Manage the walk-in waitlist
Put walk-in guests on the waitlist on the POS when no table is free, and seat them when one opens up.
On this page
On a full evening, walk-in guests often wait at the bar for a table. The waitlist on the POS keeps track of who is waiting, how many they are and since when, so nobody is forgotten and parties are seated in the right order.
The waitlist is for staff only: guests cannot put themselves on it online.
Before you start
- Reservations must be on for the location. The waitlist is part of the Bookings tab. See Set up reservations.
- Adding and seating parties needs Manage reservations. Seating also opens an order, so you need permission to create orders.
Add a party to the waitlist
- On the POS, open the Bookings tab.
- Tap Add to waitlist.
- Enter a Name to call the party by.
- Set the Party size.
- Optional: a Phone number, and a Note such as "high chair" or "terrace".
- Tap Add to waitlist.
The party appears under Waitlist, with how long they have been waiting.
Seat a waiting party
- Open Waitlist in the Bookings tab and tap the party.
- Tap Seat now and choose a free table with enough seats.
- Tap Seat at and the table name.
The order opens on that table, just as for a booking. The party moves to Seated and completes when the bill is paid. See Seat a booking.
Remove a party
If guests give up and leave, open the party and tap Remove from waitlist, then confirm. "The party is taken off the waitlist."
Where else the waitlist shows
- On the POS, the Bookings tab shows how many are waiting.
- In the back office, Reservations shows the waitlist at the top of the List view and the count for the day.
Common questions
Can guests join the waitlist online?
No. Only staff can add parties, on the POS.
Is the guest told when their table is ready?
No. Call out the name or phone them on the number they left.
Does the waitlist block online bookings?
No. Waiting parties don't hold a table. Free times for online booking are worked out from the bookings and tables. Remove parties who left, so the list stays accurate.
If something goes wrong
- The Bookings tab is missing or says "Reservations are off": turn on Reservations for the location under Settings › Features.
- "Your role cannot see reservations.": ask a manager for View reservations.
- "No table is free right now": free a table first, or keep the party on the waitlist.
- "The party could not be added": check the connection and try again. See Connection problems.