Imagine: You’ve finally made it to that new, buzzy neighborhood spot in your neck of the woods—you know, the one that only accepts walk-ins—and it’s packed. Once you finally maneuver your way to the host podium, you are assigned a wait time. Fifteen minutes? Forty five minutes? Two hours? Honestly, wait times can also feel so arbitrary.
However, if you ask industry insiders, there are a lot of variables that turn wait times into both an art and a science. “We simply look at our table plan, how many tables need to be reserved for reservations, and how many people are on the waitlist, and then come up with our best estimate,” says Antonia M.*, who has spent several years in the service industry. “I always liked to overestimate by about 15 minutes to under-promise and over-deliver.”
Thomas J. Story
For restaurant veteran Mary-Ann D.*, flow can play a major role in how long you’ll have to wait to be seated. “We calculate our wait times based on our experience with the flow of service, and we also use our point of sale system to monitor whether guests have ordered, are currently eating, or have paid,” she explains. “This helps us stay accurate and consistent with the wait times we give to customers joining the waitlist.”
While Mary-Ann’s eateries typically turn over tables in 45 minutes to an hour, she says that restaurant style has sway, too. “If it’s more upscale with coursed-out dining like appetizers, first, and second courses, the pace tends to be slower, which means longer wait times,” she says. Party size also influences how much time is estimated for each table. “Wait times are calculated typically based on an assumption of 90-minute turnaround time for tables of four people or less, and about two hours for tables of over four,” Antonia adds. “If tables are celebrating something like a birthday or anniversary, we might factor in some extra time for them.”
And if the hotspot has a buzzy feature like an excellent view or popular location? You might have to wait even longer. “I had worked at a restaurant on the water with a patio that had a lot of tourist traffic,” Antonia adds. “During nice days, we expected people to camp out at these tables for a long time, so I would assume longer dining times for these tables.”
Thomas J. Story
Some spots allocate a fraction of tables for walk-in parties; however, there’s no guarantee there’ll be an empty table for you to claim. So what can you do? Well, a few things, actually.
Though Mary-Ann says those who are a bit more open-minded might get seated faster at the bar than, say, a table, she recommends being transparent about your dining preferences. “That way, there are no surprises when their table is ready,” she explains. “Like being called for an indoor table when they were actually hoping to sit outside, which could mean an additional wait.”
Antonia agrees, and says dining out on off-peak days might shorten your wait time. “Friday evenings, all day Saturday, and Sunday brunch are typically the busiest days,” she explains. “Weekdays are usually more favorable for walk-ins!”
Another tip? Do your research. Instead of waiting idly by the restaurant’s front door, some properties have virtual wait lists you can join from your phone or computer. By doing so, you can grab that extra cocktail or mocktail with your friends before dashing to dinner—or take a few extra minutes to get ready for a night on the town. And, when you finally show up to that buzzy restaurant, you can rest easy knowing there’s an available table with your name on it.
*names have been changed
