Designing Wait-Time Visibility Experience For Busy Brewpubs
Reducing time & effort from crowdsourcing to instantly figure out wait times
Overview
This personal project began with a curiosity about how people navigate uncertainty in high-pressure, real-world environments—and how better information can change that experience.
Walking into a popular brewpub on a friday night usually comes with a familiar question: “How long is the wait?”
At Doolally Taproom, one of India’s most loved brewpubs, this question is asked repeatedly—by walk-in guests trying to decide whether to stay, and by staff trying to manage expectations during peak hours.
This case study explores how I approached designing a walk-in wait-time visibility system that helps guests make informed decisions while reducing manual coordination for staff.
The Challenge
Direct walk-in customers face frustrations without unclear information on seating availability or wait times, they often experience uncertainty and extended delays, sometimes leading to abandoned visits.
The Solution
To address this challenge, I designed a walk-in wait-time visibility system that provides guests with real-time information before and after arriving at the venue.
The solution focuses on expectation management, not operational optimization. It complements existing reservation systems rather than replacing them.
For detailed research - check my Medium article
Live wait-time overview that shows current wait time as a range
(not an exact number), a simple crowd-level indicator and contextual helper text.
Once a guest decides the wait is worth it, the next question becomes:
How do I actually hold my spot?
You’re in. Now what? One number. One range. That’s all it takes to shift a guest
from anxious to at ease.
Table is ready!!! Three words. That’s the entire payoff of the experience.
A live update you can't miss - While guests wait, the iOS Dynamic Island becomes a quiet status bar — no need to keep the app open or check back repeatedly.
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