---
title: Installing WXP Restaurant Reservations
description: "WXP Restaurant Reservations is not in the WordPress Plugin Directory. After you [purchase WXP Restaurant Reservations](/restaurant-reservations/) you receive an email with the download link, and you upload the plugin to your own site. This guide takes about ten minutes, most…"
url: "https://wxpplugins.com/docs/installing-wxp-restaurant-reservations/"
updated: "2026-10-30"
category: WXP Restaurant Reservations / Installation
---

# Installing WXP Restaurant Reservations

WXP Restaurant Reservations is not in the WordPress Plugin Directory. After you [purchase WXP Restaurant Reservations](/restaurant-reservations/) you receive an email with the download link, and you upload the plugin to your own site. This guide takes about ten minutes, most of it spent on your tables and service hours.

## Before you start

- WordPress 6.5 or newer.
- PHP 8.1 or newer. Your hosting company can tell you which PHP version you use.
- Administrator access to your WordPress site.
- Optional: install **WXP Opening Times** first if you want the service hours to follow your opening times.

## Step 1: Download the plugin

1. Open the email you received after your purchase and click the download link in it.
2. Save the ZIP file to your computer. **Do not extract it.**

## Step 2: Upload the plugin to WordPress

1. Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard.
2. Go to **Plugins → Add New Plugin**.
3. Click **Upload Plugin** at the top of the page.
4. Click **Choose File** and select the ZIP file you downloaded.
5. Click **Install Now**.
6. When WordPress confirms the installation, click **Activate Plugin**.

## Step 3: Set up your restaurant

1. Open **Reservations → Tables** and add your tables.
2. Open **Reservations → Settings**. Fill in the service hours and the booking rules, check the e-mail sender and the restaurant address, and switch on **Accept bookings on the website**.
3. Create or open the page for bookings and add the shortcode `[wxp_restaurant_reservations]` in a Shortcode block. You can also use the booking form block, or the widget in the **WXP Plugins** panel in Elementor.

Guests cannot book until you have switched on **Accept bookings on the website**.

## E-mails that do not arrive

WordPress sends mail with the server's mail function, which many hosts block or mark as spam. Install an SMTP plugin and use a sender address on your own domain.

## Troubleshooting

- **Installation fails:** check that the file is the original ZIP and that your site has enough disk space. Some hosts limit the upload size; ask your host to raise it, or upload the plugin folder through FTP to `/wp-content/plugins/`.
- **The plugin is not in the list:** go to **Plugins → Installed Plugins** and check that WXP Restaurant Reservations is active.
- **The form shows no times:** check that you added at least one table and filled in the service hours.
- **Changes are not visible:** clear any caching plugin, server cache or CDN, then refresh the page.

## Updates and support

When a new version is available, WordPress shows an update notice on the **Plugins** page, just like for any other plugin. Click **Update now** to install it. Need help? Open a ticket on the [support page](/support/tickets/). Support for this plugin is handled on this website, not on WordPress.org.