Queued vs Waitlist Me
Queued vs Waitlist Me
Waitlist Me is a long-standing, restaurant-focused waitlist app. Here's how Queued compares for teams weighing the two.
Waitlist Me is widely used, particularly by independent restaurants, and has a simple, mature core waitlist feature set with SMS-first notifications in many setups. Queued covers the same core mechanic — QR join, live position, notification when it's your turn — with a broader focus beyond restaurants (clinics, salons, events, retail, service desks) and a stronger emphasis on making the guest-facing page look like your brand rather than a shared template.
| Feature | Queued | Waitlist Me |
|---|---|---|
| QR code guest join, no app | ✓ | ✓ |
| Live wait estimate | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom branding on guest page | ✓ (Pro+) | Check their current feature set |
| Built beyond restaurants (clinics, salons, events) | ✓ | Primarily restaurant-focused — check current scope |
| Menus & adverts on wait screen | ✓ (Pro+) | Check their current feature set |
| Kiosk & TV display modes | ✓ (Business) | Check their current feature set |
| Free plan | ✓ (1 queue, 50 joins/day) | Check their current pricing |
Based on each product's published information. Tell us if something here has changed and we'll correct it.
Pick Waitlist Me if
- You run a restaurant specifically and want a tool with a long track record in that exact vertical.
- You've already got staff trained on it and switching cost outweighs feature differences.
- SMS-first guest notification (rather than email-first) is a hard requirement — check their current notification options.
Pick Queued if
- You want your guest page to carry your own branding — logo, colours, fonts — rather than a more generic layout.
- You run something other than a restaurant (clinic, salon, event, retail, service desk) and want a tool built with that flexibility in mind.
- You want menus, adverts and links shown to guests while they wait, as part of the core product.
Questions
Switching, honestly.
Is Queued only for restaurants?
No — Queued is built for any walk-in business: restaurants, clinics, salons and barbers, events, retail, and service desks.
Does Queued send SMS notifications like Waitlist Me?
Email is the default notification channel. Check current plan details for SMS availability, which may vary by region.
Can I fully brand the guest page on Queued?
Yes — logo, colours, fonts and QR code styling are all configurable on Pro and Business plans.
Other comparisons
Start this afternoon
Give the doorway back to the people walking in.
Set up a queue, print the QR, and let the next person wait in the pub across the road instead of your entrance. Free plan, no card.