For pop-up shops

How to create a pop-up shops waitlist

You post the address on Instagram Thursday night and the DMs ask one question: can I come. Saturday morning there are 80 people on the sidewalk for a room that fits 15. A clipboard at the door becomes the list, and nobody knows how long they will wait.

The line outside the pop-up is longer than the pop-up. 6 steps, about five minutes, or one click with the recipe below.

Step by step

Set up the Weekend pop-up 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 "Weekend pop-up". It starts as a draft, so nothing is public until you publish.

  2. Set capacity to 120 in total

    In Settings, set the capacity to 120 in total. When the 120th person joins, the form reads as full and says so.

  3. Set the opening hours

    Under Hours, set signups to open Fri, Sat, 11:00 AM to 7:00 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), Which day (required), Phone. 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 in line".

Or do it in one click

Use the recipe

The "Weekend pop-up" 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

Weekend pop-up

  • 120 total
  • Fri, Sat 11 AM–7 PM
  • 4 fields
  • 120 slots total for the weekend. The list closes at 120.
  • Names are taken Friday and Saturday, 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM, the shop's hours.
  • Outside those hours the form shows when it opens next.
  • Asks for name, which day, and phone.
  • Shoppers see their number on the success screen.

After you publish

How the list runs

Shop hours

Opening hours for Friday and Saturday, 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM. The form closes when you do.

Weekend cap

120 slots total. Raise it Saturday morning if Friday went well.

Pick a day

A multiple-choice field for Friday or Saturday. Export by day for staffing.

QR at the door

The hosted page is the link. Print it on the window for walk-ups.

Numbered in line

"You're #52." Shoppers go get a coffee instead of standing on the sidewalk.

Door list

CSV in position order, or a webhook per signup to a shared sheet on Pro.

FAQ

Questions people here ask

Does it text people when it is their turn?

No. Unwaited does not send SMS. Call the next number from the door or post it on a sign.

Can I reserve slots for specific times?

Add a dropdown for a time slot. Capacity is for the whole list, not per slot, so balance slots by hand from the export.

Can shoppers pay a deposit?

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