Preventing Long Wait Times at Your Restaurant

Long waits aren’t necessarily a bad thing. People who live in San Francisco, for instance, are used to waiting for the best restaurants, ice cream, coffee, and even doughnuts. Sometimes a line can even be good PR — just ask Apple or Dominique Ansel.

Customer frustration due to long wait times is a typical problem in the restaurant industry, but it doesn’t have to be. The best restaurants work hard to keep guests happy, even when there’s a long wait. Guests are met with friendly greetings, offers of drinks, and clear expectations of how long the wait will be. Meanwhile, the staff works hard to rapidly bus and reset tables.

Usually, customers get upset only when the wait is caused by hospitality or operational mistakes. Luckily, these are both areas that restaurant owners have some control over.

Is your restaurant popular or just poorly run?

Is your restaurant popular or just poorly run?

It could very well be that the long wait time at your restaurant is due to its overwhelming…