Queue Wait Time
Queueing up at a ticket booth or service desk? This simple calculator multiplies the number of people ahead of you by the average minutes per person to approximate how long you'll wait. Enter the queue length and service rate to gauge your total wait in minutes.
Educational information, not professional advice.
Examples
- 12 people at 4 minutes each ⇒ 48 minutes of waiting
- 3 people at 7.5 minutes each ⇒ 22.5 minutes of waiting
- 20 people at 2.5 minutes each ⇒ 50 minutes of waiting
FAQ
Does the calculator support multiple service counters?
No. It assumes a single queue served by one worker. Divide the people by the number of counters for a rough adjustment.
Can I change the time unit?
Yes. Enter seconds or hours as long as both inputs use the same unit; the output will match that unit.
What if the service time varies?
Use the average minutes per person or run the calculation with best- and worst-case times to create a range.
How is this different from advanced queueing theory?
This is a straightforward multiplication and does not model arrival rates or variability like an M/M/1 queue would.
Additional Information
- Waiting time = number of people ahead × minutes per person.
- Longer transactions or paperwork significantly increase the wait, so monitor the average time to keep lines moving.
- For more accuracy, periodically observe real service times and update the average you enter.