A restaurant that has a long queue but can't seat its guests quickly enough or has to turn them away misses out on potential revenue and may also damage its reputation along the way. That's when a waitlist management system can come in handy for hospitality operators to manage wait times and table turnovers.

With a waitlist feature that's integrated with a restaurant reservation system, restaurants can seat their guests more efficiently and streamline their operations even if they are short-staffed, making guests happy even before they are seated.

Learn more: A guide to 20 restaurant & hospitality terms for your business success

What is a waitlist management system?

With a digitalized waitlist management system, restaurants can say goodbye to the traditional pen-and-paper method forever. A digitalized waitlist helps improve the overall dining queuing experience for guests. It provides guests with real-time notifications on how long they have to wait before they can be seated, making waiting less stressful for guests and making it easier for restaurants to meet expected waiting times.

What are the benefits of a digital waitlist management system?

Whether it is during peak dining hours, or if there's an unexpected high traffic and a surge of walk-in guests on Friday or Saturday nights, restaurants that have a waitlist management feature on their Table Management System (TMS) have a more significant advantage over those that use traditional methods of managing their queues.

Here are just some of the reasons why hospitality operators should use a waitlist management system:

Improves guest experience and captures more walk-in guests

On busy nights when restaurants are normally packed, guests who added themselves to a restaurant online waitlist don't even need to be in front of the restaurant while waiting. They can receive real-time updates about their wait times and be sitting at the bar instead of staying at the lounge or entrance area which will help increase restaurant revenue. The waitlist management feature on a table management system can reduce the perceived waiting times, and decrease the number of guests who walk away. This leads to positive dining experiences while driving more footfall than any other marketing campaign.

Enhances table management and table turnover efficiency

A waitlist system can help staff manage table turnovers efficiently allowing maximized seating efficiency and reducing downtime between reservations. It also ensures a smooth transition between guests through better coordination between staff, thereby minimizing operational bottlenecks.

Reduces burden on staff

On-site, front-of-house hosts no longer need to chase guests to inform them that their tables are ready. This is a big plus for busy restaurants with limited staff. Guests conveniently receive a notification on their phones about table availability and the staff can just focus on providing the best dining experience possible for their guests.

Increases restaurant revenue potential

A restaurant waitlist software enables restaurants to accommodate more guests and reduce dropout rates, which increases revenue potential. Moreover, accepting more walk-in guests can create more upselling opportunities for the restaurant, leading to an increase in the bottom line and the overall revenue per table.

Benefits of TableCheck’s Door Waitlist Management

TableCheck's booking system and its enhanced Door Waitlist are part of the continuous commitment to help restaurants take the dining guest experience up a notch. It provides restaurants with a seamless workflow that is easy and simple to use. The waitlist management system gives restaurant operators more time to enhance guest experience and less time on operations with the following features below:

• Automated waitlist feature: It allows customers to join the restaurant waitlist easily via SMS or QR code, with the option to cancel their booking if needed. This eliminates manual listing and reduces operational errors.

• Available in 18 languages: This eliminates language barriers and assists foreign customers, allowing guests to receive table-ready notifications in their preferred language.

• No more waiting around: With the Door Waitlist Management System, guests don't need to be in front of the restaurant or reception to get their table. They are free to roam around and go shopping and can get a notification by SMS or email once their table is ready.

• More discreet approach to guest management: Instead of loudly calling names or numbers – which invades customer privacy or leads to missed calls – the Door Waitlist is a modern approach to notify guests efficiently.

• Contactless check-in and reservation follow-ups: This provides guests a seamless and convenient experience while maintaining a hygienic environment. It also improves operations efficiency, allowing staff to focus on other tasks.

• Real-time notifications: It provides real-time updates to guests about their reservation status, reducing uncertainty and congestion in the restaurant's waiting areas. This also provides customers with accurate wait time estimates, helping them manage their time effectively or explore nearby attractions while waiting.

• Performance reports: This feature provides restaurateurs with a detailed report about every customer’s journey such as waitlist abandonment rates and repeat visits, as well as dining preferences for more personalized service. This enables restaurants to segment customer profiles based on online bookings and walk-ins and monitor trends in table turnovers.

• EDM marketing potential: Restaurant marketing managers can use the data gathered from the waitlist to launch more targeted EDM email campaigns. This helps drive repeat visits and in turn, build customer loyalty.

Learn more: Door Waitlist in 18 languages

Bringing guests to the restaurant can be challenging, but ensuring their return requires even more work within the restaurant's operations. Each step in a guest’s dining journey is a make or break in defining their overall experience. Having a restaurant reservation system like TableCheck which includes a powerful Door Wailist feature is crucial for successful day-to-day operations. It enhances the dining experience and provides guests with accurate wait times, consistently elevating guest satisfaction.