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Bring back menus, QR codes are terrible

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Re: Bring back menus, QR codes are terrible

#651

Post by mcguire »

syshum wrote: post #357
resonious wrote: post #349

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On the general topic of "technology in restaurants", I've noticed an increasing number of restaurants where the waitstaff uses phones/tablets with some kind of specialized app. This happens often: we start telling them our order, and they have to say "wait a sec.... (taps phone for several seconds) okay what was that?". The "UX" as a patron is pretty bad compared to the waitstaff just whipping out a notepad and scrib…

Several of the large chains already have pay at table kiosk's I have always wondered why they just do not have order at table as well... I am waiting for the first restaurant that only has Cooks and Food Runners with no traditional waitstaff... This will likely coincide with the removal of tipping as a custom in the US. We will move to kiosk ordering, press a button to get drink refills, pay at the table, and leave.

Have you been to a buffet?

Re: Bring back menus, QR codes are terrible

#652

Post by bko »

alisonatwork wrote: post #574
cddotdotslash wrote: post #559

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How does ordering via QR code change the quality of the food itself? Just because you clicked a button to order the food instead of telling a server what you want who then wrote it in a notebook and went back to a terminal to enter it, should not have any bearing on how the food tastes.

The QR code doesn't change the quality of the food. It's just a correlation that the restaurants that moved to a QR code ordering system tended to also be the ones that hired kids who didn't much care about cooking, and who just produced the same bland dish every time, regardless of who was ordering. I do my best to eat plant-based most of the time, so I always appreciate when I can have a chat to the cook or server…

> also be the ones that hired kids who didn't much care about cooking, and who just produced the same bland dish every time, regardless of who was ordering

I personally go to restaurants for consistency. Do you really think waiters taking orders pass along information about who ordered the order and their preferences? You can give instructions to the waiter but from my experience it's not carried a large chunk of the time. Every layer is a place for miscommunication, so going consumer -> app -> cook is a lot less likely to be messed up than consumer -> waiter -> notebook? -> terminal -> cook. There's generally a high turnover for waiters and I don't think they're all super informed about the meals, but I guess it depends what restaurant you go to. But with online ordering a restaurant that can't afford to have a highly trained wait staff can still deliver high quality information to customers

You can provide a lot more information on an app about a dish, including pictures, ingredients and customization options than a person.

Re: Bring back menus, QR codes are terrible

#653

Post by barry27 »

infecto wrote: post #417

It's really interesting to see how a crowd of tech workers who generally are trying to pave the way are so quick to attack and be negative. Like all things in life, when its implemented well it works and when it does not it is terrible. I still think there is room for this to be the future though. I say this as a westerner but perhaps the west is not ready for it yet but I really enjoyed the experience of using QR co…

"The benefits to me of not having physical menus is huge."

Come now. Let's not get carried away.

Re: Bring back menus, QR codes are terrible

#654

Post by hungryforcodes »

stjohnswarts wrote: post #539
skocznymroczny wrote: post #489

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, Asian phones too I suppose. Most Xiaomi phones if not all are dual sim.

I refuse to buy phones from Chinese government majority owned companies tho.

I own Samsungs, and they are all dual SIMS.

Re: Bring back menus, QR codes are terrible

#655

Post by PretzelPirate »

jbluepolarbear wrote: post #361
PretzelPirate wrote: post #281

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most restaurants I’ve been to have their QR code link to a PDF and not an ordering website with payments.

That’s a worse user experience.

It’s much better. It’s easy for people to see even with visual impairments. Everyone sets up their phone to accommodate their own needs.

You can always take the time to ask for a menu and I’m sure someone will bring you one, but it’s my opinion that you’re making too big of a deal out of something that’s such a small part of the dining experience.

Re: Bring back menus, QR codes are terrible

#656

Post by grumple »

dragonwriter wrote: post #448
grumple wrote: post #433

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sorry, you're right, a quick google search revealed my state's wage, not the fed (forgot to check the difference, which is so negligible that it's insulting). This does not change my point in the slightest, which is that wait staff need tips to survive because the tipped minimum wage is unlivable basically everywhere.

> This does not change my point in the slightest, which is that wait staff need tips to survive because the tipped minimum wage is unlivable basically everywhere. Its the same as the general minimum in several places, and at or above the federal general (not just tipped) minimum even more, so if its unlivable “basically everywhere” that's more than just a tipped minimum problem.

It's the same as the general minimum in only 7 states.

Yes, the general minimum wage is a problem too. But in 43 states the tipped minimum is a greater problem.

Re: Bring back menus, QR codes are terrible

#657

Post by grumple »

matz1 wrote: post #488
grumple wrote: post #377

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Perhaps you are unaware, but in the US, tipped waitstaff only make $2.83/hr in most places (tipped minimum wage). These people need tips in order to make any money. Nobody is working hard for 2.83/hr. This is changing since now people are refusing to work those jobs. And yes, the entire industry is dumb and corrupt for having this practice in the first place, but it is what it is.

Maybe you are not aware, if the tip is not enough to match the non tipped minimum wage then the employer has to make up the difference.

In practice, tipped employees typically get 0 dollar paychecks from their employers; the business assumes that your tips bring you up to the minimum wage, whether true or not, and they pay taxes on your behalf accordingly. This is also typically calculated on a pay period basis, rather than by hour or by day, which results in overstaffing during slow periods to the detriment of all employees, because as long as you get up to the general minimum wage via tips (which is a paltry wage), the business still pays you peanuts.

Re: Bring back menus, QR codes are terrible

#658

Post by RGamma »

infecto wrote: post #417

It's really interesting to see how a crowd of tech workers who generally are trying to pave the way are so quick to attack and be negative. Like all things in life, when its implemented well it works and when it does not it is terrible. I still think there is room for this to be the future though. I say this as a westerner but perhaps the west is not ready for it yet but I really enjoyed the experience of using QR co…

You're saying it's okay to require the entire stack of technology of 50+ years of CS and hw/sw engineering to be able to order something at a restaurant at negligible benefit is something desirable?

Requiring an inordinate amount of technological sophistication/complexity for simple things is how to build vulnerable systems.

Re: Bring back menus, QR codes are terrible

#659

Post by syshum »

Grustaf wrote: post #639
syshum wrote: post #611

Earlier quoted context omitted.

never heard of card skimming have you?

Not really in a first world country, no…

Well then I guess the US is not the first world by your definition since it is very common. Less so with more Chip systems but it is still an issue even today

Re: Bring back menus, QR codes are terrible

#660

Post by syshum »

rdtwo wrote: post #421
syshum wrote: post #370

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except it is not, but ok. I bet you are one of those people that believe wait staff only make $2/hr right?

Not everywhere but in some places it happens if it’s a slow night and the restaurant does some sort of thing where they average out all the tips over a week/month. A waiter could very well earn 3-4$ per hour if they earned 15 on the weekend. It’s not legal but it happens. Even shadier shit happens where the restaurant makes employees repot tips that didn’t happen to keep above the minimum. Then they have to pay taxes…

If we are going to dip into the illegal then what makes you believe a higher min wage would change the equation.

The context of this conversation is around restaurants being able to legally pay less because of tipping, however if they willing to violated the laws that we have now, why would they not also violate the min wage laws.

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