How it works
Three simple steps. No app, no account, no standing in a long line with a restless four-year-old.
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1
Join the line
A Santa helper adds the family in seconds, or parents scan a QR code or use a check-in tablet. Just a name, a mobile number and how many kids.
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2
Go enjoy the mall
A text arrives with a private link. It shows the family's place in line and the average wait, and updates on its own.
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3
Santa is ready
When it's their turn, they get a text to head over. The helper handles the rest, including families who need a few more minutes.
Three ways to check in
Use one or all of them. Each line chooses what it offers.
At the Santa station
A helper adds the family on a phone or iPad. Name, mobile number, kids, and a quick note like "Dan is nervous."
Scan the QR poster
Print the poster for your line. Parents scan it, fill in a short form on their own phone, and they're in.
Check-in tablet
Leave a tablet at the station. It resets after every family, so the next person starts with a clean screen.
Made for busy malls
Parents get a calm, simple page. Santa's helpers get big buttons that work in a bright, noisy mall.
For families
- A text, not an app. The link opens right in the phone's browser.
- See the line move. Place in line and average wait, updated automatically.
- A heads-up when you're next, and a text the moment Santa is ready.
- Clear notes when Santa is on a break, with the time he'll be back.
- Private by design. The page shows a ticket number, never anyone's personal details.
For Santa's helpers and venues
- Sign in with one PIN. No passwords to remember on a shared iPad.
- Big, high-contrast controls. Call the next family, handle no-shows, mark visits done.
- Pause for Santa's break and close or reopen the line when the day ends.
- One line per Santa chair, with helpers, wording and "good for Santa to know" options set per line.
- Know your busy hours. Visit counts and timing, kept without any family details.
Only what Santa needs
Parents are trusting us with their phone number and their kids' names. We keep that to a minimum and we don't keep it long.
Wiped in 48 hours
Names, phone numbers, kids' names and notes are erased from our systems 48 hours after a family is added.
Texts about the line only
A check-in text and a "Santa is ready" text, plus one follow-up at most. Never promotions.
Reply STOP any time
One reply ends the texts. Reply HELP, or contact us, if anything looks wrong.
Never sold or shared
Phone numbers and text opt-in details are never sold or shared with anyone for marketing.
Read the full details in our privacy policy, terms of service and text messaging terms.
Questions, answered
Do families need to download an app?
No. Families get a text with a link that opens in their phone's browser. There's nothing to install and no account to make.
What texts will a family get?
A check-in text with their link and place in line, and a text when Santa is ready. If a family hasn't turned up, the helper can send one follow-up "Santa is ready" text. There are no marketing or promotional texts. See the text messaging terms.
How does a parent stop the texts?
Reply STOP to any text from Santa Wait. Reply HELP for help, or contact us.
What happens to a family's information?
It's used to run the line and send the texts, then wiped 48 hours after the family is added. We keep only counts and timings, with no names or numbers, so a venue can see how busy it was. Details are in the privacy policy.
What do we need to run it at our venue?
A phone or iPad for the helper, and an internet connection. A printer for the QR poster and a tablet for the check-in kiosk are optional.
Can we run more than one Santa?
Yes. Each Santa chair gets its own line with its own helpers, check-in poster and wording, and a company can run as many lines as it needs.
I received a text from Santa Wait. Who sent it?
Someone at a Santa visit entered your number so you could hold your place in line, and said you agreed to texts. Reply STOP and you won't hear from us again. If you didn't ask for it, tell us.
Ready for a calmer Santa line?
Tell us about your venue and how many Santas you'll have this season. We'll get back to you with next steps.
Get in touch