Managing the Waitlist
Keep the front of house running smoothly by tracking waiting guests and seating them promptly.
Accessing the Waitlist
- Tap Tables in the bottom nav
- Tap the Waitlist tab at the top
- The screen shows all guests currently waiting
Or say: "Hey Maximus, show the waitlist"
Adding Guests
From the Host Stand
- Tap "Add to Waitlist"
- Enter guest details:
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Yes | Guest or party name |
| Party size | Yes | Number of guests |
| Phone number | Recommended | For SMS notification |
| Seating preference | No | Indoor, patio, bar, booth |
| Notes | No | High chair, wheelchair, VIP |
- Tap Add -- the guest appears in the queue
Walk-In vs Reservation
| Type | How It Enters Waitlist |
|---|---|
| Walk-in | Host adds manually at arrival |
| Reservation | Auto-appears when guest checks in; if table is not ready, moves to waitlist with priority flag |
| Call-ahead | Host adds with a future arrival note |
Reservations that move to the waitlist keep their priority and are seated before walk-ins of the same party size when a table opens.
Estimated Wait Times
The system calculates estimated wait automatically based on:
- Current table turn times
- Number of parties ahead in the queue
- Party size (larger parties wait longer for suitable tables)
- Historical data for the day and time
Displayed to Guests
When added, guests see their estimated wait via:
- Verbal quote from the host
- SMS message with a live wait-time link
- In-app status (if they have the customer app)
Updating Estimates
Wait times recalculate as tables turn over. If the estimate changes significantly, guests receive an updated SMS.
Notifying Guests
When a table is ready:
- The guest's entry highlights in the waitlist
- Tap "Notify" next to the guest name
- Notification is sent via:
- SMS -- "Hi [Name], your table is ready! Please see the host stand."
- Push notification -- if guest uses the app
- Pager buzz -- if your restaurant uses pagers
- A 5-minute response timer starts
If the Guest Does Not Respond
| Time Elapsed | Action |
|---|---|
| 5 minutes | Second notification sent automatically |
| 10 minutes | Entry flagged; host decides to skip or remove |
| Removed | Guest can be re-added at the back of the queue |
Seating from the Waitlist
- Tap the guest entry on the waitlist
- Tap "Seat"
- Select an available table from the floor plan
- The guest is removed from the waitlist and the table status changes to Seated
Managing the Queue
Reordering
Drag and drop entries to adjust priority. Manager authorization may be required for moving a party ahead of others.
Removing a Guest
- Swipe left on the entry
- Tap Remove
- Select a reason: No Show, Canceled, Left
Viewing History
Tap History to see all guests who were on the waitlist today, including wait duration and outcome.
Voice Commands
| Say | Action |
|---|---|
| "Add to waitlist, party of 4, name Smith" | Add a walk-in |
| "How long is the wait?" | Get current estimate |
| "Notify the next guest" | Send ready alert |
| "How many on the waitlist?" | Get queue count |