Fighting lines and waits is the next frontier of restaurant social media. This month’s issue of Fast Company presents several of the most recent systems and apps that restauranteurs are using to cut down on waits and to keep patrons informed. In addition, to cutting down the wait time, an equally important priority is keeping waiting diners apprised – realistically – of how long the wait is really going to be.
Out are the light up beeping buzzers. They have a limited range and have a tendency to walk away from restaurants permanently. At up to $50 per unit, that’s a hefty investment. What’s In are text based systems that use mobile devices. These days everyone has a restaurant pager in their pockets. Companies to look out for include WaitAway, BuzzTable, and Nosh List.
Fast Company also checked out the current state of the wait, calling Cheesecake Factories around the country on a Saturday night to check on waiting times. There was no wait in Dulles, VA, Louisville, KY and Ross Township, PA. If you lived near Buffalo, NY, you were out of luck. The wait there was 1 hour and 15 minutes.
