Local Delivery: Blockout Dates

Block specific dates (or date ranges) with optional time restrictions from the delivery calendar for each location. Prevent customers from selecting holidays, closed days, or unavailable date-time slots for delivery.

Table of Contents

• What Blockout Dates Do
• Prerequisites
• Step-by-Step Configuration
• • Step 1: Access Blockout Date Settings
  • Step 2: Choose Blocking Method
  • Step 3: Select Date(s)
  • Step 4: Set Time Restrictions (Optional)
  • Step 5: Add Blocked Date
  • Step 6: Set Maximum Available Days
  • Step 7: Save and Preview
• Interaction with Preparation Time
• • How Rules Combine
  • Visual Timeline Example
  • Key Takeaways
• Common Questions
• Troubleshooting
• Related Articles
• Quick Reference

What Blockout Dates Do

What this feature does:

• Prevents customers from selecting holidays or closed days for delivery
• Blocks entire days or specific time periods on selected dates per location
• Sets the maximum advance booking window for each location
• Can block single dates or date ranges
• Can add time restrictions to selected dates (optional)

What this feature does NOT do:

• Affect existing orders (only prevents new bookings)
• Set preparation time (configured separately)
• Set operating hours (configured separately)

Prerequisites

Before configuring blockout dates, ensure:

1. Local Delivery is enabled for the location in Bird Settings
2. Availability schedule is configured (operating hours and time slots)

Step-by-Step Configuration

Step 1: Access Blockout Date Settings

1. Go to Bird Settings > Configure Locations (if you see "Pickup & Delivery" you're in legacy mode)
2. Click on the location where you want to configure blockout dates
3. Scroll down and find Edit Settings button for Local Delivery
4. Click Edit Settings
5. Scroll to Blockout Dates section

Step 2: Choose Blocking Method

Select how you want to block dates:

Option A: Single Date

1. Click Single Date tab
2. Block one specific date
3. Best for holidays or one-off closures

Option B: Date Range

1. Click Date Range tab
2. Block a range of consecutive dates
3. Best for extended closures or vacation periods

Step 3: Select Date(s)

For Single Date:

1. Click on the desired date in the calendar
2. Selected date will be highlighted
3. Use left/right arrow buttons to navigate between months

For Date Range:

1. Click the start date in the calendar
2. Click the end date in the calendar
3. All dates between start and end will be selected
4. Use left/right arrow buttons to navigate between months

Step 4: Set Time Restrictions (Optional)

For the date(s) you selected, choose to block the entire day or only a specific time period:

Block Entire Day:

1. Leave Start Time and End Time empty
2. Entire day will be blocked
3. No delivery available on that date

Block Specific Time Period on Selected Date(s):

1. Set Start Time (e.g., 2:00 PM)
2. Set End Time (e.g., 4:00 PM)
3. Only that time period will be blocked on the selected date(s)
4. Other times on that date remain available

Example: Block December 25th entirely for Christmas, or block December 24th from 2:00 PM to 11:59 PM only (morning deliveries available if your availability permits).

Step 5: Add Blocked Date

1. Review your selected date(s) and time restrictions
2. Important: Click Add to confirm the block
3. Blocked date(s) will appear in a list beside the calendar
4. Repeat for additional dates you want to block

Step 6: Set Maximum Available Days

Limit how far in advance customers can book delivery orders:

1. In the Blockout Dates section, find Max Available Days
2. Enter the number of days customers can book in advance

• Example: 30 = customers can book from the current date up to 30 days ahead (current date counts as day 1)
• Example: 7 = customers can book for the next 7 days (current date + 6 more days)
• Leave blank for unlimited (default)

3. Click Save

Important: The current date (when the customer views the calendar) counts as day 1 in this calculation. Blocked dates count toward this total. If you set 30 days and block 5 days, customers see 25 available days.

Example calculation: Max Available Days: 30 (current date + 29 more days), Blocked dates: 5 days = Customers see 25 selectable dates.

Step 7: Save and Preview

1. Review all your blocked dates
2. Click Save to apply changes
3. Go to Bird Settings > Widget Design > (Widget Preview) to see how blocked dates appear to customers
4. Test selecting dates to verify blocks work correctly

Interaction with Preparation Time

Blockout dates and preparation time work together - both rules are enforced (they stack, not override).

How Rules Combine

Example 1: Simple Stacking

• Today: Monday, 10:00 AM
• Preparation time: 2 days (blocks Monday, Tuesday)
• Blockout dates: Wednesday-Friday (holiday closure)
• Result: Customer sees Saturday as earliest available date
• Both rules applied: prep time blocks Mon-Tue, blockout blocks Wed-Fri

Example 2: Cut-Off Time Interaction

• Today: Monday, 3:00 PM
• Cut-off time: 2:00 PM
• Lead time after cut-off: 2 days
• Blockout dates: Wednesday only
• Result:
• Cut-off passed, so 2-day lead = Wednesday earliest
• Wednesday blocked (blockout date)
• Customer sees Thursday

Example 3: Maximum Available Days

• Today: Monday
• Maximum available days: 30 days
• Blockout dates: Days 25-30 (last week of month)
• Result:
• Customer can book through Day 24
• Days 25-30 blocked by blockout dates
• Maximum still 30 days, but last 5 days unavailable

Visual Timeline Example

Week 1:          Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Preparation:     [X] [X]  ✓   ✓   ✓   ✓   ✓   (2-day lead time)
Blockout:         ✓   ✓   ✓   ✓  [X] [X] [X]  (Weekend blocked)
Final Result:    [X] [X]  ✓   ✓  [X] [X] [X]  (Wed-Thu available)
                                  ^^^^^^^^^^^
                                  Both rules enforced

Key Takeaways

• Blockout dates and preparation time are cumulative (both enforced)
• Neither rule overrides the other
• The most restrictive rule always wins for each specific date
• Customer sees the combined effect of all rules

Common Questions

Can I block different dates for different locations?

Yes. Each location can have its own blockout dates. Configure them separately in Bird Settings > Configure Locations > [Select Location] > Edit Settings > Blockout Dates.

Example:

• Location A (downtown): Block December 24-26 for Christmas
• Location B (suburban): Block December 25 only
• Location C (airport zone): No blockout dates (deliver every day)

Can I unblock a date after blocking it?

Yes. Go to Blockout Dates section, find the blocked date in the list beside the calendar, and click the remove/delete button. The date will become available again.

Can I block weekends automatically?

No. Blockout dates are for specific dates, not recurring patterns. To disable weekends, use "Customize Availability by Day" in Delivery Availability settings to disable Saturday and Sunday.

Alternative for recurring closures:

• Use Configure Delivery Availability to disable specific weekdays
• Use Blockout Dates only for one-off closures or holidays

What if I block all available dates?

If all dates within the maximum available days window are blocked, customers won't see any available dates. Make sure you leave some dates unblocked.

How does blockout dates work with preparation time?

Both are enforced:

• Preparation time: Blocks dates/slots that don't meet lead time requirements
• Blockout dates: Additionally blocks specific dates you configure

Example:

• Preparation time: 1 day (blocks same-day)
• Blockout dates: December 25
• Result: Same-day is blocked (preparation time) + December 25 is blocked (blockout dates)

Can I block specific time slots on a date without blocking the entire day?

Yes. When adding a blockout date, set Start Time and End Time to block only that time period. Other times on that date remain available.

Example:

• Date: December 24
• Start Time: 2:00 PM
• End Time: 11:59 PM
• Click Add
• Result: Deliveries available in the morning, blocked in afternoon/evening

Troubleshooting

Issue: Blocked dates still appear available

Problem: Blockout dates may not be saved or configured correctly.

Solution:

1. Verify you clicked Add after selecting the date
2. Check that the date appears in the blocked dates list
3. Ensure you clicked Save to apply changes
4. Use Widget Preview to verify blocks work
5. Clear browser cache and test again

Issue: Can't select dates far in advance

Problem: Maximum Available Days may be set too low.

Solution:

1. Check Max Available Days setting
2. Increase the number if you want longer booking window
3. Remember: blocked dates count toward this total
4. Save and test with Widget Preview

Issue: Time-specific blocks not working

Problem: Time restrictions may not be set correctly.

Solution:

1. Verify Start Time and End Time are set correctly
2. Ensure start time is before end time
3. Check that you clicked Add after setting times
4. Test with Widget Preview at different times
5. Verify delivery availability has time slots configured

Issue: Blocked dates from last year still showing

Problem: Old blockout dates haven't been removed.

Solution:

1. Go to Blockout Dates section
2. Review the blocked dates list
3. Remove old dates that are no longer relevant
4. Add new dates for current year
5. Click Save

Tip: Review and update blockout dates at the start of each year to remove old holiday blocks.

Quick Reference

Blocking Methods:

• Single Date: Block one specific date
• Date Range: Block consecutive dates

Time Restrictions (applied to selected dates):

• Entire Day: Leave times empty
• Specific Time Period: Set start and end times on the selected date(s)

Max Available Days:

• Sets total booking window
• Blocked dates count toward total
• Current date counts as day 1

Common Blockout Dates:

• Holidays: Christmas (Dec 25), New Year's Day (Jan 1), Thanksgiving (4th Thu in Nov)
• Extended closures: Vacation periods, renovations, maintenance
• Event conflicts: Local events affecting delivery routes
• Weather: Severe weather days (add as needed)

Navigation: Bird Settings > Configure Locations > [Select Location] > Edit Settings > Blockout Dates

Updated on: 01/18/2026