NextME vs Eat App Waitlist (Complete 2024 Guide)

You can’t expect to run a restaurant at full capacity without considering a proper waitlist system. With a reliable tool in place, you will be able to virtually add guests to your waitlist, and keep them informed every step of the way.

To help you make an informed decision, we took a deep dive into one of the most popular restaurant waitlist systems called, NextME.

• What features do they have to offer?
• How do customers experience the product?
• And is there an alternative to this waitlist solution?

So, let’s get started.

NextME waitlist features

Know for being flexible and really easy to use, NextME offers customers the following features:

• NextME is a solution for not just restaurants, but any business that has a wait.
• The system offers staff the capability to keep track of the list of waiting guests from any device. Anytime, anywhere.
• Make your waitlist work for you by customizing your SMS notifications, intake fields, and queues. Collect the information that matters most and choose how and when to communicate with your customers.
• NextMe remembers returning customers and fills in their previous information automatically, speeding up service and making it easy to reward their loyalty.
• Open new locations effortlessly. With NextMe, you can create new waitlists within the same account and invite more team members to manage them. It's designed to grow with your business, making it easy to expand.

Improve your guests' experience with their additional features.

Pair the waitlist with other NextMe tools for a seamless and delightful experience:

• Self Check-in: Let guests check themselves in.
• Virtual Waiting Room: Keep guests updated on their wait status.
• Analytics: Gain insights into your operations for better management.

NextMe makes check-in a smooth and enjoyable process for the team and guests. We love to avoid having guests waiting in long lines and NextMe is the perfect solve. 

Jade B. Event Coordinator

Customer reviews for NextME

Before investing in any software it is important to look at the reviews online. By taking a look at the overall experience of users online, you will be able to put together the Pros and Cons list—the key to any user’s buyer experience.

Pros

• Quick and easy to onboard your staff.

• The app is very sleek and there is little to no training needed.

• Helped restaurants to improve their retention rate.

• The software is not only used by restaurants, but small businesses such as stores.

Great app, so easy to use and takes about 10 min to train an employee!

Brian, Owner in the US

Cons

• They are not very accurate with their wait times.
• Estimated wait times tend to upset customers since they’re inaccurate.
• Ability to remove the quoted times was suggested by the customers.

It is very dependent upon network connectivity so make sure you have a solid and secure network or the app will not refresh in a timely manner.  

Joseph, IS IT Manager in the US

NextME pricing

The waitlist software offers four different tiers:

• Free - $0
• Starter - $49.99
• Business - $79.99
• Custom options

A better alternative to NextME: Eat App

If you’re looking for the best and most effective waitlist solution for your restaurant, Eat App is considered one of the best in the market.

This reliable system is not only very accurate but offers users in-depth reports to help you and your staff predict upcoming busy nights.

Features include:

• Personalized Updates: Get specific with queue positions based on factors like room, seating, ticket type, or package.
• Accurate Wait Times: Manage guest expectations with either automatic or manual wait time estimates.
• Customizable Visibility: Control what information guests see - their position, wait time, or both.
• Real-Time Guest Tracking: Monitor how close waitlisted guests are to your location.
• Smart Notifications: Alert guests directly when their table or spot is ready.
• Detailed Wait Time Tracking: Gain insights by tracking how long each guest has been waiting.
• Universal Access: Guests can access the waitlist system from iPhones, Androids, tablets, iPads, and desktops.
• Simplified Check-In: Offer a faster check-in process with scannable QR codes.
• Effortless Queue Management: Rearrange the queue or move guests to tables with ease.
• Flexible Communication: Reach guests through email, two-way WhatsApp messages, or SMS notifications.
• Powerful Filtering: Organize your waitlist by walk-ins, reservations, tags, or other relevant criteria.
• Quick Add Feature: Quickly add covers to the waitlist during peak times.
• Self-Service Options: Empower guests to add themselves to the waitlist online or at your venue.
• Dedicated Room Waitlists: Manage separate waitlists for different rooms or areas.

Eat App pricing

Eat App offers a variety of plans to suit your needs, from managing reservations to running your entire operation:

• Free Plan: Get started for free with essential reservation management and booking channels.
• Starter Plan ($49/month): Boost your reservations and enhance guest communication with advanced tools at an affordable price.
• Essential Plan ($129/month): Take complete control of reservations and table management, with additional features to streamline your operations.
• Pro Plan ($229/month): Unlock a comprehensive restaurant management suite, including advanced analytics and table management, to optimize your business.
• Enterprise Plan (Custom Pricing): For larger restaurants with complex needs, Eat App offers custom solutions with tailored pricing.

I used this software for a client and have been amazed with the features. I don't know of any tool like this, helps greatly with anything restaurant related like reservations, menus, seats and all that good stuff.

- Sven H (Source, GetApp)

Our findings on the topic

Through a comprehensive evaluation process, we analyzed user reviews, product information, and conducted extensive testing of both Eat App and NextME. This in-depth comparison focused on their respective waitlist functionalities.

Key Takeaways

For a comprehensive and feature-rich solution, Eat App stands out. Its customizable waitlist system boasts advanced features designed to enhance customer experience and streamline operations. This makes it ideal for restaurants seeking a powerful tool to manage their waitlists effectively.

However, if your restaurant has simpler waitlist requirements, Waitlist ME offers a user-friendly option with core functionalities. This can be a good starting point for managing your waitlist efficiently.