Reservics lets you capture demand when a time slot is fully booked. Turn on the waitlist (a Pro+ feature) and diners can join a first-come, first-served queue from your storefront widget instead of leaving. When a seat frees from a cancellation or no-show, Reservics offers it to the next waiting diner by email with a claim link, so you fill tables you would otherwise lose.
Before you start #
- The waitlist is a Pro+ feature. The Free plan does not include it. Upgrade to Pro ($9.99/mo) or Advance ($19.99/mo) to unlock it.
- You manage waitlist settings in Settings, and the live queue lives on the Waitlist admin page.
- A 14-day free trial is available on paid plans.
How to enable the waitlist #
Once enabled, your storefront widget will start offering the waitlist whenever a chosen time is full.
What the diner sees when a time is full #
When a diner picks a location, party size, date, and time that has no free seats, the widget offers them the option to join the waitlist instead of booking. The diner enters:
- Name
- Phone
- Party size
- Desired date
- Desired time (optional)
After they join, Reservics sends them a “Waitlist Joined” email so they have a record. No diner account is needed.
How the FIFO queue works #
The waitlist is a FIFO (first-in, first-out) queue. The earliest diner to join is first in line. When a seat opens, Reservics works down the queue in order, so the diner who waited longest gets the first offer.
A seat can open in two ways:
- A confirmed booking is cancelled.
- A booking is marked No-show, which releases the seat.
Reservics calculates free seats as the location’s capacity for that date minus the party sizes of overlapping active bookings, so an offer only goes out when there is genuinely room for the waiting diner’s party.
How freed seats are offered to waiting diners #
When a seat frees, Reservics offers it to the next eligible diner in the queue by email with a claim link (the “Waitlist Offer” email). The diner clicks the link to claim the seat and confirm their booking. If they do not claim it, the offer expires and the seat can move to the next person in line. This automatic matching means you do not have to call diners one by one.
The Waitlist admin page #
Open the Waitlist page from the Reservics admin to see and manage everyone waiting. It has a live queue plus tabs for each stage.
| Tab | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Live | Diners currently waiting in the queue, in FIFO order |
| Booked | Waiting diners who claimed an offered seat and converted to a booking |
| Expired | Offers that were sent but not claimed before they expired |
| Removed | Entries you manually removed from the queue |
You can remove any entry from the queue when it is no longer relevant.
Plan availability #
| Capability | Free | Pro ($9.99/mo) | Advance ($19.99/mo) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waitlist | No | Yes | Yes |
| Waitlist Joined and Waitlist Offer emails | No | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic seat offers on cancellation or no-show | No | Yes | Yes |
Frequently asked questions #
Is the waitlist available on the Free plan? #
No. The waitlist is a Pro+ feature, so it is included on the Pro ($9.99/mo) and Advance ($19.99/mo) plans only. The Free plan cannot offer a waitlist. You can start a 14-day free trial on a paid plan to try it.
How does Reservics decide who gets a freed seat first? #
The waitlist is a first-in, first-out queue. The diner who joined earliest is first in line, so when a seat frees from a cancellation or no-show, Reservics offers it to the longest-waiting diner first before moving down the queue.
How is a freed seat offered to a waiting diner? #
Reservics sends the next eligible diner a “Waitlist Offer” email with a claim link. The diner clicks the link to claim the seat and confirm the booking. If the offer is not claimed, it expires and the seat can pass to the next person in the queue.
Where do I manage people who are waiting? #
Open the Waitlist page in the Reservics admin. It shows a live queue plus Booked, Expired, and Removed tabs, so you can see who is waiting, who converted, which offers expired, and remove any entry you no longer need.
Do diners need an account to join the waitlist? #
No. Diners join the waitlist straight from your storefront widget with their name, email, phone, party size, and desired date and time. They receive a “Waitlist Joined” email for their records without ever creating an account.
