Xmas Tip for Boosting Sales #7 - Activate your waiting list to maximise bookings

With the holiday rush in full swing by now, the growing list of reservations can be exciting… as well as overwhelming. While incorporating the deposits for your special Christmas dining experiences can certainly minimise the impact of no shows, it’s also important to have a plan for filling any empty seats quickly.

This is where activating your waiting list comes into play. Read on to find out how it can be an integral part of your revenue maximising strategy, as well as ensure that your restaurant is the ultimate place to be this Christmas.

Tip 7: Activate your waiting list to maximise bookings

Even if your restaurant is fully booked, turning away potential diners would still be a mistake. By activating an online waitlist feature, you can seamlessly manage cancellations and ensure every seat is filled. That’s why it is crucial to have a waitlist ready to mitigate the effects of the last-minute changes, as well as preserve the festive atmosphere, amidst all the holiday chaos.

How can a waiting list help?

The waiting list allows you to note down the details and preferences of your potential customers and place them in a virtual ‘queue’ that can be utilised if a seat frees up.

In turn it will help you to:

Maximise your bookings: A waiting list allows you to ensure that no table goes unused to maximise your revenue.
Promote efficiency: By setting up automated notifications to alert customers when a table becomes available, your team won’t need to waste their time on follow ups trying to get a rebook, resulting in smoother restaurant operations.
Reduce revenue loss: Cancellations don’t have to mean lost income. A waiting list keeps your restaurant running at full capacity.

Try it on Tableo:

With Tableo’s online waiting list you can keep new customers engaged and loyal customers satisfied, by encouraging them to join a waitlist if their preferred reservation slot is full at the time of booking. Here’s how to activate it:

Pro tip: Don’t forget to let your customers know that they can join the waiting list for this year’s Christmas celebrations. Promote your waiting list through social media, website, or even create a dedicated email campaign to maximise the effectiveness of this tool.

Why it matters

The festive season is all about creating a vibrant atmosphere and ensuring every guest has a memorable experience and here’s how:

Keep the energy up: Nothing dampens the mood like an empty table in the middle of a busy night. A waitlist makes sure that this will not be the case this Christmas.
Enhance your reputation: With a waiting list, there’s no need for a hard ‘no’. Guests appreciate having the option to join a waiting list rather than being turned away completely. It shows that you value their interest and are committed to accommodating them whenever possible.

Only one more tip to go!

Hurry up and activate your waiting list feature on Tableo to maximise your restaurant’s holiday sales today. Handle any unexpected changes like a pro and don’t forget to stay tuned for our final tip, as we enter the final countdown before the holidays.