21–30 of 106 posts
This is pretty straightforward. If you're in a huge time crunch, order delivery. I'm not sure what it's like in the bay area, but here in Chicago you can order something from grubhub with very little friction.
God I'd hate this. Restaurants are places of relaxation, company, discovery, beautiful foods. I want to order something which sounds good and then see whether it is - I want it to come to me as a surprise - "Oh Tuscan Rabbit? I wonder how the chef will do it confit... Oh! Wow, let's try this then!" It's not about efficiency, it's about atmosphere. I don't want a glowing screen anywhere near my dining table. I don't w…
Waiting for my order is one of those rare times to spend time with someone, discuss things, and absorb the restaurant atmosphere. A good restaurant menu doesn't list all ingredients and recipes, presentations and pictures. I want that anticipation, that wonder, and that trust in the chef. When I receive my food I like to be surprised; to discovery and explore a dish, even if it's something I've had before.
If the restaurant leaves a lasting impression on me, in terms of atmosphere, service, and taste, then I won't need a reminder of what I had last time. I don't need details/pictures of dishes because I already have that trust in the chef.
And in terms of service, a good restaurant/waiter will recommend something for me, or know what I have ordered in the past. It's part of the social experience of dining, having an actual discussion with the people who know the food.
Dave seems to be suggesting the exact opposite of what I would want in a quality restaurant experience. But I'm sure his opinion is different with children in the mix. It's really interesting how diverse the dining experience can be, and how both class and social groups can change your view of it.
Most restaurants have either 1) a giant PDF or 2) a crazy interactive Flash experience. (Would you like to build an animated pizza? Would you like a Taylor Swift CD with your pizza?)
When I come to a restaurant's site, I want to see this: 1) Location and hours 2) HTML menu with pictures
This could all be on one page.
If there's an online ordering process, it should be fast and remember my favorite choices. That's about it.
Actually, I like menus with lots of choices. It would be nice to have more pictures, though.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitchen_Confidential talks about refrigerator space and other constraints common to modern restaurants. Whenever you order that chicken that's on the menu together with shrimp, lobster, steak, ground beef, pork chop, pork loin, tuna, turkey, salmon, tilapia, etc., you risk ordering something that's been re-frozen multiple times, stuck in the back of the fridge (the more exotic it is, the…
God I'd hate this. Restaurants are places of relaxation, company, discovery, beautiful foods. I want to order something which sounds good and then see whether it is - I want it to come to me as a surprise - "Oh Tuscan Rabbit? I wonder how the chef will do it confit... Oh! Wow, let's try this then!" It's not about efficiency, it's about atmosphere. I don't want a glowing screen anywhere near my dining table. I don't w…
But personally, the ridiculously inefficient eating-at-a-restaurant process is one of the reasons (along with saving money and staying healthy) why I prefer to eat at home whenever possible. Other than for social purposes and specialty food, I avoid restaurants like the plague. For example, there is no reason for me to go to an Italian restaurant when I can make the same dishes at home with less time than it'll take me to drive to the restaurant, get a table, eat, and drive back home.
1) Will implementing these features actually increase profit? This was never addressed.
2) Restaurant revenue does not grow exponentially into the sky like many internet businesses do. There are hard limits on growth. Thus the ROI on measurement (A/B testing) won't be nearly as high.
3) Is a digital ordering system (with all the bells and whistles) something that is high on the priority list of a typical restaurant owner? If not, selling these things will be a chore.
You're a smart cat. And you've been really successful in the tech / entrepreneurial venue.
But this piece perfectly illustrates a common problem among successful tech entrepreneurs. You've not only assumed that a problem you struggle with is universal, you've also assumed that your success and expertise within one industry means that you know how to operate within other industries (that you don't know about). Worse still... you assume that you don't need to know anything about the industry to "fix" it. This is VERY common among successful tech entrepreneurs. You've started with the assumption that you KNOW BETTER than the people who are currently operating within the business (despite the fact that you don't know the realities of running such a business). In your case, you also assume that most people running restaurants are morons (because if they were not, they'd obviously be running their businesses as if they were tech start-ups).
This combination of myopic narcissism, arrogance and ignorance has gotten a LOT of entrepreneurs and investors in a LOT of trouble in the past.
Might I suggest that you should: 1) learn about the food service business (perhaps you could assume that successful food service professionals are not idiots to start?), 2) test your assumption that there are a reasonable number of people who share your problem
Final Note: tech entrepreneurs and investors - I'd suggest looking at this as a good illustration of a condition that we should all avoid.
"Problem #3: Have to Wait FOREVER for Waiter to Order, Re-Order, & Pay. Also, Nothing To Do While I’m Waiting." This is pretty straightforward. If you're in a huge time crunch, order delivery. I'm not sure what it's like in the bay area, but here in Chicago you can order something from grubhub with very little friction.
"Problem #3: Have to Wait FOREVER for Waiter to Order, Re-Order, & Pay. Also, Nothing To Do While I’m Waiting." This is pretty straightforward. If you're in a huge time crunch, order delivery. I'm not sure what it's like in the bay area, but here in Chicago you can order something from grubhub with very little friction.
One of my personal pet peeves is the arrival of the waiter halfway through to ask "how are things here." It's just a pointless ritual, and annoys the crap out of me. I rarely have complaints, or additional requests, and I'll catch their eye if I do.
Suggested followups: "Nightclubs: they suck because they're loud, dark and full of drunken horny young people" and "Concerts: how MP3 players could disrupt live music by playing every piece consistently without the bother of having to go to a live music venue".