Make me Wait: When Waiting is not Always Negative

This paper calls for a reexamination of the conventional wisdom that making consumers wait for service is always bad for business. This is important because after three decades of research on waiting in services marketing, consumers still spend a considerable amount of time in an increasing range of contexts, waiting for services. This paper forwards a series of propositions that contemplate the positive effects of waiting in tourism and hospitality services. In stark contrast to conventional thinking, we propose that waiting attracts more consumers; increases perceived value; provides information to facilitate consumer decision-making; improves customer evaluations; and encourages positive anticipation. The propositions are supported both theoretically and empirically by drawing from a range of related disciplines. In light of the positive effects of waiting, future research directions are outlined.