How the waitlist works
What this covers
What the waitlist is for and how it fits alongside bookings and walk-ins. Everyone can see the waitlist; adding and seating need permission to create bookings (Owner, Manager or Host).
What it is for
Guests who want a table you cannot give them yet — the couple at the door on a full Friday, or the caller who would take 20:30 if anything opens up. Instead of turning them away or writing a name on a scrap of paper, you put them in a queue Tabledoo can act on.
It sits at Waitlist in the left-hand menu.
An entry is more than a name
This is the part people find surprising, and it is what makes the waitlist useful rather than decorative. Each entry holds:
- The guest, linked to their profile — so their history, VIP status and any notes about them travel with them.
- How many people (pax).
- A date and time they are waiting for.
- How long you expect them to need (duration).
- Any notes.
Because the entry names an actual time and length, Tabledoo can check whether a real table fits them and seat them in one step when something frees up. A plain list of names could not do that.
The four states
| State | Means |
|---|---|
| Waiting | In the queue. |
| Seated | They got a table. The entry now links to the booking that was created for them. |
| No Show | You called them and they had gone. |
| Cancelled | They changed their mind, or you could not accommodate them. |
Waitlist, walk-in, or booking?
| Situation | Use |
|---|---|
| They are here and you have a free table now | A walk-in — see Walk-ins |
| They are here and nothing is free yet | The waitlist |
| They want a specific time you can offer | A normal booking |
| They want a time you are full for, but would take a cancellation | The waitlist |
Where it shows up
- The Waitlist page — the full queue, with the actions for each entry.
- Live View — when a table frees up you can seat the next party straight from the floor screen, without going anywhere. See Quick Seat: waitlist to booking.
Why it is worth using properly
- You stop losing covers. A cancellation at 19:40 is a table you can fill in two minutes instead of leaving empty.
- Guests get told rather than hovering by the door. See Telling a guest their table is ready.
- The queue survives the shift change. Whoever takes over sees exactly who is waiting, for how many, since when.
- Everyone becomes a guest record, so the party you squeezed in on a Friday is recognisable when they book properly next month.
On a phone
The waitlist becomes one card per party, with the same actions. Useful when you are working the door rather than standing at a screen.