For barbershops and salons

How to create a barbershops waitlist

Someone writes their name on the board, goes for lunch, and comes back to find it erased. The phone rings all day with the same question. Booking apps want $30 a month and a card on file for a shop that mostly takes walk-ins.

The walk-in list is a whiteboard and people wait two hours to find out they are not on it. 6 steps, about five minutes, or one click with the recipe below.

Step by step

Set up the Walk-ins yourself

These are the exact values the recipe applies. Change any of them to match your line.

  1. Create the waitlist

    Sign in, click New waitlist, and name it "Walk-ins". It starts as a draft, so nothing is public until you publish.

  2. Set capacity to 12 per day

    In Settings, set the capacity to 12 per day and the reset to daily at 8:00 AM. The count starts over at every reset; nothing is deleted.

  3. Set the opening hours

    Under Hours, set signups to open Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Outside those hours the form shows a closed screen with the next opening time, in the joiner's time zone.

  4. Add the form fields

    Email is built in. On the Form tab, add Name (required), Phone (required), Service (required). Labels and help text render as plain text.

  5. Show the counter

    In Settings, turn on the counter so the form shows how many spots are left. People join faster when they can see the number.

  6. Publish and share

    Click Publish. The Share tab has the hosted link, a QR code, and the script tag or iframe for your site. The submit button reads "Get on today's list".

Or do it in one click

Use the recipe

The "Walk-ins" recipe creates the waitlist with every step above already done. Sign in, click once, and it is live as a draft you can publish.

Create this waitlistSee the recipe page

Recipe

Walk-ins

  • 12 per day
  • Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat 8 AM–5 PM
  • 4 fields
  • 12 walk-ins per day. The count resets at 8:00 AM.
  • The list opens at 8:00 AM and closes at 5:00 PM, Tuesday through Saturday.
  • After hours, the form shows when tomorrow's list opens.
  • Asks for name, phone, and service.
  • Clients see their number for today on the success screen.

After you publish

How the list runs

Daily cap

Twelve a day, reset at 8:00 AM. The thirteenth sees full and the next opening time.

Shop hours

Opening hours Tuesday to Saturday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Sunday and Monday the form is closed.

QR by the door

The hosted page is the link. Print it on the window and put it in your Instagram bio.

Pick a service

A dropdown for the cut. You see how long the day is before it starts.

Numbered for today

"You're #7 today." Clients go get lunch instead of watching the whiteboard.

Free a chair

Delete a no-show from your phone and the next person can join.

FAQ

Questions people here ask

Does it text clients when the chair is ready?

No. Unwaited does not send SMS. Call the next name or the number they gave you.

Can clients book a specific time?

No. This is a walk-in list in order, not a calendar. For timed appointments, use a booking tool.

Can I take a deposit for no-shows?

No. Unwaited does not take payments.

Related

Keep reading

Five minutes by hand, or one click.

Free for 100 signups a month. Unlimited waitlists. Every setting above stays editable.

Create this waitlist