This article was published on November 7, 2017

Google adds wait times for restaurants to save you from hangry arguments


Google adds wait times for restaurants to save you from hangry arguments

Google wants to save you from the nuisance of waiting in line at your favorite restaurants. This is why the company is launching a new feature for Maps and Search that will make it easier to check estimated wait times at restaurants so you can skip the queue.

The functionality essentially helps you better plan your visit to the cafeteria so you can avoid busy periods and roll in right when the rush hours have ended.

Users can take advantage of this new functionality by selecting their restaurant of choice in Maps or Search. The estimated wait times are displayed in the expanded business listing under the Popular Times section.

Here is what you can expect to see:

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Among other things, the new feature highlights the busiest time slots during the day as well the approximate time people spent waiting in queue.

“Wait time estimates are based on anonymized historical data,” explains Maps software engineer Quang Duong. “[It’s] similar to how we compute the previously launched Popular Times and Visit Duration features.”

This new addition marks Google’s latest effort to make its line of products more useful in real-life scenarios. Previously, the company updated Maps to show available parking spots as well as nearby Uber drivers.

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