HelpSet up by business typeSet up a salon: walk-ins + appointments

Set up a salon: walk-ins + appointments

This recipe sets up a salon that takes both booked appointments and walk-ins — in one line, not two. You'll add your services, open self-booking, and pick the rule that decides who's called next when a walk-in and a booking both wait.

Owner Where: Locations → your line 2 min read
Quick answer. One lineA single waiting line inside a location — the thing people join. Also called an area. holds walk-ins and appointments together. Add SERVICES in Line settings → Setup, open a BOOKING WINDOW in Bookings & appointments, then set the SERVING ORDER so the two fairly share the queue. About 10 minutes.

The plan

turnda doesn't split walk-ins and bookings into separate queues — they share ONE LINE, and a serving rule decides who's called when.

So the whole setup is: one line, some services, a booking window, and the right rule. You need a location (your salon) to start.

  1. 1Create the line
Five steps, about 10 minutes.

1. Create the line

  1. On Locations, choose Add another line (or the first line on a fresh salon).
  2. Name it what clients see. For example “Salon” or your shop name.
  3. Leave it as one stop — a salon is a single-stop visit, not a journey.

2. Add your services

Open the line's Line settings → Setup. On an appointments line a Services list appears (just below Stations).

Add each service clients book (“Cut”, “Colour”, “Blow-dry”) with HOW LONG IT TAKES. The times a client is offered are then spaced to fit — nobody can be booked inside a 45-minute colour. Full detail in Services & slot lengths.

3. Open self-booking

In the same modal's Bookings & appointments section, set the booking window.

  • When self-booking opens and closes each day.
  • The slot length people book on.
  • How many bookings per slot (raise it if several chairs run at once).
  • How far ahead people can book.

With a service and a window in place, your public self-booking page starts offering times — see Turn on appointments.

4. Who's served next

This is the salon-specific decision In Line settings → Serving order, choose how the two mix.
Appointments first Keep it fair
How it works A due booking is always called ahead of walk-ins. A walk-in who's waited past the max-wait safety net can move ahead of a NOT-YET-DUE booking, but a due booking still holds its reserved spot.
Best for Appointments are the backbone and walk-ins fill gaps. A busy walk-in trade you don't want to leave waiting.
Either way a booking keeps the time it reserved.

See How bookings are called.

5. Chairs, hours, go live

  1. Add a station per chair. In Line settings → Setup.
  2. Set your open hours.
  3. Decide your no-show grace.
  4. Start the 30-day free trial (card upfront) to open the line.
  5. Run a test — book one slot, add one walk-in, and watch the serving order call them in the way you chose.
Self-booking page shows no times? An appointments line needs an open booking window — a service is optional, just a picker on the form. Check the booking hours in Setup, and confirm the line isn't paused.

Related: Turn on appointments · Services & slot lengths · Serving order & fairness · No-shows & grace