Mr. Stax Inc. adds Yelp Waitlist in 66 IHOP® locations

IHOP® is one of the largest and most well-loved casual dining restaurant chains in the world. Families have been enjoying their breakfast favorites since 1958. Today, the brand has over 1,600 locations, all of which are owned and operated by independent franchisees. Mr. Stax Inc. is a management company that operates 66 IHOP® locations in eight states.

In May 2020, Mr. Stax Inc. implemented Yelp Waitlist (now Yelp Guest Manager) at all 66 IHOP® restaurants to bridge the gap between safety, operations and better manage the guest experience. Nathan Hughes, Director of Restaurant Excellence and Training, and his team balanced transparency and safety by allowing guests to view live wait times, add themselves to the list, check their place in line, and receive text notifications when their table was ready, all without having to step foot in the restaurant. “Yelp has been a godsend for us, especially on the weekends,” said Nathan Hughes”, The ability to communicate directly with our guests via text on the status of their table has been invaluable!” Nathan and his team can use Yelp’s robust aggregate and single location data to track performance week over week. “The data we have access to is a huge benefit to our operations.”

Yelp has the most intuitive online waitlist and table management system that works the way a restaurant operates. You can do everything you would want with the platform and we’re now better able to manage the guest experience at our front doors.

— Nathan Hughes, Director of Restaurant Excellence and Training, Mr. Stax Inc.

IHOP® was old school in the sense that they used pen and paper to manage long lines out the door and crowded lobbies during peak hours. Nathan Hughes was on a mission to bring innovative technology into his locations to modernize their waitlist system and improve organization at the front doors.

*Internal Yelp data. Results shown for 66 IHOP® locations over a 12-month period.

Since launching, more than 17,000 guests have seamlessly joined the waitlist via Yelp from the comfort and safety of their home, car, or en route. 96% of all waitlist guests have opted-in to being notified via text on the status of their table, which has reduced guests leaving the line and the number of guests asking the host when they will be seated.

The pandemic did many things for the restaurant industry, one of which was to help accelerate the need for a contactless FoH solution that would prioritize the safety of guests and staff alike.