Waiting & Reservation App
UX/UI Design
My Role: UX Designer for the Waiting App, responsible for the end-to-end design process from concept to delivery.
Waiting & Reservation App is a customer-facing solution developed at BLUU Inc. to improve the restaurant waiting and reservation experience. The goal of the app is to reduce physical queues and streamline the check-in process through real-time queue management and reservation tools. As the UI/UX designer, I collaborated with the IT team to create an intuitive self-service experience that enhances both customer convenience and operational efficiency.
Project: Bluu Inc. | Project Date: Feb - April 2026
DISCOVER
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About
Long wait times and inefficient reservation processes can create frustration for both restaurant customers and staff. Without clear visibility into waitlists and reservation status, customers often experience uncertainty and wasted time.
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CHALLENGE
Customers frequently face long physical waits and lack real-time information about their place in line or reservation status.
PROBLEM
Traditional waitlist and reservation systems often rely on manual processes, making it difficult for customers to track wait times and for restaurants to manage seating efficiently.
SOLUTION
Design a Waiting & Reservation App that provides real-time queue tracking, table reservations, and status notifications. The app helps customers better plan their time while enabling restaurants to streamline operations and improve the overall dining experience.
The Problem
Restaurant customers often face uncertainty when waiting for a table. They must remain near the restaurant without knowing exactly how long the wait will be, making it difficult to plan their time.
Traditional waitlists also provide limited visibility into queue status, leading to frustration and a less enjoyable dining experience.
LONG WAIT TIMES
Customers often spend valuable time waiting for a table without knowing exactly when they will be seated.
LACK OF WAITLIST VISIBILITY
Without real-time updates, customers have little visibility into their position in line or the remaining wait time.
LIMITED FLEXIBILITY
Traditional waitlists require customers to stay near the restaurant, restricting how they use their time.
INEFFICIENT EXPERIENCE
Managing reservations and walk-in waitlists separately can create confusion for both customers and restaurant staff.
Reserch
Waiting without knowing how long it will take can create frustration and anxiety for customers. Studies show that uncertainty during waiting periods often feels longer than the actual wait time itself.
When people are forced to stand in physical lines or repeatedly check their status, it can interrupt their plans and negatively impact their overall experience. Providing clear wait-time visibility and real-time queue updates helps reduce uncertainty, improves customer satisfaction, and allows people to use their time more efficiently.
Research on customer waiting experiences shows that perceived waiting time often has a greater impact on customer satisfaction than the actual amount of time spent waiting.
Source:
• Tom, G. & Lucey, S. (1997). A Field Study Investigating the Effect of Waiting Time on Customer Satisfaction.
• Davis, M. & Maggard, M. (1990). An Analysis of Customer Satisfaction with Waiting Times in a Two-Stage Service Process.
• Pruyn, A. & Smidts, A. (1998). Effects of Waiting on the Satisfaction with the Service: Beyond Objective Time Measures.
DEFINE
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PERSONA
Sara / 42 / Work professional / Single / NY
Sara is a busy working professional who frequently dines out with friends and colleagues. Due to her demanding schedule, she values efficiency and dislikes spending unnecessary time waiting at restaurants.
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BEHAVIORS
She often checks restaurant availability before leaving home. When a restaurant does not accept reservations, she calls ahead or arrives early to avoid long waits. If the wait time is unclear, she becomes frustrated and may choose another restaurant.
STORIES AND SCENARIOS
Sara plans to meet a friend for dinner after work. After arriving at a popular restaurant, she learns there is a 45-minute waitlist. Without knowing her position in line or the estimated wait time, she feels uncertain and wastes time waiting nearby instead of using that time productively.
FRUSTRATIONS
• Long and unpredictable waiting times
• No visibility into queue status or waitlist position
• Having to physically stay near the restaurant while waiting
• Difficulty planning her schedule around uncertain wait times
• Repeatedly asking staff for updatesNEEDS AND GOALS
Sara wants a convenient way to reserve tables and join waitlists. She needs real-time updates on her queue position and accurate wait-time estimates so she can better manage her time. By reducing uncertainty and unnecessary waiting, she can enjoy a smoother dining experience and focus on other activities while waiting.
How Might We
HMW create a seamless reservation and waitlist experience that allows customers to spend their time freely instead of waiting near the restaurant?
User Flow
1.Walk-in 2. Join Waitlist 3. Confirmation Waitlist Registration 4. Receive SMS Link 5. View Real-Time Queue Status 6. Notification 7. Arrive at restaurant 8. Check in 9. Seated
DESIGN
LOW-FIDELITY WIREFRAME
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1. Join the waitlist
View current wait times and queue status, then join the waitlist.
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2. Party Size
Enter the number of adults and children.
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3. Guest Name
Provide the name for the reservation.
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4. Phone Number
Enter a phone number to receive waitlist updates and table-ready notifications.
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5. Review Details
Review all information before submitting.
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6. Confirmation & Status
View your position in line and track your waitlist status in real time.
DELIVER
HIGH-FIDELITY
Join the waitlist
Users can view wait times and queue status before joining the waitlist, reducing uncertainty and improving the waiting experience.
Phone Number Verification
Users provide their phone number to receive waitlist updates and notifications. Once a table is ready, a notification is sent directly to the provided phone number.
Party Size Selection
Enter the number of adults and children in your party. This information helps the restaurant prepare an appropriate table arrangement.
Reservation Review
Users review all entered information, including party size, guest name, and contact details, before submitting their request.
Guest Information
Users enter the name under which the waitlist entry will be registered, ensuring accurate guest identification and queue management.
Waitlist Confirmation & Status
After joining the waitlist, users can view their position in the queue and receive an estimated wait time. This screen confirms their successful registration and allows them to track their status in real time.
PROTOTYPE
Waiting App
Built for Restaurant
Help hungry diners skip the wait.
Impact
The Waiting & Reservation App helps customers make better use of their time by providing real-time waitlist tracking, reservation management, and timely notifications. By reducing uncertainty around wait times, the app improves the overall dining experience while helping restaurants manage customer flow more efficiently.
1. Reduce front-desk workload by automating waitlist and reservation management.
2. Improve table turnover and operational efficiency through better customer flow management.
3. Increase customer satisfaction and retention with transparent wait-time communication and real-time updates.
Throughout this project, I learned the importance of designing around customer uncertainty and time management. User feedback revealed that transparency and real-time communication were just as valuable as reducing wait times themselves. Iterative testing helped refine the user flow and create a more seamless reservation and waitlist experience.