Table-Ready Waitlist Text Alert System
A done-for-you restaurant automation built for the Host Stand Lead, connecting Twilio so the work below happens on its own.
What this automation does, step by step
Guests who join the waitlist from a kiosk, the host stand tablet, or the restaurant's website are automatically texted the moment their table is ready, with no app download required.
The host stand's live queue shows an estimated wait time that updates as tables actually turn, and guests who don't reply within a set window are automatically texted a check-in before their table is offered to the next party.
Free from the crowd hovering by the door, guests can wait in their car or at the bar next door, and the host stand stops fielding the same "how much longer" question a dozen times a night.
- Waitlist app (e.g., Toast or Yelp Waitlist)
- Zapier or Make.com
- Twilio (SMS list)
- POS system (e.g., Toast) for table status
Using different software? We build around what you already have, so you never have to switch tools to automate.
The manual way vs. the automated way
Without automation
Without automation, this falls entirely on a host stand lead, who has to track every step by hand across emails, spreadsheets, and sticky notes.
With this automation
- Multi-touch reminders that measurably reduce no-shows
- Waitlists that backfill cancellations automatically
- Self-scheduling with instant confirmations
- Dispatch and on-my-way updates sent to the right people
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