iMenus
by Scott Hardie on November 3, 2012
I think we just experienced the future of restaurants. I thought that once before, and it turned out to be true, but in that case the trend was years late coming to Sarasota after large cultural centers like New York and Los Angeles. We might be a few years behind on this new trend as well, but I still see it becoming commonplace.
The restaurant we tried a few nights ago was Carmel Cafe. The food was ok. The service was mixed. What set it apart was the ordering experience. Each table receives two iPads loaded with interactive menus, featuring full photos and descriptions of every dish and drink. When you want something, you select it on the iPad and the kitchen gets to work. You can order a batch of items at once, like desserts all around, or just one item if you like. A few minutes later, the food shows up at your table. You can view your ongoing check at any time, and pay the bill directly on the iPad when you're done. A waitress still stops by your table every few minutes in case you need anything.
Interacting with a glowing screen instead of a menu or a human server was not especially noteworthy, but the option to order your meal in parts, when you want each part, really made a difference. The occasion for our meal was both a birthday celebration and the last time we would share our engagement with someone new in person, so we really wanted extra time to converse at the table without interruption. The format gave us that. It also helped us take more control of our meal: When Kelly changed her mind on a drink, a new one showed up a few minutes later. When my entree proved unsatisfying, a side dish showed up a few minutes later. This was a great way to dine.
I can see this format working especially well in two kinds of restaurants: Hang-out joints like Denny's and Steak 'n Shake where large groups of young people gather for hours to chat and occasionally order something, and places where tiny portions are the norm like sushi bars and tapas bars where you might want to order a series of small dishes. Our local Denny's already has a doorbell-like button you can press at your table to summon a waiter any time (a feature conspicuously missing from Carmel's iPad), so they've already taken one step in this direction.
There are tangential benefits to the interactive menus, too: Run out of a particular item? Just take it off the menu, or post a "sold out" notice that prevents people from ordering it. Need to clear your supply of an overstocked item in a hurry before another shipment arrives? Just reduce the price and declare it a sale item, instantly. There's potential for prankster kids with programming skills to tamper with your menus, but you could always keep paper menus on hand as a backup.
Though the iPads would probably pay for themselves over the long run because of reduced labor costs, they would still represent a large up-front investment and make a restaurant even less likely to succeed. I wouldn't want to open a new restaurant with the iPad menus, but I sure do want to eat at more restaurants using them.
Logical Operator
The creator of Funeratic, Scott Hardie, blogs about running this site, losing weight, and other passions including his wife Kelly, his friends, movies, gaming, and Florida. Read more »
#FFFFFF
I love how MSNBC.com's new slogan is "A Fuller Spectrum of News," complete with online ads featuring brilliant rainbows, and yet their entire site design is plain white except for one strip of blue across the top. (link) If I didn't give up reading it years ago because the entertainment section is spoiler city, I'd give it up today because I can't stand to look at it. Go »Things I Learned About Disc Golf Today
- There are different kinds of Frisbees, like heavy ones for putting and thin ones for long drives. - There's no sweeter sound than the jangle of those chains when your disc drops in. - Yelling "fore!" Go »Rocky
Let's take a moment to mourn Rocky Aoki, who lived one hell of an interesting life. And that article barely even mentions his kids (in the sidebar), who have their own interesting lives. Go »March 14, 1977
I hope this doesn't set a precedent for doing this on everybody's 30th birthday, or I'm going to be busy writing these for the next few years... Top Ten Reasons Denise Sawicki is Awesome 10) She wore red on her wedding day, and she looked good. 9) She doesn't just send the DVD as a surprise birthday gift. Go »Not to Be Confused with Denise Sawicki
It's been two months since I first mentioned my new love Denise on the site. She's overdue for a proper introduction, since I plan to continue mentioning her on a first-name basis around here. (I don't know why some men continue to tell me about their woman by calling her "my wife" or "my girlfriend" even though I've known her and socialized with her for years.) Go »
