DataStore request was added to queue

What the message means

DataStore request was added to queue. If request queue fills, further requests will be dropped. Try sending fewer requests.Key = 123456789

Other forms of the same message:

• Request was throttled. Try sending fewer requests. Key = 123456789
• 302: SetAsync request dropped. Request was throttled, but throttled request queue was full.
• 304: UpdateAsync request dropped. Request was throttled, but throttled request queue was full.
• 301: GetAsync request dropped. Request was throttled, but throttled request queue was full.

The warning names the key (Key = ...), usually a player's UserId. Many warnings for one key mean one player's data is written too often; warnings across many keys mean the whole server is over its budget.

Queued requests still run, just later. Dropped ones never run, so treat 301 to 306 as lost saves.

Causes and fixes

Three things cause this warning in practice. Each one below has the smallest code that triggers it, then the fix.

• Saving on every change
• One data store per stat
• A loop or a retry with no wait

Saving on every change

Calling SetAsync from a Changed event, or every time a coin is collected, sends a request per change. A busy player can make dozens a minute.

local DataStoreService = game:GetService("DataStoreService")
local Players = game:GetService("Players")

local store = DataStoreService:GetDataStore("PlayerCoins")

Players.PlayerAdded:Connect(function(player)
	local coins = player:WaitForChild("leaderstats"):WaitForChild("Coins")
	-- one write per coin: queued, then dropped
	coins.Changed:Connect(function(value)
		store:SetAsync(tostring(player.UserId), value)
	end)
end)

Keep the value in memory while the player plays. Save when they leave and on a slow autosave, inside pcall.

local DataStoreService = game:GetService("DataStoreService")
local Players = game:GetService("Players")

local store = DataStoreService:GetDataStore("PlayerCoins")
local AUTOSAVE_SECONDS = 120

local function save(player: Player)
	local leaderstats = player:FindFirstChild("leaderstats")
	local coins = leaderstats and leaderstats:FindFirstChild("Coins")
	if not (coins and coins:IsA("IntValue")) then
		return
	end
	local ok, err = pcall(function()
		store:SetAsync(tostring(player.UserId), coins.Value)
	end)
	if not ok then
		warn(`[SaveData] save failed for {player.Name}: {err}`)
	end
end

Players.PlayerRemoving:Connect(save)

task.spawn(function()
	while true do
		task.wait(AUTOSAVE_SECONDS)
		for _, player in Players:GetPlayers() do
			save(player)
		end
	end
end)

The DataStore guide adds loading, retries and saving when the server shuts down.

One data store per stat

Saving Coins, Gems, Level and Inventory to four separate stores (or keys) makes four requests per save. Multiply by every player and the budget goes fast.

local DataStoreService = game:GetService("DataStoreService")
local Players = game:GetService("Players")

Players.PlayerRemoving:Connect(function(player)
	local id = tostring(player.UserId)
	-- four writes for one player
	DataStoreService:GetDataStore("Coins"):SetAsync(id, 100)
	DataStoreService:GetDataStore("Gems"):SetAsync(id, 5)
	DataStoreService:GetDataStore("Level"):SetAsync(id, 3)
	DataStoreService:GetDataStore("Wins"):SetAsync(id, 12)
end)

Save one table per player in one store: one request instead of four.

local DataStoreService = game:GetService("DataStoreService")
local Players = game:GetService("Players")

local store = DataStoreService:GetDataStore("PlayerData_v1")

Players.PlayerRemoving:Connect(function(player: Player)
	local data = { Coins = 100, Gems = 5, Level = 3, Wins = 12 }
	local ok, err = pcall(function()
		store:SetAsync(tostring(player.UserId), data)
	end)
	if not ok then
		warn("[SaveData] save failed:", err)
	end
end)

A loop or a retry with no wait

A while loop that saves every second, or a retry that tries again straight away after a failure, keeps hammering the same key.

local DataStoreService = game:GetService("DataStoreService")

local store = DataStoreService:GetDataStore("ServerStats")

-- retries instantly, many times a second, while throttled
repeat
	local ok = pcall(function()
		store:IncrementAsync("Visits", 1)
	end)
until ok

Retry a few times with a growing wait between tries, then give up and report it.

local DataStoreService = game:GetService("DataStoreService")

local store = DataStoreService:GetDataStore("ServerStats")

local MAX_TRIES = 4
for attempt = 1, MAX_TRIES do
	local ok, err = pcall(function()
		store:IncrementAsync("Visits", 1)
	end)
	if ok then
		break
	end
	warn(`[Stats] attempt {attempt} failed: {err}`)
	task.wait(2 ^ attempt) -- 2, 4, 8, 16 seconds
end

How to find the line that causes it

1. The warning names the key: Key = 123456789 is usually a player's UserId. Search your scripts (Ctrl+Shift+F) for SetAsync, UpdateAsync, IncrementAsync and GetAsync.
2. For each call, ask how often it runs. Anything inside a Changed handler, a Touched handler or a fast loop is the likely culprit.
3. DataStoreService:GetRequestBudgetForRequestType(Enum.DataStoreRequestType.SetIncrementAsync) prints how many write requests are left right now, which helps you watch the budget while you test.

Questions

Sources and further reading

• Roblox Creator Docs: data store error codes and limits. codes 301 to 306, 30 requests per queue, 60 + numPlayers × 40 per minute
• Roblox Creator Docs: DataStoreService:GetRequestBudgetForRequestType
• Roblox DevForum: DataStore request was added to queue (thread)
• Roblox DevForum: DataStore request was added to queue whereas only one SetAsync

How the code was checked: every block marked Fixed passes Luau's strict type checker against Roblox's API definitions (luau-lsp, 23 October 2026), and every block marked Breaks compiles and fails only when it runs. The warning text is quoted as DevForum posts show it; newer Studio builds may word it differently, and the current Studio build also holds the shorter form "Request was throttled. Try sending fewer requests. Key = ...". The 301 to 306 messages were checked against the message strings in Roblox Studio itself (macOS build of 13 October 2026), and the limits against the data store error codes and limits page, on 23 October 2026. A type check catches misspelt APIs and wrong types, not game logic, so playtest in Studio before you publish.