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Tablets take waiting out of restaurants: E la Carte on the cover of SF Chronicle

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Re: Tablets take waiting out of restaurants: E la Carte on the cover of SF Chronicle

#21

Post by herval »

joezydeco wrote: post #8
herval wrote: post #2

With all the Android (and the iPad) options out there, why do they have to roll out their own tablet hardware at all? (besides the obvious "because it's rugged" answer, which could obviously be solved with a case on any other tablet)

Then the tablet is just a menu. The companies that I have seen working on this kind of product are adding card swipe readers and printers to expedite payment. Otherwise you're still waiting for a server to take your card and come back with a receipt. That, and you need better signature capture.

I've seen companies working in this area for years too (my first company actually WORKED with this - for palm devices :-)) - my question was just about that product in specific and it's tie in to a proprietary hardware piece.

Re: Tablets take waiting out of restaurants: E la Carte on the cover of SF Chronicle

#22

Post by herval »

joezydeco wrote: post #8
herval wrote: post #2

With all the Android (and the iPad) options out there, why do they have to roll out their own tablet hardware at all? (besides the obvious "because it's rugged" answer, which could obviously be solved with a case on any other tablet)

Then the tablet is just a menu. The companies that I have seen working on this kind of product are adding card swipe readers and printers to expedite payment. Otherwise you're still waiting for a server to take your card and come back with a receipt. That, and you need better signature capture.

By the way, I don't think you need a better signature capture. You need to GET RID OF SIGNATURES, like they do already in a lot of countries... :-)

Re: Tablets take waiting out of restaurants: E la Carte on the cover of SF Chronicle

#23

Post by herval »

fredliu wrote: post #5
herval wrote: post #2

With all the Android (and the iPad) options out there, why do they have to roll out their own tablet hardware at all? (besides the obvious "because it's rugged" answer, which could obviously be solved with a case on any other tablet)

I guess ordering dishes out of your own Android/iPhone feels more like ordering a take-out instead of a sit-in? I think e la carte is intended to offer more on enhanced dining experience, rather than just an easy way to pay for your dinner.

I didn't mean the CUSTOMER's tablet/phone, I meant buying tablets (or making the restaurant buy them) instead of manufacturing your own

Re: Tablets take waiting out of restaurants: E la Carte on the cover of SF Chronicle

#24

Post by herval »

gerggerg wrote: post #17

"I actually dread human interaction of any kind" > Well ok, necessity is the mother of invention. "People say it's very inhospitable. But it's the epitome of hospitality. It empowers the guest to get in and to get out." > Wow, the irony (and sadness) are overflowing. The only time I can really see this being more useful to me, is when I can't get a hold of my wait(er/ress) to bring the check or run my card. And here'…

One good use for tablets-on-bar-tables I thought about, years ago, was the exact opposite: make people interact, sending messages between tables and the such. Then I've read an individual somewhere saying that "meeting people face to face is too creepy, that's why everyone prefers online dating".

Goes hand in hand with this comment. Scary faceless world..

Re: Tablets take waiting out of restaurants: E la Carte on the cover of SF Chronicle

#25

Post by joezydeco »

herval wrote: post #22
joezydeco wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Then the tablet is just a menu. The companies that I have seen working on this kind of product are adding card swipe readers and printers to expedite payment. Otherwise you're still waiting for a server to take your card and come back with a receipt. That, and you need better signature capture.

By the way, I don't think you need a better signature capture. You need to GET RID OF SIGNATURES, like they do already in a lot of countries... :-)

By "better" I meant "works with a stylus". Most of Europe might be paying for meals with PIN-based debit, but a lot of Americans still pay with signature-based credit. The banks need the signature.

Re: Tablets take waiting out of restaurants: E la Carte on the cover of SF Chronicle

#26

Post by herval »

joezydeco wrote: post #25
herval wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

By the way, I don't think you need a better signature capture. You need to GET RID OF SIGNATURES, like they do already in a lot of countries... :-)

By "better" I meant "works with a stylus". Most of Europe might be paying for meals with PIN-based debit, but a lot of Americans still pay with signature-based credit. The banks need the signature.

Not just europeans, but also japanese and all countries in south america (not sure about other asian countries and africa). Also, pin works for credit cards too, in these countries, not just debt

Why do the banks need signatures in the US? Specially badly-drawn ones that don't even ressemble the actual signatures? (I can never sign properly in one of those POS machines from CVS, ever)

Re: Tablets take waiting out of restaurants: E la Carte on the cover of SF Chronicle

#30

Post by ShabbyDoo »

rewind wrote: post #28

Most people don't notice good service; they notice bad service. For any restaurant that already has good servers and good training, this type of thing will destroy the flow of service and the interaction between guests and servers.

I spent about a year in 2003 trying to launch a similar start-up. Restaurant owners told me that they would gladly trade a normal distribution of customer satisfaction for consistent-but-average experiences. Why? If you have a great experience, you might tell a few people. However, when you have an awful experience, you'll tell a hundred.
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