Restaurants Need Tech

I went out to breakfast this weekend at a particularly slow diner. It took 2 hours from the time we arrived until we left. And no, there was no line when we arrived. We got seated right away.

Granted, it was a large party 10 people, but still. Two hours is obnoxious for breakfast.

So what the blazes took so long? It took forever to take our orders, then even more time to separate the checks, and even more time after that to pay and get receipts.

I watched the waitress take our orders, then go input them into the restaurant's computer. Later when it was time for our bill, she printed out the orders from the computer system.

Well, shoot. Give me access to that computer at our table. What's the point of the middle man? Put iPads or tablets at each computer with electronic menus. Let me tap on what I want to order and have it tally the bill as we go. I hit submit when I'm ready to order, the waitress brings any drinks or appetizers a minute later, then food when it's ready. She just has to make sure our drinks are filled and have plenty of ketchup. When I'm ready to leave, I swipe my credit card at the table and choose to print a receipt or not.

Overall, it's a pretty simple system. I'm surprised it's not in restaurants now. I can order a pizza online from Papa Johns and pay for my Chipotle order ahead of time so I can grab and go. Even 7-11 and WaWa allow you to customize your sandwich without having to speak to a middle man. Why not have this functionality at tables?

If it's theft or vandalism restauranteurs are worried about, tether the iPad to the table. Have alarms at the door. Have the bus boy check the thing for damage after each customer. Buy old or refurbished models.

As for the servers themselves, I don't think much will change. The waitstaff still need to wait on tables, greet people, bring food, handle complaints. They wouldn't need to write orders on a piece of paper and collect credit cards. People are used to paying 10-15% already so tips won't change. Or you could have the computer automatically calculate a 15% tip and make the customer manually change it.

It would turn tables over faster, which means more customers and more tips for the waitstaff. And it would mean I wouldn't have to sit through 2 hour breakfasts anymore.