Let Guests Join Your Waitlist Online: The Power of Website & QR Code Check-In

Picture this: It's Saturday night and there's a line out the door. Your host is juggling phone calls, walk-ins, and a growing crowd of hungry guests asking "how long is the wait?" Meanwhile, potential customers are driving by, see the crowd, and keep going. Sound familiar?

There's a better way. By letting guests join your waitlist from your website or by scanning a QR code, you can transform that chaotic scene into a smooth, modern experience that benefits everyone—your team, your guests, and your bottom line.

Two Ways Guests Can Join Remotely

The Benefits for Your Restaurant

1. Reduce Lobby Crowding

When guests can join the waitlist remotely, they don't need to physically stand in your lobby. They can wait in their car, browse nearby shops, or grab a drink at the bar next door. This means:

• A calmer, less chaotic entrance
• Better first impressions for arriving guests
• Safer environment with fewer people congregating

2. Capture Drive-By Traffic

A QR code on your window or sidewalk sign lets people join your waitlist without coming inside. That family who was going to drive past because they saw a crowd? Now they scan, get on the list, and grab coffee nearby while they wait. You just saved a table that would have gone to your competitor.

3. Free Up Your Host

Every guest who self-adds to the waitlist is one less interaction your host needs to handle. This frees them up to:

• Focus on seating guests promptly
• Answer questions and provide better service
• Manage the floor more effectively during rushes

4. Collect Better Guest Data

When guests type in their own information, you get accurate phone numbers and names every time. No more misheard names over a noisy crowd. This data flows directly into your digital guestbook for future visits.

5. Increase Table Turns

With SMS notifications, guests arrive exactly when their table is ready—not 5 minutes early crowding the lobby, and not 10 minutes late leaving your table empty. This precision can add 1-2 extra turns per table on a busy night.

The Benefits for Your Guests

It's not just about making your life easier—guests genuinely prefer this experience:

Where to Put Your QR Codes

Strategic placement maximizes the impact of your QR code waitlist:

Getting Started is Easy

With Simple Host, setting up online waitlist joining takes minutes:

1. 1

   Enable Online Waitlist

   Toggle on the online waitlist feature in your Simple Host settings.

2. 2

   Download Your QR Code

   Simple Host generates a unique QR code for your restaurant. Print it in any size you need.

3. 3

   Add to Your Website

   Copy your unique waitlist link and add it to your website's navigation or homepage.

4. 4

   Start Accepting Guests

   Remote guests appear in your waitlist automatically, just like walk-ins.

The Bottom Line

Letting guests join your waitlist online isn't just a convenience—it's a competitive advantage. You'll reduce lobby chaos, capture customers who would have walked away, free up your host to provide better service, and give guests the modern experience they expect.

In a world where people can order groceries, hail rides, and book flights from their phones, why should joining a restaurant waitlist be any different?

Give your guests the freedom to wait on their terms, and they'll reward you with their loyalty.