Our local Chili's restaurant has placed small "Ziosks" (wee computers) on the tables and booths. You can place an order, you can request a refill on your drink, you can pay your bill. And it has games for the kiddos to play!
When you've concluded your dinner and are ready to pay, just swipe your credit card in the assigned slot. You can add a tip and sign the chit and be on your way without further ado.
These things might be a bit too much for the technologically-challenged. In fact, I didn't like them at all at first and refused to use them. They are not mandatory. But the last time we ate at Chili's I decided to give it a try and it worked quite well.
We have not seen these elsewhere but it's possible some other restaurants are using them also. Have you seen them in your city?
20 comments:
I haven't seen one yet. Not sure I would like it either but then, I didn't think I would like a lot of the new technology until I tried it. I wonder if some of the "wait people" will lose their jobs if that catches on. That would be a shame.
Who exactly would you be tipping?? It looks like you are doing most of the service.
Technology is changing everything, including restaurants. I have not seen this, but several places bring iPads to the table. The menu is on it, with clickable photos to see what the food looks like.
Thanks for your poem today. I am honored. Don't expect me to write you any poems. I am strictly a prose guy.
I haven't seen that around either.
One less employee to hire.
Next, they'll want you to serve yourself.
Closest we get is self service check outs in supermarkets, sounds like Randy has it about right.
Not seen yet here, but it is only a matter of time...
Self service till the last mile.
We gave up on Chili’s after they reduced the number of wait people, and began serving frozen hamburgers that are reheated, since they changed their kitchen to more short order cooking. We kept sending hamburgers back and disliked the long waits for food.
We like the new deli, so that helps us when we are in a hurry
Pretty cold...
Did they forget the last line
... and Get Out of Here!
hehehehehe
Hopefully they are paying the wait staff a living wage because I bet this cuts down on the tips.
I'll have to try a Ziosk. Thanks for educating me! Do you still maintain a daily photo site?
I have never seen anything alike here, but we are definitely backward in this kind of things. Not sure if I would like it, but I will at least try...
I have never seen anything alike here, but we are definitely backward in this kind of things. Not sure if I would like it, but I will at least try...
Nope. I haven't seen that here. I'm not adverse to self-service & I've mastered it here and there. But I can't say I'd like it in a restaurant where I'd otherwise expect wait staff...though I know it's an improvement over some "wave and wait" service I've had. Next they'll bring one of those vibrating light units to your table and when it goes off you go to the window and retrieve your food.
I think I prefer to be waited on and have some personal contact!
No, I haven't, thankfully.
Further reducing human contact :)
Very interesting!! MB
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