Virtual queue for restaurants: how it works and what is the benefit?

If your restaurant has a full house, a virtual queue can be extremely useful to both diners waiting to dine, as well as your restaurant.

A virtual queue is an automated system to manage and track diners waiting to be seated at your restaurant when they arrive without a reservation. Without a system in place for diners waiting, specifically in busier times like weekend evenings, it can make the waiting process hectic for both diners and restaurants. 

Common ways restaurants can utilise a virtual queue are through SMS messages, display systems and QR codes. While restaurants will use different methods to manage their virtual queue, having a system in place can be a great benefit. 

Restaurants wanting to add a virtual queue to their restaurant management can utilise tools like TheFork Manager’s queuing list feature. With this digital feature, once your tables are full, you can add new guests to your queue system and easily notify them when a table becomes available.

The benefits of a Virtual Queue 

Improved time tracking 

The biggest benefit for restaurants is providing a more organised and seamless way to communicate the expected wait time to diners. Digitizing your queue can improve accuracy of wait times by tracking. Restaurants can also be more  accurate with how they seat diners by knowing the exact order in which each party arrived, while also limiting the time spent trying to manage the waiting list and new arrivals . 

A Better Wait for Diners 

One of the most appealing factors for your diners is that they can now spend the time waiting much more freely. When your restaurant has implemented a virtual queue, diners will not only have a clearer understanding of their expected wait time and will also receive a notification or alert when their table is ready. With this, diners can spend their time having a drink or exploring the nearby area while they wait. 

The virtual queue reduces diner irritation and also eliminates the likelihood of diners missing a table if they are not there when it becomes available. Many diners can get discouraged by longer wait times and more specifically when they are required to wait in front of the restaurant for the duration of the time - this is a pain point a virtual queue is designed to tackle.

A Chance to Broaden Diner Database 

Another great benefit of a virtual queue is the opportunity to further build your diner database. When diners enter into a virtual queue, restaurants can ask for diner information like name and email address, to later have communication with the diner and begin to build diner loyalty. This is a great way to expand your communications to more diners. 

No matter the type of virtual queue, the digitization of your diner waiting list is a great benefit to any restaurant to smooth management and diner satisfaction.