Queue Management
Also called: queue system, waitlist management
What is Queue Management?
Queue management organises waiting customers — a waitlist, an estimated wait, a notification when the table or order is ready — instead of leaving people standing at the entrance.
Why Queue Management matters
Most walkaways happen because the wait is unknown, not because it is long. Telling someone it is twenty minutes and messaging them when ready converts a walkaway into a cover.
Queue Management formula
Estimated wait = Parties ahead × Average table turn time ÷ Number of comparable tables
Track estimate accuracy, since credibility is what makes waiting acceptable.
How Queue Management works in practice
Capture the party size and phone number, give an honest estimate, and notify when ready. Recording actual waits against estimates makes the next estimate credible.
Frequently asked questions
Materially, because customers who know the wait and can leave and return are far more likely to stay in the queue.