Step 1: Set up Public check-in
Public check-in is the first thing guests see when they scan your QR code, so it's worth getting right before service starts. Add your restaurant's logo in Business settings and a cover photo that matches your dining room in the location's Branding. Then set the fields guests fill in under each queue's Form fields, typically name, phone number, and party size, and use Add preference for seating if you offer both indoor and outdoor seating or a bar area.
Keep the form short. Every extra field is one more thing a guest has to type standing at the door, and long forms slow down exactly the moment you're trying to speed up. Two or three fields is usually enough for a restaurant.
If you run more than one location, check Public check-in for each one individually, since branding, lists, and hours can differ by site.
Step 2: Turn on your walk-in queue and print your QR code
Once Public check-in is live, open the Check-in menu on the Location overview, select Show QR code, and print it for the host stand or entrance. Guests scan it with their own phone camera, no app download needed, and they're added to your live queue in seconds.
If you have a tablet or spare screen at the host stand, you can also run check-in as a self-service kiosk, useful during peak hours when your host is busy seating tables and can't add every walk-in manually. Both options pull from the same queue, so you can run QR check-in and kiosk check-in side by side depending on the night.
Test the QR code yourself before opening. Scan it, join the queue as a test guest, and confirm the notification comes through. It takes two minutes and catches most setup mistakes before a real guest does.
Step 3: Take reservations alongside your walk-in queue
Reservations appear on the same Location overview as your live queue, so your host sees booked tables and walk-ins together instead of checking two separate systems. Set your available time slots, party size limits, and how far in advance guests can book.
This matters most during dinner rush, when a table might be holding a 7:30 reservation while three walk-in parties are also waiting. With both lists in one view, your host can see exactly when the table's actually free and slot the right guest in without guessing or double-booking.
If your restaurant only takes walk-ins, you can skip this step and revisit it later. Reservations aren't required to run your queue.
Step 4: Set up notifications for when a table's ready
Choose SMS, WhatsApp, or email as your default notification channel, or offer more than one and let guests pick. When a table opens up, your host taps one button and the next guest in line gets notified wherever they are, whether that's the bar next door or their car.
WhatsApp tends to perform well in markets where it's the default way people message, while SMS is the safer default for most US restaurants. You can change the channels at any time in the list's Notifications settings.
Each SMS or WhatsApp message uses one credit from your plan's monthly allowance; email notifications don't use credits. A single busy Friday can use up more credits than a quiet Tuesday through Thursday combined, so it's worth keeping an eye on your credit balance during your first few weeks, especially if you're on the Starter plan.
Step 5: Check your first night's numbers
After service, open Analytics to see turnout, average wait time, and how many guests walked away before being seated. This is the fastest way to spot whether your queue is actually keeping pace with how busy you are, rather than guessing based on how the night felt.
Give it a few services before drawing conclusions. One night tells you what happened. A week or two of data starts telling you when your real peak hours are and whether your current staffing matches them.
Why this matters for restaurants specifically
A restaurant's queue is the first and last thing a guest experiences, before the food, before the service, sometimes before they even sit down. A slow or confusing walk-in process colors the whole visit, and a guest who walks away from an unmanaged line doesn't come back to complain, they just don't come back.
Running reservations and walk-ins from one view also solves a problem specific to full-service restaurants: the same table is often shared between both. A host working from two disconnected lists either holds tables too long out of caution or double-books them out of pressure. One shared view removes that guesswork.
FAQ
Do I need to complete all five steps before opening? Steps 1 and 2 are the minimum to run a walk-in queue. Reservations, notification setup, and analytics can be added or adjusted after you're already live, though setting notifications up before your first service means you're not learning the notification flow in the middle of a rush.
Can I use WaitQ for reservations only, without a walk-in queue? Yes. Reservations and the walk-in queue are independent. A restaurant that's fully booked and doesn't take walk-ins can set up reservations alone and skip Step 2.
What happens if I run out of notification credits mid-service? SMS and WhatsApp messages pause until your monthly credits refresh, and calls fall back to email when the guest has given an email address. To keep sending texts, use Buy additional credits; purchased credits don't reset each month. Keeping an eye on your credit balance during a first few busy weeks helps you catch this before it happens on a live Friday night.
Can I set up more than one Public check-in page for the same restaurant? Each location gets its own Public check-in page. If you run one restaurant with a separate bar or patio queue, use separate queues or a preference field on the existing page when that fits your operation.
How long does the full setup actually take? Most restaurants complete all five steps in 20 to 30 minutes, with most of that time spent configuring Public check-in. QR code generation, notification setup, and reviewing analytics each take a few minutes once it is done.