Hold time

Hold time is the waiting time between when the phone rings and when a person or phone host answers. In a restaurant, it can be a few seconds during a quiet lunch or much longer during Friday dinner rush.

Example: a caller is put on hold while the cashier packs takeout bags and grabs a fountain drink order. If the hold stretches too long, the caller may hang up or call another restaurant.

Why it matters for phone orders: long hold time can slow down orders and frustrate guests. Shorter waits usually mean more completed orders and fewer abandoned calls. Restaurants often use forwarding or a phone host to cut the wait during the busiest hours. That matters most when the kitchen is deep in prep and the front counter is already handling walk-ins.