Skip the Line: New Google Search Feature Shows When Businesses Are Busiest

Skip the Line: New Google Search Feature Shows When Businesses Are Busiest

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From coffee to ice cream to bagels, San Franciscans will pretty much wait for anything, but a new feature on Google Search launched Wednesday promises you can avoid all those infamous lines from now on. 


Google Search now offers a tool that allows users, upon searching for a business, to view the spot's most popular times. Google collects this data by tracking the GPS activity of smartphone users through the Google Maps app. A little creepy, we know. 

The tool will be available for all mobile phones with internet access, and is in the process of rolling out to all Google users. And while the feature won't apply to all businesses (your favorite local hole-in-the-wall remains safe), Google aims to provide information about places where users will want to avoid the rush hour. 

Sadly, there is no good time to visit Tartine. (photo via Google Search) 

According to Google, Tartine Bakery should be avoided between 3 and 5pm on Saturdays—about the time the afternoon chocolate craving kicks in for Dolores Park dwellers—as well as 11am on Sundays, for obvious reasons. Bi-Rite spikes at 9pm on Fridays, as well as pretty much all day on Saturday and Sunday. Your best bet to enjoy balsamic strawberry without the meandering line is to get an early start at 11am or to grab a scoop on Tuesdays or Thursdays. Peak hour at Blue Bottle is 9am on Wednesday mornings—blame all the caffeine junkies trying to get through hump day. And, of course, Mama's on Washington Square should be avoided at all costs on Sundays at 11:30am. If you prefer not to wait two hours for French toast, you could try taking a sick day and pop in at 8:30am during the week. 

Just don't tell your friends. We don't want everyone to start showing up to La Taqueria at 4pm on Mondays. 

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