MakeTheQueue vs TablesReady
TablesReady is a restaurant waitlist with reservations and a floor plan built in. MakeTheQueue is a simpler line for any walk-in business: QR join, a live place in line, a tablet kiosk, and a TV display on the free plan, with texts and two-way replies on flat monthly paid plans.
No credit card required. Free plan that stays free.
Our honest take
TablesReady is a strong choice for full-service restaurants. Its Business plan puts online bookings, a drag-and-drop floor plan, and Square and Google integrations next to the waitlist, and its free plan includes a small monthly text allowance. MakeTheQueue does not draw a seating chart and does not send texts on its free plan. Where it fits better is the walk-in line itself: a now-serving TV display and a self check-in kiosk on every plan, per-service wait estimates for barbershops, salons, and counters, and flat monthly pricing that does not rise with message tiers. If you seat parties at specific tables and take bookings, pick TablesReady. If you run a line and want customers to leave and come back on time, MakeTheQueue is the lighter tool. Current prices are on our pricing page.
| Feature | MakeTheQueue | TablesReady |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes, stays free | Yes, up to 100 parties |
| Texts on the free plan | Email alerts only | 150 a month |
| Two-way texting | Paid plans | Starter and up |
| QR code self-join | Included | Included |
| Live place in line for the customer | Included | Included |
| Party size at join | Included | Included |
| Floor plan and table management | Not included | Business plan |
| Reservations or appointments | Paid plans | Basic on Starter, online bookings on Business |
| Now-serving TV display | Every plan | Not listed |
| Self check-in kiosk | Every plan | Self check-in on every plan |
| Square and Google integrations | Not included | Business plan |
| Data exports | Business plan | Business plan |
| Contracts | None | None |
| Price | Free plan, flat monthly paid plans | Free plan; paid from $39/mo billed annually |
Competitor pricing and feature details checked September 2026, per the vendor's published pages. Verify current details with the vendor.
Sources: TablesReady pricing page, TablesReady home page.
Why people switch from TablesReady
Table management sits on the higher plan
TablesReady's floor plan, online bookings, Square and Google integrations, and data exports are listed on the Business plan, not on Starter. A restaurant that wants the seating chart pays for the second tier.
Two-way texting starts on Starter
The free plan sends notifications, but 2-way SMS chat is listed from the Starter plan up. Guests replying to confirm or cancel is a paid feature on both tools.
Message tiers shape the bill
TablesReady's paid plans offer tiered text allowances, from 1,000 to 30,000 messages a month, so a busier month can mean a bigger plan. MakeTheQueue's paid plans include a monthly allowance at a flat price.
Built around the dining room
TablesReady serves many industries, but its product is shaped by restaurants: parties, tables, and seating. A barbershop or service counter needs per-service estimates and a lobby board more than a floor plan.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
Pricing
A free plan that stays free for one location, with QR join, email alerts, a kiosk, and a TV display. Flat monthly paid plans add texts, two-way replies, appointments, and analytics. No per-seat or per-cover fees. Current prices on the pricing page.
A free plan with 150 texts a month and up to 100 parties. Starter from $39 a month and Business from $79 a month, both billed annually, each with tiered text allowances. Enterprise is custom. No contracts, and a 14-day trial on paid plans.
Texts and replies
Texts on paid plans. Guests reply 1 to confirm, 2 for a few more minutes (which moves them back a few places instead of off the list), or 9 to cancel, and staff can message them back from the entry. The free plan alerts by email.
Texts on every plan, including 150 a month on Free. Guests can reply to confirm, cancel, or ask a question; 2-way SMS chat is listed from Starter up.
Reservations and table management
Appointments on paid plans check in to the same list as walk-ins. Party size drives the wait estimate. There is no floor plan or table map: MakeTheQueue runs the line, not the seating chart.
Basic reservations on Starter. Online bookings and a visual floor plan with drag-and-drop seating on Business, with reservations and walk-ins on one timeline and no per-cover fees.
Kiosk and lobby display
A self check-in kiosk on any tablet and a now-serving TV display on every plan, including Free.
Guests self check in by QR code, SMS, website, or Google, and follow a virtual waiting room page with their place in line and estimated wait.
Integrations
An embeddable website widget on every plan, and a REST API on paid plans. No POS or payment integrations.
Reserve with Google, Square POS, Stripe, and Zapier, with the Square and Google integrations and Stripe payments on Business.
Which one is right for you?
Choose MakeTheQueue if...
- You run a walk-in line, not a seating chart: a barbershop, salon, counter, or quick-service spot
- You want a now-serving TV display and a tablet kiosk without paying for them
- You want different wait estimates for different services
- You would rather pay one flat monthly price than pick a text tier
- A free plan with email alerts covers you while you get started
Choose TablesReady if...
- You are a full-service restaurant that seats parties at specific tables
- You want online bookings and walk-ins on one timeline with a floor plan
- You need Square POS, Reserve with Google, or Stripe payments
- You want a few texts a month on a free plan
Frequently asked questions
TablesReady has a free plan with 150 texts a month and up to 100 parties, and paid plans from $39 a month billed annually, as listed on its pricing page when we checked. MakeTheQueue's free plan has no party cap, sends alerts by email instead of text, and includes the kiosk and the TV display. Our current prices are on the pricing page.
No. MakeTheQueue captures party size and quotes the wait from it, but it does not draw tables or assign parties to them. If seating parties on a visual floor plan is part of the host stand's job, TablesReady's Business plan does that and MakeTheQueue does not.
MakeTheQueue. Each service can carry its own length, so a beard trim and a color appointment are not quoted the same wait, and the lobby TV shows who is next. TablesReady can run a walk-in list for any business, but its extra features (tables, covers, bookings for parties) are built for restaurants.
Yes. Create the queue in MakeTheQueue, write the ready message, print the new QR code, and run both lists side by side for a day or two before you cancel. Export any guest history you want to keep from TablesReady first, since that does not move across.
Simple pricing. Start free, upgrade when you need more.
Start free and upgrade when you need texts, appointments, or more locations. Every new account includes a full Business trial.
Start free