‘Bits and bytes are changing the way we eat.’
Dining Out, a print and web-based publication that delivers the latest culinary world news and our new media partner (yay!), recently published a great article about rising technology in the restaurant industry. Here are a few of the highlights…
- Wine list goes digital: Wine-centric restaurants are switching from printed wine lists to the digital variety, usually hosted on an iPad or tablet of some sort. Since the first occurrence in Atlanta restaurant Bones back in 2010, many have followed suit because digital wine lists not only allow customers to access more information, but also make it easier for the restaurant to make content changes.
- Checks delivered straight to your smartphone: Reservation companies like OpenTable, which work from a central point-of-sales system in each restaurant, now allow servers to push checks through the same system directly to the customer’s app.
- Servers replaced by digital ordering interface: Chain restaurants are introducing tableside terminals and tablets for ordering, which similar to the digital wine list, gives restaurants flexibility with their menus as well as an easy way for customers to redeem promotions. The trade-off is the lack of hospitality, a main part of the restaurant experience that many believe will be missed if this trend goes mainstream.
- Waitlist apps that shorten wait time: Apps like Waitlist Me and NoWait are making it more convenient for customers to wait for tables. While some just provide text message alerts that allow customers to go off site during the wait, others are completely remote, providing the ability to put your name on the list from home.
- Digitized taphouses let you pour your own: Cutting down on labor costs and giving customers a unique experience, taphouses like Denver’s First Draft lets guests pour their own craft beer and wine by swiping a magnetic card for every round. Unlike the digital ordering interfaces mentioned above, First Draft is keeping hospitality at a premium with Beer Ambassadors to help customers choose from their 40+ beer and wine options. If you’re interested in joining their team, check out First Draft’s open jobs on Sirvo.
Read the full article for a closer look at technology in the restaurant world.