MICROS Glossary of Hospitality Industry Terminology
| Term | Definition |
| Wait List | When an establishment has reached capacity for seating guests, a wait list is established on which the name of guests waiting for tables is recorded in a “first come, first serve” manner. As seats become available, guest’s names are called in order and crossed off the list as they are seated. |
| Wait Time | An estimated length of time a guest must wait before a seat will become available and they may be served. |
| Walkout | A customer who walks out and does not pay their bill. |
| WAN | See - Wide Area Network. |
| Weighted Menu Items | Menu items that are priced according to their weight. When the employee enters the weight of an item (usually used with a local scale) the system calculates the item’s price automatically. |
| Well (or Rail) | This term refers to an establishment’s pricing structure for alcohol; generally the lowest priced liquor (possibly a no-name brand. 'Call' is a moderately priced liquor (such as Jim Beam), and 'Premium' is an expensively priced liquor (such as Johnny Walker Red). |
| Well, The | This is a bottle holder that contains the bartender’s most frequently used bottle of liquor, and the lowest priced liquors. This is where the term “well drink” came from for the cheapest mixed drinks. |
| Wide Area Network (WAN) | A network that uses telephone lines, satellite dishes, or radio waves to span a larger area than is covered by a Local Area Network.
Example: The “Internet” is an example of a Wide Area Network. |
| Workstation | In a restaurant atmosphere, this is the terminal where employees carry out transactions, such as clocking-in or ringing sales. |
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