A party switching from one queue to another that looks faster, as shoppers do between checkout lanes. A single shared queue feeding several stations removes jockeying and makes waits more even.
See also: Balking, Reneging, Queue discipline
Jockeying
A party switching from one queue to another that looks faster, as shoppers do between checkout lanes. A single shared queue feeding several stations removes jockeying and makes waits more even.
Nov 8, 2026
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Quoted wait
The wait time a business tells a party when they join a queue, given in minutes or as a time of day. It sets the party's expectation, and comparing it with the actual wait shows how accurate the quoting is.
Actual wait
The time that really passes between a party joining a queue and being called or seated. It is measured from the queue entry's join time to its called or seated time, and is the figure the quoted wait is judged against.
Wait accuracy
How closely actual waits match quoted waits, usually given as the share of parties called within a few minutes of their quote, or as the average gap between quote and actual. Parties forgive a long wait more readily than a wrong one.
Throughput
The number of parties a business serves in a stretch of time, such as parties per hour. Throughput is limited by the slowest step in service, and rises when turn time falls or more stations work in parallel.
Table turn
One full use of a table, from seating a party to the table being cleared and ready for the next one. Table turnover is how many turns a table makes in a service period; more turns at the same check size means more covers and revenue.