How to manage the queue at the door

When there are no free tables, the waitlist helps you keep guests: they join the queue, and you — or the system — call them as soon as a table frees up.

What to do

1. Open Reservations → Waitlist tab.

2. Configure how the waitlist works:

   • Online waitlist — whether guests can join the waitlist themselves through the widget on your website, guest apps and the QR code. When it’s off, only the host adds guests.
   • Auto-call guest when a table frees up — a table frees up, and the system calls the first guest the table fits and holds the table for them. Below it is “How long to wait for a called guest”: if the guest isn’t seated in that time, they’re removed from the waitlist and the table goes to the next one.
   • Auto-call guest when a table is assigned — the call goes out as soon as the host assigns the guest a table in the panel.
   • Wait Time Estimation → “Estimation method” — “Based on table availability” or “Average wait time” (calculated from recent seatings; the guest sees a realistic estimate).
   • Allow manual hold — the host can hold a guest’s entry in the queue, for example while the table is being prepared; a maximum hold time is set for this.
   • Auto-assign a table for the online waitlist — a guest who joins the waitlist online gets the table that frees up first right away (with “Based on table availability”).

   The calling settings are independent — turn on any of them. What each one does in detail is in the Waitlist article.

   

3. Click “Save Changes”.

4. (Optional) To let guests join the queue online, turn on Online waitlist (step 2) and put the waitlist widget on your website: How to set up the widget (the “Waitlist” type). The waitlist widget on your public page is turned on separately — with the “Waitlist” row in the “Widgets” card (Online Presence).

Result: at peak hours guests join the queue instead of leaving, and the system helps seat them on time.

Related: Waitlist widget