Express: Putting Names on the Waitlist: Granularity Effects on Balking Behavior in the Restaurant Context

Waiting is an inevitable part of service encounters, and estimated wait times can shape customers’ expectations and queue-entry decisions. Scenario-based experiments showed that fine-grained estimates increased expectations of being served sooner than communicated, thereby reducing balking, with this effect more pronounced under the interval format. In contrast, coarse-grained interval estimates were less effective in encouraging queue entry. The professionalism of delivery also influenced responses. Unprofessional delivery increased balking when wait times were presented as coarse-grained point estimates, partly by lowering expectations of prompt service. These findings demonstrate that both the numerical structure and interpersonal delivery of an initial wait-time estimate shape customers’ decisions to join a queue. Although expectations may later change as updated information becomes available, the initial estimate remains consequential because it influences whether customers enter the waiting process. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.