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June 11, 2025
Busy Floor, Weak Sales? This Might Be Why.
You’re tracking covers. You’re watching bar sales. But there’s one metric almost no one talks about — and it could be the reason your busiest nights aren’t your most profitable: Average Dwell Time. How long each guest stays in your venue — and how they use that time — shapes everything: sales, energy, staffing, table turns, even tips. And if you’re not paying attention to it, you’re missing one of the clearest signals for where your money’s leaking.
Why It Matters
Let’s say your venue is packed from 9pm to 1am. Feels like a great night — but the numbers don’t reflect it. The problem? Guests are sitting in high-value seats for 90+ minutes, sipping one drink and blocking new revenue.
On the flip side, if guests are in and out in 30 minutes, you’re missing a second round, dessert, or another small plate — and the chance to drive spend per head higher.
Dwell time reveals these blind spots. It gives you the insight to:
- Improve guest flow without rushing service
- Staff more efficiently around real usage patterns
- Spot high-value time blocks where tables should be flipping — or held longer
What Dwell Time Tells You (That Other Metrics Don’t)
Dwell time acts like a pressure gauge for your entire operation. It reveals friction, missed opportunities, and even staff habits that other metrics don’t catch. Here’s what it can expose:
- Slow Service? High dwell, low spend usually means guests are waiting too long — for drinks, food, or their bill. That stalls your night and frustrates guests.
- No Second Round? Low dwell, low spend can mean staff is closing tabs too quickly or missing the window to offer another round. Guests feel rushed — and leave.
- Overseated Sections? One server with too many tables = fewer touchpoints. Dwell goes up, but spend stays flat.
- Dead Zones on the Floor? Certain tables turning faster than others? It might be the music, lighting, or layout — not the guests.
- Attracting the Wrong Crowd? Quick exits on weekends? You may be drawing pre-drinkers instead of dwellers. Time to rethink the promo or music strategy.
This metric doesn’t just show what’s happening — it shows why it’s happening.
How to Track It
Start simple. You don’t need high-end tools to start understanding dwell time.
- For table service venues: Use POS data — compare the time guests are seated to when the bill is closed. Over time, you’ll spot patterns by section, table size, and day of the week.
- For bars: Look at tab open and close times. Even a few nights of data will reveal how long guests typically stay — and whether you’re missing chances to upsell.
- For clubs or event-style venues: Full tracking usually isn’t realistic — and that’s okay. Instead, focus on maximizing spend per guest per hour during your known peak windows. Dwell time here is less about exact minutes and more about maximizing value during the rush.
The goal isn’t perfect data — it’s better visibility.
How to Act on It
- Short stay, low spend? Guests are bouncing before the second round. Train staff to approach before the drink is finished, not after.
- Long stay, low spend? Set clearer expectations on tables during peak hours — minimums, time limits, or prompt check-ins.
- Long stay, high spend? These are your power guests. Identify who they are, treat them like VIPs, and make sure your space encourages this behavior.
The Takeaway
Your revenue isn’t just based on who walks through the door — it’s based on what they do while they’re there. Once you track dwell time, you start seeing the difference between a packed room and a profitable one.
Don’t just count heads — track how time flows in your venue. Because once you control time, you control revenue.
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