A new app predicts grocery wait times, as well as lineups outside LCBO stores, medical clinics and pharmacies, across Canada.
Andie, which was originally created as an AI virtual assistant designed to help with managing tasks and emails, has been revamped during the pandemic to offer real-time waiting predictions at a variety of locations.
The app tracks 144 major chains to provide lineup info on nearly 50,000 grocery stores and pharmacies across the country, as well as 4,000 liquor stores (including LCBO wait data, which Andie says is exclusive to the app).
Using their lineup data, Andie has also released stats on the best and worst times to shop across the country. The national sweet spot for grocery stores is Tuesday afternoons from 1:30 pm to 3:45 pm – which just so happens to be the best time in Toronto as well – while Thursday evenings and Saturday and Sunday around noon are the worst times.
Meanwhile, the ideal time to hit the LCBO is Wednesday afternoon from 1 pm – 4:15 pm, while Friday and Saturday afternoons see the longest waits.
Similar tools have popped up in the wake of the pandemic, including a popular open-source map that uses Google data to predict estimated wait times at grocery stores around the world.
@nataliamanzocco
