---
title: How to Set Availability Restrictions
description: Need to adjust your regular schedule for renovations, private events, or special occasions? This article shows you how to block off days or hours so customers only see availability when you’re truly open—and never show up to closed doors or unavailable services.
---

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# How to Set Availability Restrictions

## Stay ahead of schedule changes and avoid bookings and inquiries you can’t accommodate. Use Holidays & Restrictions to quickly adjust specific services while keeping your regular schedule intact.

---

### Contents:

1. [**When to Create an Availability Restriction**](https://howto.spothopperapp.com/knowledge/blocking-off-days#when_to_use)
2. [**Accessing Holidays & Restrictions**](https://howto.spothopperapp.com/knowledge/blocking-off-days#accessing)
3. [**Creating Restrictions**](https://howto.spothopperapp.com/knowledge/blocking-off-days#creating_restrictions)
4. [**Editing or Deleting an Availability Restriction**](https://howto.spothopperapp.com/knowledge/blocking-off-days#editing_deleting)

---

### When to Create an Availability Restriction

An availability restriction makes selected services unavailable for an entire day or specific hours without changing your regular **Operating Hours** or **Service Hours**.

These schedule exceptions are created and managed through **Holidays & Restrictions**. Use them for major holidays, private events, renovations, temporary closures, shortened business hours, or other changes to your regular schedule.

*For example, if you are hosting a private event and cannot accept reservations or walk-ins during that time, you can restrict only those services while keeping Online Orders and Catering available.*

---

### Accessing Holidays & Restrictions

To access Holidasy & Restrictions:

1. Log in to your SpotHopper account and navigate to **Settings → Hours** from the left sidebar.
   
   ![](https://howto.spothopperapp.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot%202026-08-24%20144345-png.png?width=197&height=174&name=Screenshot%202026-08-24%20144345-png.png)
2. Select the **Holiday & Restrictions** tab at the top of the page. 
   
   ![](https://howto.spothopperapp.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Sep-24-2026-11-56-55-8270-AM.png?width=670&height=52&name=image-png-Sep-24-2026-11-56-55-8270-AM.png)

#### Alternative: Access from an Inquiry Calendar

You can also access Holidays & Restrictions from an inquiry calendar:

1. Open **Party Inquiries, Catering, Reservations,** or **Online Orders** under **Sales & Inquiries**.
2. Navigate to the calendar view.
3. Click the gray restriction icon on the date you want to restrict.
   
   ![](https://howto.spothopperapp.com/hs-fs/hubfs/annotely_image%20-%202026-01-29T131057-224-png-1.png?width=670&height=239&name=annotely_image%20-%202026-01-29T131057-224-png-1.png)

This will take you to the **Holiday & Restrictions** page, where you can create and manage your restrictions. 

![](https://howto.spothopperapp.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Sep-24-2026-11-57-40-4051-AM.png?width=670&height=197&name=image-png-Sep-24-2026-11-57-40-4051-AM.png)

---

### Creating an Availability Restriction

You can select one of the major holidays displayed at the top of the page or create a custom restriction for another date or event.

#### Creating a Restriction for a Major Holiday

1. Select the applicable holiday card.
   
   ![](https://howto.spothopperapp.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Sep-24-2026-01-09-29-2222-PM.png?width=670&height=76&name=image-png-Sep-24-2026-01-09-29-2222-PM.png)
2. Under **Availability Change**, choose how long the selected services should be unavailable:
   
   ![](https://howto.spothopperapp.com/hs-fs/hubfs/restriction_holiday1-png.png?width=670&height=113&name=restriction_holiday1-png.png)  
     - Select **Closed All Day** to restrict them for the entire day.
     - Select **Block Specific Hours** and enter the applicable time range.
3. Under **Apply Restriction To**, select the services that should be unavailable. Deselect any services that should remain operational.
   
   ![](https://howto.spothopperapp.com/hs-fs/hubfs/restriction_holiday2-png.png?width=670&height=113&name=restriction_holiday2-png.png)
4. Review your selections and click **Create Restriction**.
   
   ![](https://howto.spothopperapp.com/hs-fs/hubfs/restriction_holiday3-png.png?width=670&height=135&name=restriction_holiday3-png.png)

Once created, the holiday card will display a checkmark and confirm that restrictions have been defined. The restriction details will also appear under **Your Operating Restrictions**.

![](https://howto.spothopperapp.com/hs-fs/hubfs/restriction_holiday4-png-1.png?width=670&height=214&name=restriction_holiday4-png-1.png)

#### Creating a Custom Restriction

For a holiday or schedule exception that is not displayed, click **Add Restriction** next to *Need to restrict hours for something else?*

![](https://howto.spothopperapp.com/hs-fs/hubfs/add_restriction-png.png?width=670&height=190&name=add_restriction-png.png)

The Availability Restriction form will open, where you can choose when the restriction applies and which services it affects. 

![](https://howto.spothopperapp.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Aug-24-2026-02-07-35-1131-PM.png?width=670&height=217&name=image-png-Aug-24-2026-02-07-35-1131-PM.png)

1. Enter an optional **Restriction Name**, such as "Holiday Closure" or "Private Event." This name is used internally to help you identify the restriction. 
   
   ![](https://howto.spothopperapp.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Aug-24-2026-02-20-25-4221-PM.png?width=610&height=178&name=image-png-Aug-24-2026-02-20-25-4221-PM.png)
2. Under **Availability Change**, choose how long the selected services should be unavailable. 
   
     - Select **Closed All Day** to restrict them for the entire day.
     - Select **Block Specific Hours** and enter the applicable time range
   
   ![](https://howto.spothopperapp.com/hs-fs/hubfs/undefined-Aug-24-2026-02-28-51-6212-PM.png?width=670&height=198&name=undefined-Aug-24-2026-02-28-51-6212-PM.png)
3. Under **Date**, choose when the restriction should apply: 
     - Select **Select Date/s** to apply the restriction to a specific date or a continuous date range.
     - Select **Day of Week** to create a recurring restriction for a particular day of the week.
   ![](https://howto.spothopperapp.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Sep-24-2026-01-31-38-5198-PM.png?width=610&height=135&name=image-png-Sep-24-2026-01-31-38-5198-PM.png)
4. Under **Apply Restriction To**, select the services that should be unavailable during the restriction. Deselect any services that should remain operational. 
   
   ![](https://howto.spothopperapp.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Aug-24-2026-02-57-30-5758-PM.png?width=610&height=164&name=image-png-Aug-24-2026-02-57-30-5758-PM.png)
5. Review your selections and click **Create Restriction**.

 The new restriction will appear under **Your Operating Restrictions** on the Availability Restrictions page. 

### ![](https://howto.spothopperapp.com/hs-fs/hubfs/operating_restrictions-png.png?width=670&height=215&name=operating_restrictions-png.png)

It will also show  in red on the inquiry calendars for the affected services, showing whether it applies to the entire day or specific hours. 

![](https://howto.spothopperapp.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Sep-24-2026-01-35-22-6362-PM.png?width=670&height=371&name=image-png-Sep-24-2026-01-35-22-6362-PM.png)

---

### Editing or Deleting Restrictions

You can edit or delete an exisiting availability restriction at any time.

1. Navigate to **Settings → Hours → Holidays & Restrictions** and find the restriction under **Your Operating Restrictions**.
2. To **edit** the restriction, click the **pencil icon** on the right.
   
   ![](https://howto.spothopperapp.com/hs-fs/hubfs/edit_restriction-png.png?width=670&height=68&name=edit_restriction-png.png)
   
   This will open the form with the current restriction details already filled in. Update the restriction name, availability change, date, or affected services as needed, then click **Update Restriction**. 
   
   ![](https://howto.spothopperapp.com/hs-fs/hubfs/annotely_image%20-%202026-08-25T121825-726-png.png?width=670&height=236&name=annotely_image%20-%202026-08-25T121825-726-png.png)
3. To **remove** the restriction, click the **trash icon**. Once deleted, the restriction will no longer affect your availability. 
   
   ![](https://howto.spothopperapp.com/hs-fs/hubfs/delete_restriction-png.png?width=670&height=70&name=delete_restriction-png.png)

 

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