restaurant POS app, tap Orders to view all open orders.

   

5. Tap Pick up/Delivery to access the list of open pick up or delivery orders.
6. Select the Order Anywhere order to be completed to open it on the Register screen. You can distinguish an Order Anywhere order by the order code. 

   

7. Tap the cutlery icon   to adjust the number of covers for the order, and tap Confirm.
   

    

8. Accept payment like with any normal order. 
   

   Need help with this part? See our Processing payments and tips article.

9. Prepare the order and give it to the customer.

Refunding orders

Refund an Order Anywhere order to cancel it and return cash or credit payment to the customer. Same-day, previous-day, and partial order refunds each have a different set of steps to perform.

Same-day order refunds

To refund an order the same day it was received at the POS, void the order in the Restaurant POS app.

1. In the Lightspeed Restaurant POS app, tap Receipts on the navigation bar.
2. Select the receipt for the order you want to refund.
3. Tap the green options icon, then select Void receipt.
   

    

4. Review the message prompt then tap Yes.

   Voiding a receipt creates a transaction for a negative amount that cancels out the original order total in reporting. This action cannot be undone.

5. Select a reason for the void. For example, Taste or User mistake.

   Additional void reasons can be added from the Back Office.

6. Follow the relevant bullet below to finish processing the refund.
   • If the customer paid online, their payment will be automatically returned to the card used for the order.
   • If the customer paid via an integrated payment terminal at your restaurant, their payment will be automatically returned to the card used for the order.
   • If the customer paid in cash, give them cash for the total amount of the order.

Historical order refunds

To refund an order that was received at the POS on a previous day, void the order in the Back Office.

1. Log in to the Back Office with your Lightspeed credentials.
2. Select Reports > Reports from the navigation bar.
3. Click Receipt Report in the Account Reports section.
4. Locate and select the receipt for the order you want to refund. To learn how to filter for a specific receipt, visit our Receipt Report article.
   
   
5. Scroll down and click Cancel receipt.
   
   
6. Select a reason for the cancellation, then click Confirm. For example, Taste or User mistake.

   Additional void reasons can be added from the Back Office.

7. Review the message prompt then tap Yes.

   Canceling a receipt creates a transaction for a negative amount that cancels out the original order total in reporting. This action cannot be undone.

8. Follow the relevant bullet below to finish processing the refund.
   • If the customer paid online, their payment will be automatically returned to the card used for the order.
   • If the customer paid via an integrated payment terminal at your restaurant, their payment will be automatically returned to the card used for the order.
   • If the customer paid in cash, give them cash for the total amount of the order.

Partial order refunds

Perform a partial refund to return a portion of a customer’s order payment. Click the relevant drop-down below to learn how partial refunds work for orders paid online or in person. Note that the steps to partially refund an order paid online will vary based on if you use Lightspeed Payments or Stripe as your credit card processor or if the order was paid in person.

• Paid online via Lightspeed Payments

  1. Contact us to request that our Lightspeed Payments support team partially refund the transaction.

• Paid online via Stripe

  1. Sign in to the Stripe Dashboard.
  2. Click Payments.
  3. Locate the payment you want to refund.
  4. Click the three-dot icon next to the payment, then select Refund payment.
  5. Enter the refund amount and select a reason for the refund.
  6. Click Refund to confirm the transaction.

• Paid in person

  1. Manually refund the amount to the customer in their original payment method.

Enabling and disabling online orders

In the Lightspeed Restaurant POS app, go to the Status Preview tab to control whether integrated online orders can be placed. If disabled, customers will see that online ordering is unavailable when visiting your Order Anywhere page.

1. Tap the four dots on the navigation bar (Status Preview tab).
2. Tap the shopping bag icon within the status menu.
3. Use the prompt to enable or disable online orders as needed.
   

   

Frequently asked questions

When do newly-placed Order Anywhere orders sync to my POS?

The time it takes for an Order Anywhere order to appear on your POS varies by order type, the customer’s selected pickup time, and the preparation time set by the restaurant.

• All table orders sync to the POS immediately after they are placed.
• Pickup orders sync to the POS in one of two ways:
  • If the customer selects Pick up as soon as possible, their order syncs to the POS immediately after it is placed.
  • If the customer chooses a later pickup time, their order syncs to the POS at the selected pickup time minus your preparation time and a few additional minutes. For example, an order with pickup time of 5:30 PM and preparation time of 30 minutes would be sent to the POS around 4:54 PM.

When do order tickets print for Order Anywhere orders?

Order production tickets will print as soon as an Order Anywhere order syncs to the POS. If the order was paid for online, a receipt will also print at that time (as long as you haven't disabled receipt printing). See the previous question for more information about this timing.

What happens if no POS devices are online to receive an incoming Order Anywhere order?

If no devices are online when an order is sent to the POS, the order will attempt to sync for several minutes. After that time, the order will either be canceled (if no POS device can be reached) or it will successfully sync (if a POS device comes online).

Do customers receive any order notifications?

Yes. Customers receive a confirmation email after they place the order and, when payment is made, an email with their receipt.

How can I check the status of an order?

To view an order’s status, visit the Orders page in the Order Anywhere Back Office. There you can see if an order has been sent to the POS, if it failed, or was canceled.

Can I limit the number of pickup orders I receive?

Yes. You can enable a maximum number of orders per available time slot so that employees aren’t overwhelmed by unexpected order volume. To learn more, visit our Creating a pickup order profile article.

Can I change the preparation time required for orders?

Yes. To change the preparation time, visit your order settings for Order Anywhere.