"iPad, Presto Replacing Waitstaff?"

When I go to the grocery, I end up with four bags or so. When I go through one of the manned checkout lanes I end up with twice that or more.

we always comment that we think they must get paid a commission based on a number of bags they use!

I use self check-out unless I have an unusually full cart and I'd rather have someone else mess with it all. I love self check-out except when I'm behind someone who apparently still has a rotary phone.

I love the speed of the self check-out lanes--you figure out that the bar codes on always on the bottom or back of the package and let i roll.

I'm of the "tech generation" and have more geeky devices than God himself, but I have to admit this is kind of bad for a few reasons. Have any of you done the iPad bit over at Rocky's in Jeff? I've never been so frustrated trying to find a damned beer in my life.

Sure it was a piece of cake. What was it that made finding a beer frustrating for you?

It's pretty simple: The UI was atrocious. I wasn't the only one who shared this feeling -- in fact, my experience came only after a coworker was having issues and I thought I'd show him how to do it, knowing he was just being an old fart. Until I used it and considered whether it was worth shattering their iPad to make a point.

Essentially, if you want to look at a beer list, you have a large collection of beers all available with a relatively easy scan of the eyes, on paper, and can take it all in in seconds. You don't have to know what you're looking for, don't need to search, and definitely don't have to make decisions and try to learn to use the beer list.

On the iPad system they were using, you could see approximately 3-4 beers at a time. And that's nice if you want to know everything about every individual beer, but when you're just wanting a list of beers (with no explanation of how to find a simple list if it has one, which I'm sure it does somewhere), it's a pain. And when you decide on a beer and the waiter says, "Oh, we're out of that," and you have to go back to the 3 - 4 beer per page bit?

As I argue when it comes to any technology, the device itself rarely has anything to do with how well it performs, but instead the GUI is supremely important (part of why Apple has won out). The GUI on that sucked for what it was attempting to do. Does that mean all such things would suck? Of course not. I've seen people pull inventory parts from hundred thousand item inventories with an iPad; it can be done. It just requires the designer to have an understanding of the workflow, or, in this case, what a customer's actual expectation is, versus a PHB's design for pretty menus.

I use self check-out unless I have an unusually full cart and I'd rather have someone else mess with it all. I love self check-out except when I'm behind someone who apparently still has a rotary phone.

I love the speed of the self check-out lanes--you figure out that the bar codes on always on the bottom or back of the package and let i roll.

Agreed, 100%. In fact, I very rarely will go to grocery that doesn't have a self-checkout lane, unless they do an amazing job of getting people through, or just never seem to have any customers. I used to avoid Kroger like the plague before they had those, now I intentionally seek out Kroger specifically for them.

And I do so especially like that, unlike cashiers, self check-out lanes don't try to convince you to take out a store credit card every time you buy something (Target!).

Plus, packing your bags your own way? Grocery win.

Essentially, if you want to look at a beer list, you have a large collection of beers all available with a relatively easy scan of the eyes, on paper, and can take it all in in seconds. You don't have to know what you're looking for, don't need to search, and definitely don't have to make decisions and try to learn to use the beer list.

Very well-reasoned response and thanks for that. I only used Rocky's tablet once and I posted about it immediately so fortunately I don't have to rely on my memory to recall the experience. I found the tablet to be very helpful when selecting my beers and also entertaining while waiting for my selections.

Rocky's has as many as 32 beers rotating on tap at a time. I am generally knowledgeable about beers and usually don't require anyone to describe the beers on offer to me in order for me to make a selection. However, with this many beers there will often be multiple beers that I'm not familiar with. Trying to get accurate information about these beers from the server or even the bar tender can often be an exercise in frustration.

I too think that a hard copy menu is without a doubt the fastest and easiest way for the patron to take in the information (see CPC). Providing such a menu to customers seems to be beyond the ability for most places and keeping a hard copy menu updated is apparently also impossible. The next easiest way is the large chalk/bulletin board (See NABC Pizzeria). BBC St Matthews had a large board near their entry way that was visible from the bar. They've recently removed it and I can't imagine how that is a good thing. I sometimes check the website for places that feature beer before going. I get to the location and the website has not been updated and they don't have the beer/s that I'm really interested in having.

There is apparently no foolproof method for providing the customer with adequate information about a large, varying beer selection. So I try not to take it too seriously. The worst that can happen is that I get to drink a beer. It's a hard old life ain't it?

Rocky's has as many as 32 beers rotating on tap at a time. I am generally knowledgeable about beers and usually don't require anyone to describe the beers on offer to me in order for me to make a selection. However, with this many beers there will often be multiple beers that I'm not familiar with. Trying to get accurate information about these beers from the server or even the bar tender can often be an exercise in fr

There's the big difference I think. We had someone who was from out of town who'd never visited a Rocky's, and I'm there so infrequently I have no idea what they have. I'm not complaining about their choice in providing such an experience. I'm typing this as I take a break on working on something similar for a different industry, so I appreciate that it's not easy to do.

All right then. This thread has been bugging me a bit. I respect Adam's opinion quite a bit. So much so that I began to doubt my recollection of my own experience with the beer tablet at Rocky's. As there is currently no finer dinning "location" in the area, Donna and I decided to enjoy this perfect Monday evening on Rocky's patio......and I wanted another chance to play with the beer tablet.

I'm going to forego my usual verbal perambulation and cut to the chase. I still think its Neato Mosquito!

With over thirty beers on tap alone I would never have been able to feel that I had made the best selections of just the right two beers tonight. What did I have? Jolly Pumpkin's Bam Noir and New Belgium's DIG. These were two beers I'd never had and guided by their succinct descripitions they were excellent choices. Without the tablet I could not have ordered these beers. My server knew nothing about beer. Had I gone up to the bar I have no confidence that the bar tender would have either.

Each page showed me five beers although the bottom third of the fifth entry was cut off. Anyone comfortable with swiping a screen can negotiate this program easily. Each entry had plenty of detail about the beer without being overwhelming. I just don't see any real down side here. I could go into more detail but I have a feeling it doesn't really matter. Cheers

Each page showed me five beers although the bottom third of the fifth entry was cut off. Anyone comfortable with swiping a screen can negotiate this program easily. Each entry had plenty of detail about the beer without being overwhelming. I just don't see any real down side here. I could go into more detail but I have a feeling it doesn't really matter. Cheers

I'll check it back out next time I'm over there. There was no "swiping" going on ours, as switching to the next page left a long load time, almost as if the images weren't even on the device and were being pulled from an external server. If it's flying through like a normal iPad app and they've got five beers on screen, good.

I still want a damned list of beers somewhere, anywhere, though. Maybe I'll find a list button.

Thought of this conversation while reading the following article

http://www.newyorker.com/talk/financial/2012/03/26/120326ta_talk_surowiecki

Thought of this conversation while reading the following article

http://www.newyorker.com/talk/financial/2012/03/26/120326ta_talk_surowiecki

Interesting article. For what's it worth, Best Buy is going to the same way as Circuit City, for the same reason. The one on Shelbyville Road is now so horribly understaffed (on a weekend, no less!) that it's hard to find anyone but the DirectTV guy hawking satellite crap.

I understand they are no longer able to financially bludgeon people with their warranties and that people have caught on to their highest margin items (cabling), but it's gotten really sad, just as in this article.

By the way, if you are ever at Best Buy looking at cables and you notice some short guy standing there telling you not to buy their cables and instead to shop at http://www.monoprice.com, say "Hello, Adam!" Nothing against Best Buy (I used to do it to Circuit City, too), I just spend at least 5 minutes in every electronics store making sure people don't spend $99 for an item that can be purchased for $4 (yes, they really do that).

Met a guy recently who paid Best Buy over $1000 for 12 HDMI cables. You do the math.

Thought of this conversation while reading the following article

http://www.newyorker.com/talk/financial/2012/03/26/120326ta_talk_surowiecki

Interesting article. For what's it worth, Best Buy is going to the same way as Circuit City, for the same reason. The one on Shelbyville Road is now so horribly understaffed (on a weekend, no less!) that it's hard to find anyone but the DirectTV guy hawking satellite crap.

I understand they are no longer able to financially bludgeon people with their warranties and that people have caught on to their highest margin items (cabling), but it's gotten really sad, just as in this article.

By the way, if you are ever at Best Buy looking at cables and you notice some short guy standing there telling you not to buy their cables and instead to shop at http://www.monoprice.com, say "Hello, Adam!" Nothing against Best Buy (I used to do it to Circuit City, too), I just spend at least 5 minutes in every electronics store making sure people don't spend $99 for an item that can be purchased for $4 (yes, they really do that).

Met a guy recently who paid Best Buy over $1000 for 12 HDMI cables. You do the math.

Amazon.com - bought four HDMI cables for $0.12 (that's right - three cents apiece) brand new - shipping was $6.