Dining Out
Posted in Convenience by James on August 29th, 2006 How many times have you been out to eat and after having finished your meal you are forced to sit and wait before the waiter/waitress finally decides it’s time to bring out your check? How convenient would it be to be able to swipe your debit card at the table and leave without that added wait?
Potomac Pizza in Gaithersburg is debuting that very piece of technology with dozens of restaurants to follow suit. Before too much longer we’ll be able to place our orders electronically from our tables.
The push towards convenience, speed and greater quality of experience is reassuring. Now if only they would develop a piece of technology so I wouldn’t have to wait in line at the gas station.
Jennifer Kronholm said,
August 29, 2006 @ 5:42 pm
You may avoid the wait, but this sort of technology will eventually make servers obsolete. Once you can place your order and pay from the table, it is only a matter of time until the industry devises some way to get the food from the kitchen to the dining room. I envision carts on rails that wind their way between tables. You will be able to have a meal out without ever having to interact with another human. Machines will replace people.
More importantly: Will you have to tip a robot?
Terry Cowgill said,
August 29, 2006 @ 7:03 pm
I suspect enough people will pine for the days of waitresses that there will be room in the market for both types of restaurants. But rather than robots or food on rails, how about a serpentine configuration of dumbwaiters delivering hot sizzling fajitas to tables from below. Now I would PAY to see that!
fred said,
September 8, 2006 @ 10:03 am
eehh…i’ve been stuck in situations waiting for a check… then left paranod that i soo trustingly gave my credit card to a server i never met who takes it to the back room to “swipe” the card.. did my number get copied? did they relly charge only the amount due?
but we still need that service… if we can do it all from our table… whats the point of going to the resturaunt? I could just as easily do all that now at a Sonic or an Arby’s drive through.
Amy said,
September 9, 2006 @ 10:43 am
As a waitress, I must say that I do my best to gauge when my customers are finished with their meal and would like their check. Sometimes, if a restaurant is busy, the wait for a check will be a little longer than usual. However, in response to Fred’s post, yes, you may have never met your server, but the vast majority of us have scruples and would never even consider doing anything illegal with your card. Sure, I’ve had thoughts of doubling the tip on tables that were rude, but I’ve never acted on it, and I never would. If you are really that paranoid about handing over your credit card, pay in cash.
dolo said,
September 9, 2006 @ 8:32 pm
james.
i suggest you look into the development of a pill. once taken, and i suggest oraly, you would have the entire dinner dissolved in your gullet within minutes, thereby avoiding much needless driving, conversation, observance of surroundings, tiresome reading of menus, deciding on wines, remembering to take you napkin off your lap when heading to the head and especially that awkward ‘who is going to pay’ nonsense. i mean come on. it is freakin’ 2006. lets minimize and modernize. i can’t believe i just had to type all that. i could have sent it to my computer mentally if we had our act together and not missed a minute of NASCAR.