How can you reduce restaurant queues?

Your communication and marketing efforts, the quality of your customer service and the flavors of your dishes have proved their worth, and customers are flocking to your restaurant. Congratulations!

When ordering, during payment or while their meal is being prepared, your guests' patience can be sorely tested, and this can be enough to dissuade passers-by from pushing the door of your establishment. Your challenge, then, is to reduce the queues that can be caused by this increase in footfall. Here are a few ideas to help you do just that!

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5 digital solutions to reduce restaurant queues

Faced with long queues, digitalizing your establishment is key. Discover the technological tools at your disposal! 

1. The beeper 

The beeper is an effective way to combat long queues. Once customers have placed their order, simply hand them a beeper. Once their meal is ready, your staff will simply press a button to inform the customer. The consumer will then see his or her beeper vibrate, make noise and/or flash. There's no need to look for it, or to go anywhere. You and your staff can take advantage of the time you save to focus on value-added tasks such as greeting guests, advising them or solving problems.

Customers no longer have to stand in line in front of the counter. They can now wait seated at the table, surrounded by their loved ones, until it's their turn to be served. Opting for this solution means considerably improving the quality of your customer service.

👉 To find out more: Customer beeper: 7 benefits for your restaurant

2. Control terminal

Another way to shave off a few seconds is with an order terminal. Thanks to these devices, your customers can order immediately after entering your establishment. These interactive terminals are usually located near the entrance, and feature a large screen for excellent accessibility. 

The self-checkout feature of these machines is a major advantage, as it enables customers to pay faster and leave room for the next customer. They can then collect their order from a dedicated queue, using a numbered easel or a beeper. 

Checkout traffic is considerably reduced, and this will have an impact on customer satisfaction and sales. 

3. A digital signage system

There's nothing worse than waiting in the dark. As soon as you have information about the waiting time, or explanations when it's longer, the wait immediately becomes more bearable. The key is to communicate clearly and effectively. For this, you can rely on a digital signage system. This tool enables you to display current tickets, the history of tickets called and waiting times. 

It's perfectly possible to customize the layout and design of this screen. You can also use it to broadcast multimedia content during non-rush periods. Your customers will appreciate the instantaneous communication and real-time transmission of information, you can be sure of that!

4. Production screen 

Theproduction screen is enemy No. 1 for queues and frustrated diners. Thanks to this tool, customer orders are automatically transmitted to the kitchen. And that's just a few minutes saved! 

This digital solution centralizes all your orders , whether placed in the showroom or remotely (app, phone, etc.). Orders are displayed according to their collection time and preparation lead time. The kitchen team therefore relies exclusively on the information provided by the screen. Products are displayed in due course, and disappear from the screen once preparation is complete, to make way for the next order. 

The result is smoother service and shorter waiting times. Another advantage of this solution is that it reduces the risk of ordering errors. 

👉 To find out more: discover the webinar how to boost productivity in fast food?

5. A virtual waiting line system

Your reservation book is full, yet customers continue to flock to your restaurant. Have you ever thought of experimenting with a virtual waiting line? It's an automatic system that manages and tracks customers who enter your restaurant without a reservation and wait until a table becomes available. 

As customers pile up in and out of your establishment, it can be hard to keep control, especially during rush hour. Who arrived first? How long should newcomers be told to wait? All this can be stressful for your front-of-house team. 

Whether it's a text message, a real-time display system or a QR code, this solution can take many forms, but all will enable you to easily notify customers when a table becomes available. Knowing the remaining waiting time, and being sure to be informed when their turn comes, customers can even stroll around or have a drink at your establishment's bar while waiting to be called. The result? Waiting time is better digested by customers who have a clear idea of how long they have to wait, and no fear that their table will be allocated to other customers. 

In addition to streamlining queue management and increasing guest satisfaction levels, this digital solution will enable you to expand your customer database, since when guests register, you can request information such as their name, telephone number and e-mail address, so that you can contact them after their visit to your establishment and encourage them to return. 

👉 To find out more: Customer loyalty: 6 ideas for your restaurant

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Data analysis to avoid waiting times

In your battle against long queues, it's important not to overlook the power of the data you have at your disposal. Regular reporting will enable you to manage your business more effectively, and thus reduce waiting time, the real enemy of customers and restaurateurs alike. 

Gathering information to determine which times are the busiest is crucial. This will enable you to take steps to anticipate these rush periods and ensure that guests are impacted as little as possible.

What provisions are we referring to? 

• Reinforce staff during peak periods,
• restock self-service napkins and sauces,
• ensure that all payment terminals are fully functional,
• check that the control terminals are supplied with paper,
• keep the kitchen tidy,
• organize schedules so that employees don't take their break in the middle of a gunfight,
• etc. 

With all this, no queue is too long!

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Did you like these tips? Take a look at our product pages on kiosks,customer displays andproduction displays.

To find out more, contact an Innovorder expert.