"iPad, Presto Replacing Waitstaff?"

http://elacarte.com/

http://www.commercialintegrator.com/article/ipads_presto_replacing_waitstaff

Discussed in the March 14 episode of CBC's Q
http://www.cbc.ca/q/episodes/

Hey, why the hell not. People playing with their smart phones has already replaced having conversation with your dining companion, so why the hell not get rid of the wait staff. That way we can all just sit down and get right to texting, checking our email, or downloading the newest "app" without having to deal with any of that pesky interpersonal communication stuff.

OK, but I am not going to tip an iPad!

Sad to see any loss of jobs.

That's my first and primary reaction. Apart from job loss, I couldn't really care less.

Texas Roadhouse did a test of i-pad-like devices on each table . . . contained photos of all menu items, which you could surf . . . when you were ready to leave, it showed a detailed bill, accepted credit cards, and gave a receipt . . . wait staff took orders, answered questions, and helped with electronics . . . test evidently failed, as they no longer use it!

Sad to see any loss of jobs.

That's my first and primary reaction. Apart from job loss, I couldn't really care less.

I don't use...actually I REFUSE to use...the "self checkout" lanes that some large stores (Home Depot/Lowes/Krogers) have gone to over the past few years and I would refuse to use these gizmos as well.

I don't use...actually I REFUSE to use...the "self checkout" lanes that some large stores (Home Depot/Lowes/Krogers) have gone to over the past few years and I would refuse to use these gizmos as well.

Do you also hate it when the neighborhood kids cut across your lawn?

I don't use...actually I REFUSE to use...the "self checkout" lanes that some large stores (Home Depot/Lowes/Krogers) have gone to over the past few years and I would refuse to use these gizmos as well.

Do you also hate it when the neighborhood kids cut across your lawn?

I know I do, but I text their parents from my super smart phone.

I don't use...actually I REFUSE to use...the "self checkout" lanes that some large stores (Home Depot/Lowes/Krogers) have gone to over the past few years and I would refuse to use these gizmos as well.

Do you also hate it when the neighborhood kids cut across your lawn?

<Shrugs>...If that's all you got John , then you just don't "get" it. It's about standing up for your principles.

They should have age limits or issue licenses for the self checkout lanes but that is for another discussion.

Wait staff will never be replaced. Someone has to bring the food/drinks and their are certain issues that technology will always have. Namely what to do when the system is down. IDing customers etc.

BTW; Don't shoot the messenger!

I avoid the self-serve check-out lanes too.

I think these types of technologies will only help the industry in the long run. Your service will be personalized. Waitstaff will never be "replaced" though. Its part of the experience. We all need a little human interaction. But, anything that promotes more communication between the guest and the restaurant can only help in the end.

Another fact I found interesting about these type devices is that according to our waitress at Chili's the tip for the wait staff actually goes up when people use them! She said that the devices automatically add a 18% tip (the customer can change this) and it really helps because a lot of people don't know how to calculate a tip.

I don't know about this. I've done my time doing tech support for work, for friends and family, and I can see this working well until you get hit with someone who claims to not know technology and has no interest in learning how to use technology.

I can just as easily see a system crash derailing everything. Granted, in a fairly robust system that's not going to happen often, but it does happen.

18 hour battery life would be in an ideal situation, but batteries do die. That should be a fairly quick and simple fix, just grab a new one, plug in whatever table it's now servicing and it'd be good to go.

They claim rugged design, and I hope to god that it is, because you're gonna have kids beating on them, drinks spilled on them, they'll get knocked to the floor, hell, I can see people walking out with them if they're not secured in some manner. Flash chips are cheap enough now that you can use those, and a system like this should be fairly easy to keep cool so you won't have to worry about fans, so that should help out a bit.

All in all, I think these'll show up in some of the chain places, applebees, olive garden, that type of place, maybe in some of the local places.

I was waiting tables at Tumbleweed in early '05 when they tested a Blackberry system. Not sure how it turned out because I left in the middle of the test. Always been curious how it went.