Google will now tell you how to beat the queue at your favourite café

29 Jul 2015

A nifty new feature released by Google uses its incredible metadata power to help its users locate their favourite café on Google and see when it’s at its busiest to beat the queue.

We’ve all been there, yet despite our better judgements, our attempt to beat the queue at our favourite café or restaurant usually ends up with us still having to queue.

Not for Google, however, as a new post to the Google+ blog page has showcased a rather neat use of its eerie knowledge of where Android users are, using the power of metadata to track when and where people are going for their lunch.

By searching for the name of the place you’re looking to go in Google, the blue bar that typically shows you opening hours and contact details will now also show you a new bar chart.

Beat the queue with Google

On that bar chart will be times and days showing, based off customers visiting the store, when exactly there’s a rush for the latest macchiato in Starbucks or when your favourite burger joint is completely jammed.

Of course, there’s nothing particularly helpful about seeing that your favourite café is just a non-stop, money-making machine with no downtime whatsoever.

Either way, it’s certainly likely to appeal to data lovers and could even be a good source of basic consumer data for someone looking to open a store or café nearby.

Queuing sign image via Shutterstock 

Colm Gorey was a senior journalist with Silicon Republic

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