5 Reasons Why Your Restaurant Needs to Ditch the ‘Pen & Paper’ and Start Using a Waitlist App 🍽

Let’s face it: when we’re hungry, no one likes to wait for a table. Restaurants, more so than many other industries, can literally see sales ‘walk out the door’ when a host quotes a wait time that is too long. Between long lines, inaccurate wait times, and crowded lobbies, we know that the longer your guests wait, the less likely they are to have the kind of dinner experience they were hoping for. Giving your guests the opportunity to do something else while they wait makes the time feel as if it goes by faster, gives all of your customers that ‘VIP’ experience, and can be a powerful tool in providing a more positive dining experience. Queue Management Systems often times give your guests the opportunity to fill their ‘wait time’ however they wish and helps save you money with less walkouts during the busiest time of the day. Here are 5 reasons why you should consider using a smart waitlist app at your restaurant.

#1 Accurate Wait Times for Walk-Ins & Reservation ⏰

Pick a program that allows previously made reservations to be instantly added to the waitlist to help the flow of your restaurant run more smoothly. Que Management solutions like Waitwhile can estimate your guest’s wait time based on information it gathers as your work day progresses. All of these details combine together to provide your guests with an accurate wait time, every time, giving them the opportunity to make the most out of their wait.

#2 ‘Party’ Options that Factor into the ETA 🕴

Big parties take longer to serve than smaller tables, and this can affect how long everyone’s wait time is. Make a point to choose a Queue Management System that has an option to activate ‘party seating’. Options like these allow the number of guests that are being seating at a table to affect the overall wait times of your restaurant, making sure that you give your customers accurate information. Smart waitlist apps learn how your business ‘does business’, to help you make your guest’s experience the best it can be.

#3 SMS Texts Right to Their Phone - No Download Required 📲

Your guests aren’t interested in downloading another app to their phones just to get in line for a meal. Help them make the most out of their experience by getting your guests the information they need without making them download an app to get updates. Free Queue Management Systems like Waitwhile sent SMS texts and emails right to your customers in real time, keeping them updated on their status in line throughout the entire process. No download required.

#4 Get a Review Where You Need It Most 🥇

Instead of requiring that your customers leave a review on a specific website like Yelp.com, choose to send your guests a follow up pointing them to whatever website you decide is right for your business. Choose a Queue Management solution like Waitwhile that allows you to customize your SMS texts and emails so that you can ask for reviews where you need need them most most. Want to grow your Facebook following? Send a text asking them to ‘Like’ your page. Need a few more Google Reviews? Set up a follow up email with a direct link for your customers to leave a review about their experience. With no wait app you can multiply those marketing opportunities.

#5 Unlimited Users - Unlimited Analytics 📊

Whether you only have one person working at a time, or an army of wait staff seeing to your client’s needs, pick a scheduling system that doesn’t charge you for additional users and offers real time analytics that can help your business thrive. Queue management software like Waitwhile offer unlimited Users so you can invite as many employees to your team as needed. Check real time analytics to tell your business how the entire waiting process is working, see how much money your restaurant has made in the past day (week, month, year), track how long it takes them to get served, find out which tables are turning fastest, and much more!

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