Nation’s Restaurant News: New Technology Targets Restaurant Wait Lists

In today’s, digital-obsessed, convenience-driven age, restaurant technology providers are continually enhancing their offerings. Meanwhile, savvy operators are on a never-ending hunt for new and innovative ways to bolster business.

Most recently, the focus Is on software that’s designed to manage wait lists.

In a recent article on Nation’s Restaurant News, Kevin Wan, an owner of Sophia’s Thai Kitchen in Davis, California, explained how the Waitlist Me app has streamlined operations and reduced hassles for customers. The restaurant added the software, which alerts customers with text messages, two years ago. After it was implemented, guests no longer had to use bulky pagers that tethered them within 75 yards of the restaurant.

Wan also found that with the new technology, customers were more willing to commit their names to the wait list if they didn’t have to stick to the immediate area. It also helped to ease restaurant operations.

“Each table box clearly shows how long the table has been there, and if a future party is already assigned to it,” Wan said. “With one glance, a host or manager can see which tables will be coming available, which are already being saved for a future party and which ones won’t be freeing up anytime soon.”