Express Pro! by Starbucks is an interesting express ordering application. Fans of Starbucks coffee can use it on their iPhone or iPod Touch and take their time to create any drink combinations they wish. After making their selections, all they have to do is to simply select their choice and flash their device to the Barista who will instantly recognise the beverage configuration. Fans can also save their favourite beverage combinations for future use.
A detailed description and picture of the app is available at this link: http://appadvice.com/app/294293726
Global Mundo Tapas in the North Sydney Rydges Hotel uses a custom-made iPad application which allows customers to browse the iPad as it were a virtual menu page. Interestingly, it also makes suggestions on the best wines to go with certain dishes (suggestive selling!) and users can even make specifications on how they like their meals prepared, i.e. how they would like their meats done, what sauces they prefer, etc. Users can get a preview picture of how their food is going to look like before sending their orders wirelessly to the kitchen.
This menu app can also helps the restaurant keep track of stock levels so if certain dishes and wines sell out they will automatically disappear off the on-screen menu.
Read more at this link and click on the video tab to see how it is used: http://www.news.com.au/technology/ipad/sydney-restaurant-replaces-menus-with-ipads/story-fn5knrwy-1225874904671
VeganXpress is a new app that gives vegans the option of checking QSR & FC restaurant menus to see if they have items that do not contain animal products (honey still seems to be a bit of a gray area). Initial reviews among vegans are positive.
Link to VeganXpress: http://www.branberger.com/Branberger_Apps/VeganXpress.html
Another App, which can also be used on the operations side, is called MenuPad. It has been rolled out in Australia and it allows guests to order directly from an ipad. The real benefit seems to be for the restaurant management because prices can be changed easily (demand pricing), there is no need for printing, and customers can drill down into menu items to get additional information without asking servers.
No photo yet but here is a great summary in YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-y_rV6OSpw
This is a new private-label app that is supposed to increase order accuracy and turnover.
OrderTalk iPad App For Mobile Meal Ordering (from website) http://www.ordertalk.com/
An iPad app produced by OrderTalk brings mobile check out for quick service and full service restaurants. These hand-held terminals allow restaurant employees to collect order info and relay it to the ticket printer in the kitchen. Restaurants take orders from in-line customers and have the food prepared and ready to go when reaching the counter. The app from OrderTalk reduces the chances of error and creates a more efficient process of taking customers orders. Customers at participating restaurants can order food from their personal or restaurant-provided iPads with the installed app.
Dan I guess you beat me while I was typing this out!
MenuPad an Australian company has developed a menu app for the iPad that restauranteurs can easily update and customize for their operations on the fly by going to the MenuPad website. It uses the restaurant's branding styles. Customers can order directly from the iPad and request modifiers for their menu items. Customers can also post and read reviews of the menu items.
The Fairmont Chicago Millennium Park Aria Restaurant introduces an iPad Menu App
Customers can tap on ingredient names for definitions, descriptions, and preparation techniques. Menu items are paired with wine suggestions. Wines all have background information and tasting notes. Customers can also use social media from the app to tweet, post on Facebook walls, and send emails about the menu items.
The app also provides a story about the restaurant's design and chef.
This application is a self-order system using an iPad that displays the traditional Japanese menu (with the numerous pictures) on the screen. This allows the customer to view individual pictures of the dishes by using the touch interface and allows them to zoom in and out before ordering straight from the iPad.
The developers of the application predict that using an iPad will lower the entry barrier for restaurants to introduce this application and it will increase revenues as it will make it easier for customers to place additional orders. In the future this system might also allow customers to pay using the iPad.
The Lecere Corporation has developed a fully integrated restaurant management software system for iPads. This also includes a POS application where the server can take all orders on the iPad and the restaurant can then even accept payments through the iPad.
The video in the attached link shows a table going through the entire process (from greet to check returned!)
The South Gate Restaurant in the Jumeriah Essex House in New York City was the first restaurant in New York to use an iPad wine list.
The app is powered by SmartCeller app. The wine list has extensive information about wine regions and verietals. Customers select characteristics they are interested in "dry and red from Southern Italy" and the app will give you a list to choose from.
The app automatically updates as bottle sell out. This means customers won't see any wines that the restaurant is sold out of - preventing customer dissatisfaction.
The SmartCeller software can be customized to each restaurant so that the logos, colors, and images all match the look and feel of the restaurant. It has data reporting functions that give management feedback so they can monitor wine sales.
4food restaurant has iPad waiters, Foursquare and Twitter tie-ins
New York City restaurant 4Food has provided first details of an Internet-focused approach to its business. The midtown Manhattan burger shop will let visitors customize and order food over the web, including for pickup, but will also have waiters with iPads for those who want to order in person or eat in. The design is also patterned loosely after that of an Apple store and will have free Wi-Fi.
Social networking and collaboration will play roles, as a 240 square foot display built into a wall will show both Foursquare check-ins to the location as well as Twitter updates. Customers will be encouraged to share the customized burgers they make and can even get 25-cent credits for every burger sold based on their choice of ingredients.
The restaurant just opened after Labor Day.
(There is a neat 'make your own burger' online concept which is posted in the online ordering portion of this blog site)
BackPocketMobile is an application that can be used on either an iphone or ipad. This application allows you to have an app specifically for a restaurant of your choosing. In this way, customers can order food to go right from the app. The restaurant also has the opportunity to send out coupons that will pop up instantly on either the user's phone or ipad. In this way, customers will know about special offers immediately. The link for the article is:http://www.restaurantnewsresource.com/article48082BackPocketMobile_Recently_Introduced_a_Fresh_and_Innovative_Approach_to_Mobile_Marketing_for_Restaurants_.html Also, if you read the article and then go to the backpocketmobile website, it gives examples of how this app is used.
The Unified Lifestyle application for the ipad is one that allows you to enter the number of calories or other health restrictions you have and it will find a restaurant in your vicinity that will meet your needs. It allows you to save your favorite meals, restaurants, you can create optional profiles for all the restaurants you dine at
In 2009, Liveonthego.com created an app for Blackberry users to make orders with restaurants such as Subway and Baja Fresh.
A key feature of this app is providing customers with the flexibility of choosing the specific pick-up or delivery time. Users can even choose curb-side pick-up at some restaurants. Giving customers control is certainly a smart business technique!
Full press release of the launch is found on http://www.liveonthego.com/newsroomfiles/LOTG-Blackberry.pdf
With this system, the pictures shown on the iPad can be exactly the same as those on the conventional menu. The system makes intuitive use of the iPad’s user interface; for example, pictures can also be enlarged by pinching.
“Here, we’re using the iPad, but Sharp also plans to release an e-book reader. If people’s reaction to the iPad system is good, we’ll commercialize it. Meanwhile, we’re thinking of selling a system with the same application on the Sharp e-book reader.”
Celebrity Eclipse restaurant claims iPad first April 27, 2010
A restaurant on Celebrity Eclipse, a new cruise ship from Celebrity Cruises, was the first in the world to have its menus made available on Apple iPads.
Only a couple of weeks after the launch of iPads, passengers onboard were browsing the menu and selecting wine on this newest favorite gadget. Celebrity Cruise was able to pioneer the launch of iPad menu as a result of its partnership with Apple which also saw the ship being fitted with the line’s first iLounge internet cafe.
The complete article is available on http://www.travolution.co.uk/articles/2010/04/27/3450/celebrity-eclipse-restaurant-claims-ipad-first.html
Wait List http://www.avclub.com/articles/download-our-waitlist-app-or-suffer-the-consequenc,44771/
A new app called WaitList aims predict wait times at popular restaurants. The important part of this application is that it uses Twitter feeds and location sharing services as well. The creators of the app make use of twitter feeds of registered users as well as make calls to popular restaurants to enquire about the Wait times
Four Square is a location based Social Network that helps users explore the city they are in. Users can share information about restaurants, bars, shops, music venues and other destinations.
On Foursquare, for instance, users can repeatedly plug a favorite restaurant , often simultaneously sharing that news with Facebook friends and Twitter followers , this gives more points to that restaurant. Hence start-up restaurants have started encouraging repeat visits by rewarding customers with discounts or free drinks on their fifth or tenth check-ins
Global Mundo Tapas is using iPads for menus. The tapas bar has developed an app specific to their needs and is using it for menus.
The iPad gives customers pictures of menu items, full descriptions, a wine list, and wine suggestions for each item on the menu, and even asks for temperature preferences on steaks and fish.
The diners tap their selections and wirelessly send them to the kitchen. The app even upsells--asking diners if they would like to add fries or sauces.
And lastly, the app keeps track of stock levels of wine, menu items, and menu mix wirelessly and instantly with each order.
Snapfinger is similar to Grubhub-- that is, Snapfinger is a 3rd party ordering site for getting food delivered.
The difference between the two, however, is that Snapfinger is integrated into restaurant POS systems so there is no need for confirmations. They are also integrated into major brands like Outback Steakhouse, California Pizza Kitchen, Boston Market, Baja Fresh, and Subway.
Here is the link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/snapfinger-restaurant-ordering/id328071835?mt=8
Grubhub is a 3rd party site that lists "over 1,200 restaurants" for ordering take-out and delivery and has "over 25,000 menus" for viewing.
I imagine that this application is not marketed to any one particular market segment, but is marketed instead to anyone with the technology and orders delivery food.
Here's the link: http://www.apple.com/webapps/utilities/grubhubcomdeliveryordering.html
As a BOH junkie I'm not the biggest Zagat fan, but I know a lot of clients utilize their rating system for dining decisions so here's their app.
This is pretty much the high-tech version of the Zagat Guide, but with a little more muscle. For example, you can do restaurant check-ins after using their viewing tools for the restaurant details, browse dining tips, and view photos of dished (meaning restaurateurs have an opportunity to up-sell their stars).
I imagine this app is marketed towards anyone and everyone-- pretty much any market segment that owns the hardware and goes out to eat.
Here's the link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/zagat-to-go/id296428490?mt=8
I like the implications of this app for wine sales-- the app, Swirl & Sip, is essentially a wine pairing device.
The pairings are written by a noted wine expert/chef (Bruce Riezenman) so credibility isn't an issue, and I like the options of pairing according to ingredient, wine, or food item.
I'm thinking this app will be especially helpful for business clientele (similar to Katherine's in-class comment that in business settings wine knowledge is an advantage), or for other clientele looking to avoid the sommelier.
YWaiter allows restaurants to develop their own personalized apps for mobile phones that allow customers to place orders, make reservations, and pay their checks.
Several people in class have mentioned the commonality of such systems in Europe. It has seen limited use in this country. One restaurant using it is Legal Seafood restaurants. To date it is the only place I have seen it in use. Their system seemed a bit clunky and it required extensive explanation by the waiter. Perhaps the technology will get better and customers will become more more comfortable and familiar with the technology.
That being said, YWaiter seems to be a tremendous concept for younger mobile phone users who are more comfortable with the technology. The most interesting part of this application is that it allows restaruants to customize the app for their operations.
Queuent is used by PF Chang's restaurants to manage wait lines. The system uses mobile phones to page customers after they have made reservations. The host stand merely tells the system that a table will become available and the system calls the guest.
The interesting thing about this application is that the guest can reply to the text with three options: cancel reservation, delay reservation, or accept reservation.
This allows the host to better manage table usage and also allows guests to cancel a reservation without feeling any guilt. By removing the need to speak with a person, guests are more likely to cancel a reservation if they have made several.
Wine HD App http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wine-hd/id377186447?mt=8#
Interactive wine app that provides tutorials on making wine, food pairings and popular wine destinations.
Much like the swirl & sip app that jeff mentioned above the sommelier and pairing sections on the Wine HD app will allow customers to plan their wine selections before heading to a restaurant. This can remove a sometimes stressful portion of the dining experience
NY Street Food App http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/new-york-street-food/id389582047?mt=8
This street food app removes the stress from finding the best of nearly 3,000 street vendors in NYC. In addition to searching by cuisine or neighborhood the app will find you public seating near the best vendors.
In a city where street food is a very important feature in the culinary landscape this app makes it easy.
Anybody who wants to start his own restaurant ans is in the need of an iPhone app should check out this company: http://www.blueshoemobile.com/
They specilaze in providing restaurants no matter of size can be large and small with custom, branded iPhone applications. Their features include: guests / users can place orders right from phones
Restaurat owners can use the apps to track their most popular dishes and other stuff the POS does as well.
The real cool thing is though that restaurant owners can also instantly post discounts, promotions and news of special events.
It is also not very expensive, they charge a one time fee of $98 and then you pay a monthly rate depending on the amount of orders comming in.
This app transforms iPhones and iPod Touches into portable charge card terminals. It works like a traditional charge card terminal: you enter the amount, input the card number, expiry date etc. For restaurants there is a tip option. Customers receive an email receipt for each transaction. I wonder if this will be ccepted by people.
Unlike in the West, hungry Japanese consumers have been using touchscreen menu systems for quite a while now to order food in local restaurants. It’s therefore not much of a leap to think that the iPad could be used in the same way.
So Sharp has developed a solution. It’s a universal self-ordering system app that restaurants can offer to any visitor who has an iPad with them. Instead of being handed a menu, or using the restaurant’s own touchscreen order system, you can just sit down, boot your iPad, and check out the menu app.
Once you’ve decided what you want to eat, just select the appropriate food and drink on your iPad and the restaurant will bring it over when ready.
To begin with Sharp will be targeting Izakaya, which are drinking establishments that offer a range of food options too. Their primary method of ordering is currently a plastic coated multi-page menu. If the system proves successful with them, then Sharp will expand and offer it to other restaurants across Japan.
Sharp also plans to release the same app for e-reader devices, again expanding the number of devices and therefore people who can take advantage of it.
I know this is not only about menus in an ipad, but I thought it was very original!!!
Restaurants are always quick to embrace new devices and software systems, either to appeal to the techy interests of their customers, or to help streamline operations. Just think: six years ago, only a select few Manhattan eateries were using iPods as a part of their sound systems. With that in mind, we now present nine ways that restaurants can incorporate iPads into their concepts — some of these ideas are already in play right now, others are suggestions on how the device can be integrated into future dining experiences.
Let us gaze into the future!>>
1) Replace the Newspapers and Magazines Offered to Customers with iPads: Yesterday we learned that power lunch spot Michael’s is going to start handing out iPads loaded with the day's newspapers for guests to read while eating breakfast. Even if there's something funny about an old institution like Michael's embracing the device, this might prove to be a smart step for the restaurant as it appeals to the tech interests of its media-type clientele, and there’s also a green element to using iPads in this way. If this trend took off, the inevitable conclusion would be a Pulino’s or Shiller’s style iPad rack by the door.
2) Use iPads for Multimedia Booth Dining: We’ve all been to one of those kitschy 50s-style diners with the quarter-a-song jukeboxes in the booth, for you to select your favorite music while you eat a cheeseburger. What if this concept was updated with iPads loaded with a variety of playlists, movies and TV shows, afixed to the wall? A part from being able to set the tone and mood of your dining experience, you and your friends could catch up on last night’s episode of How I Met Your Mother together, or settle a bet about who played the fiancée in the Hangover by watching the movie right then and there.
5) Serve Petit Fours on an iPad: So far, no restaurant has actually integrated the device into actual food service, but this could be a great place to start. What better way to wow a customer at the end of their meal than by carefully placing a few small cakes or sweets on the surface of an iPad that’s screening a film clip that thematically relates to the restaurant? New York, if we don't do it first, Grant Achatz surely will.
6) Use iPads as Brunch Wait List Clip Boards: With an iPad and USB camera extension, the host could not only input the names of the customers, but also take a photo of them. And, if any customer walks in without knowing the system, a server can just say “Find the guy with the iPad.”
8) Let Customers Play with an iPad if There is a Long Wait: If the wait for a table is a half hour or more, a lot of customers might opt to go somewhere else. Giving customers the option of playing with an iPad while they wait might get them to hang around, happily, until their table is available. If the restaurant has a bar, this might also be a good way to get people to stay and spend money on drinks, as opposed to going to another place for cocktails while they wait.
9) Replace Waiters with iPads: Although a highly trained, experienced service staff is key to any fine dining experience, more casual restaurants could certainly cut down on staffing costs by handing out iPads with menu apps that lets them scan through the selections, find out info about their preparation and ingredients, and also use the 3G capabilities to punch in orders and send them directly to kitchen. Customers would also no longer be subjected to a soliloquy of daily specials, awkward attempts at menu up-sells, or being told to “enjoy” their food, which would definitely appeal to a certain group of diners.
While not exactly an iPad or i-related application, other companies have developed electronic systems to capture the customers' penchant for new fangled devices. In a particular example, Avaya, a leader in telephony devices, capitalises on IP technologies to improve guest satisfaction and drive revenue for a hotel. IP Telephony essentially uses internet protocol as a platform as opposed to the aging public switched telephone network (PSTN) system. An IP platform allows a single device to act as a web-browser,in-room control as well sa F & B ordering device. Oh, yeah, it makes phone calls too.
Currently, its application is limited to in-room ordering delivered through room service. A hotel can develop application for a their unique "Guest Media Hub" to enable guest to order direct from their room without the need to speak to anyone from service. It eliminates the annoying transfer of calls from operator then to room service. It is also multilingual; allowing ease of ordering and eliminate language barrier.
Initial set-up cost could be expensive, however. As this system requires a rather comprehensive upgrade in a hotel's IT backbone.
Brasserie Latem, Belgium: iPad POS system in action! 4ASoft Resto offers this solution to the restaurant in Belgium. The youtube video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-QJ2Q81MxQ&feature=related)shows the system in action.
While iPad and other mobile ordering application simplifies the system, I am not quite sure it will be relevant in all types of restaurant. When I dine at a 'nicer' restaurant, I am always impressed when the waiter remembers the order without having to write anything down. I have had an occasion where the waiter remembered the appetiser, and entree order from four of us; including the condiments! No paper; no iPad. In addition, he delivered the order to the guest concerned without asking again. That probably warrants a better tip. If he, on the other hand, has an iPad; I would expect him to know who order what exactly. The "Wow" factor in having a service staff who can remember your order is going to be more impressive than having a service staff who is adept at punching the order into an iPad.
Local Eats features coupons and dining savings for the top 50 US cities. It suggests local places (no chains), uses gps technology to locate restaurants nearest to the user, provides driving directions, neighborhood favorites and a best of category.
It is used in the following cities: Atlanta Austin Baltimore Birmingham Boston Buffalo Charlotte Chicago Cincinnati Cleveland Columbus Dallas Denver Detroit Fort Lauderdale Fort Worth Honolulu Houston Indianapolis Jacksonville Kansas City Las Vegas Los Angeles Louisville Memphis Miami Milwaukee Minneapolis-St. Paul Nashville New Orleans New York Oakland Oklahoma City Orlando Philadelphia Phoenix Pittsburgh Portland Raleigh-Durham Rochester Sacramento Salt Lake City San Antonio San Diego San Francisco San Jose Seattle St. Louis Tampa Bay Toronto, ON Vancouver, BC Washington D.C.
GoodFoodNearYou provides low calorie items and all nutritional information for all menu items. It lets a user search based on fat, calorie or carb content and searches grocery stores, fast food, and casual restaurants. A user can also search near their current location, enter another location or find good food near a popular landmark, university or airport.
This is not actually created yet, but the idea is cool and would be very applicable to restaurants. If a guest could sit in a restaurant and instantly have access to the menu and be able to order from the device as opposed to having a constant application that they had to keep or re-download everytime they go to a new restaurant. This would allow customers to sit down and order any place they walk into through the GPS tracking on their phone.
The market would be owners of the i-phone or i-pad and those people who go out frequently and are maybe often in a rush. This would enable people to order before their serve even came over. It would be good for lunch rushes and would speed up the service process. It would also allow the guest to control more of their meal experience.
Naples Tomato is using the i-pad for what they call "vine-dining." The program allows guest to go through their wine spectator wine list into the wine spectator application and become educated on their wine. This guides guests through the ordering process for wine and allows them to learn about new wine, which makes the dining experience more stimulating.
Additionally, the application recommends wine to people based on their menu selections and the menu offerings of Naples Tomato. They can see the flavor profiles of the wine, the price points and the recommendations all that the click of a button.
The application will be used by Naples Tomato customers, but I think within that pool, it will be a huge draw for foodies who may not be as educated about wine, and business people who want to seem informed about their selection of wine. This device allows any guest to make intelligent ordering decisions and brings a talking point to the table.
More information can be found at http://www.naplestomato.com/about-us/vine-dining/
This ipad/iphone app allows users to find nearby restaurants with their GPS. Results can be filtered by meal type, cuisine, delivery, takeout, bar, etc. The app also does in-app reviews of your selected restaurant.
Also, it includes the standard dining-out apps such as tip calculator. And a shake-to-suggest feature:
I like this one...my dad owns a restaurant and yells at his kitchen inventory manager all the time for letting the food spoil.
Kitchen Porter Tech
"Restaurant owners, whether they have one eatery or a chain, have to worry about supplies running out, late deliveries, unexpected price hikes on food, inaccurate paychecks because a cook didn't clock out, even expensive steaks that sometimes walk off.
Robert Vasquez and his team developed Kitchen Porter Tech, named after the ''kitchen porter'' whose job is organizing the kitchen and making life easier for the chef.
Kitchen Porter Tech is a Web-based application that connects restaurateurs, franchisors, franchisees, management, staff, vendors and customers through a centralized location that's always open. This lets a restaurateur monitor and control back-office operations from any place at any time."
"The shouting Yelper explains now the iPad/Kegbot contraption works. The iPad displays beer information—live, while it's flowing—and even tracks who's drinking from the keg, plus how much they've taken. You can rate the beer and even see a leaderboard."
"Square was created by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, and it allows anyone to easily and cheaply take payment by credit card. The Square device is free and the app is available on both iPhone and Android operating systems."
You basically plug the Square device on your iPhone or iPad and you can swipe credit cards on it.
Restaurant Nutrition - 'Stay in the know on the go'
The Restaurant Nutrition application allows a user to easily view nutritional information about restaurant menus and track what they have eaten.
The Restaurant Nutrition user can turn on diets to track calorie, carb, protein, and fat to help track and quantify their dieting progress. Each time a restaurant name appears, the map button near it can be touched to open the Maps application showing all of that restaurant’s nearby locations.The Application is loaded with 80 retaurants and has accurate nutritional information.
Here's the link - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/restaurant-nutrition/id285180322?mt=8#
No matter where you are, Where to eat displays the closest places to eat. Users can choose for a list of over 45 cuisines and also get turn-by-turn instructions to their chosen restaurant. This application also lists coffeehouses and pubs. Users also have the advantage to search restaurants by types (family, fine-dining, buffets etc)
The link - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/where-to-eat-find-restaurants/id294193888?mt=8#
GoCelly.com It allows customers order and pay for food online AND through text messages. The users log on to GoCelly and nickname their favorite foods. When ready to order, users can text the nicknames to GoCelly’s short code. It is conveniently for those who don’t have smart phones!
Two applications for iPod/iPhone/iPad, etc are Restaurant Finder and GlutenFreed.
With Restaurant Finder, all you do is choose what kind of restaurant you are looking for (they have pretty much every kind of restaurant you can think of--Singaporean, Turkish, Tapas, Delis, Crepes, everything!) and using your current location, it will tell you what is in the area. From there, it will link you to reviews, the restaurant's website, and a map. With built-in GPS, it will tell you exactly how far you are from the restaurant. For example, I am currently 1.3 miles from the Carriage House Cafe, and surprisingly, there are "No Results Found" when I use my current location to search for a Singaporean restaurant.
Similarly, the app GlutenFreed uses your current location to tell the user about Gluten Free options in the local area, including grocery stores. When I search in Ithaca, Really all that comes up is Wegmans and Outback Steakhouse, whci his apparently 29 miles away. Clearly there are more options in Ithaca. This app also tells you your current distance from the location, and links to reviews. On an iPhone, there is also a link to call them directly.
Both of these are also "free apps" so they are not the most developed!
This year GlutenFreePassportlaunched its mobile application exclusively for iphone/ipad users: iEatOut Gluten & Allergy Free and iCanEat on the GoGluten & Allergy Free. These two applications offer fast food menu options from 20+ US Chain and guide the users what is safe to eat. Users can personalize fast food menus with common 9 food allergens for meal options. Pretty neat!
Here is the screen shot of the application http://glutenfreepassport.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/iCanEat-OnTheGo-Screenshots.pdf
A relatively new application from a San Francisco-based company, Foodspotting allows you to:
1. Share a recommendation by taking a picture of your food, saying what it was and where you found it. You get virtual tips and rewards for sharing things other people love.
2. Find a recommendation by looking in a bakery window or restaurant window and seeing what looks good.
The app allows you to look in a specific neighborhood or zooming out to a different city to 'want it' if you see something you want to try. You can also add sightings and photos to the foodspotting database, 'nom' a food you've tried and loved, and earn tips whenever someone compliments, wants or noms what you've spotted.
What I like about the idea behind this app is that it's all about the food; it's not about the restaurant, it's not complaining about what you didn't like.
Although it's still a very young app, they have already been featured in Time magazine, on the Travel Channel, and have recently partnered with Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations. It's also linked to facebook, twitter and foursquare.
Wine Food Matcher: Wine and Food Pairing http://www.androidzoom.com/android_applications/entertainment/wine-food-matcher-free_jyfg.html
This app for Android systems has 76000 pairings for 3670 foods and 1214 wines from 21 countries. Each of the winds has a data sheet with a full description.
This is an app designed to help people keep track of what they eat on a daily basis. It has a feature to easily share your diary with others. It is meant for those keeping track for dieting purposes, but in this day and age of foodies sharing their culinary exploits with others, I think this could be a cool resource.
Textaurant is a web-based waitlist management system. Restaurant hosts take the customer's number and input it into a laptop or netbook device, and then the customer gets a text message about 5-10 minutes before their table is ready.
With Textaurant, customers can see wait times online or on a mobile device, choose a location, and get in the queue remotely, without having to go in to the restaurant in person.
On the restaurant end, they also provide follow-up services to boost return visits, allow the business to track call-aheads, reservations and waitlists, and manage patron information like frequency.
Although they are only in the Boston area right now at a couple of restaurants, they've recently landed a huge deal with Finale Desserterie. They'll be at BizTechDay in New York next week.
It'll be interesting to see how this one plays out. They have huge ambition -- their goal is to contract with Cheesecake Factory.
Mundo Global Tapas restaurant at North Sydney Rydges Hotel replaced their printed menu with iPad touch screen menu. The application shows the diners a picture of what each dish looks like, suggests the best wines and food pairings and how they would like the meat cooked and even allows the customers to view the tasting notes. After making decision, customers can submit the order wirelessly direct to the kitchen! According to the press release, Mundo is the first in Australia to take a step into the future with the introduction of a custom-made iPad menu application.
Video about the application: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuyvOHkT7w0&feature=player_embedded
AG Wine:
The word “AG” states for “approach guides”. This applications helps wine drinkers, no matter how much or how little wine knowledge they have, to choose a great bottle of wine . The application present wine by style, grape, region and food paring.
Here is the iPad screenshot: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ag-wine-for-ipad/id371922856?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4#
This is a neat video on Microsoft Surface. I heard about this technology awhile ago. It definitely has a lot of functional features that the iPad does not have, but the big issue here is price. The iPad is so cheap now that this technology may not ever be relevant for restaurants in the future, but it still is worth bringing up.
This company creates standalone iPhone applications for all types of restaurants. The BackPocketMenu applications are designed to be restaurant marketing tools. The application sends instant notifications to potential customers that feature photos of menu items and specialty ingredients. These notifications will remind customers to dine in the particular restaurant and entice their appetites. Below is an example of the notifications that are sent to application users.
Currently, the application can be designed for restaurants using two programs. The first program is “Dine-In” and does not include online ordering. The second program is “Take-Out” and allows customers to place orders online. The orders that are placed through the application do not tie into the POS system because the restaurant needs to confirm the order through the BackPocketMenu application. Dine-In costs $1,200 for development and setup and Take-Out costs $2,000 for development and setup.
Additionally, iPhone users can map the location of the restaurant, call to make reservations, or place online orders. Currently, this application is being us
Here is the link to BackPocketMenu: http://www.backpocketmenu.com/BackPocketMenu/Main.html
I realized that Dylan already posted a comment about Mundo Global Tapas, so here is my third founding:
http://www.openrice.com/english
Openrice.com is a popular dining guide in Hong Kong and it is now linked with iphone application. The database has over 18,000 restaurants across different regions in Hong Kong and user can locate the current location with GPS and have the application to show nearby restaurants. Information about type of cuisines, signature dishes, price ranges and photos and comments added by other users are also available via the application. Here is the link for iphone screenshot. http://itunes.apple.com/app/id310663323?mt=8#
This application is also available in Chinese, so it is a real useful food guide for Taiwanese tourists (like me!). Hong Kong is a popular destination for Taiwanese and when we travel to Hong Kong, we do not go with leisure groups. Usually, people book airplane and accommodation and enjoy shopping and eating at free time on our own. A food guide application like this is very useful!
Even pizza places can use iPads! Pizza Capers is in Australia and Asia. It is using the iPad not only as a POS system, but as a queue management system too! We learned a lot about managing a reservations queue in class, and the iPad could provide more revenue management possibilities by having rushed guests jump ahead in the queue while less time concerned customers can wait.
This application for the iPhone is based on Mario Batali’s new restaurant and food market, Eataly. The Eataly iPhone application allows users to look up recipes that utilize products from Eataly, to learn more about the Italian wines featured at Eataly, and to learn about produce that is currently in season. Overall, this application allows iPhone users to experience Eataly before and after they visiting the dining establishment.
This application will primarily be used potential and current Eataly customers. iPhone users can download the application for $4.99.
Here is the link to the Eataly iPhone application: http://blog.zagat.com/eataly-the-iphone-app
Did you know the first restaurant to launch menu on IPad is not in the U.S? It is Nihonbashi, a Japanese cuisine in Sri Lanka!!!! More surprisingly, the owner, Dharshan Munidasa, started using IPad as a menu just after 9 days of its launch! He is a really foreseeing person. The new interactive menu has made dining easier and convenient and also suggests food to suit customer moods. In addition, IPads allow customers to browse the menu and daily specials and also help select the best wine to complement the dining selections and best food pairings. He said that the IPads will also be used in the administration aspects of restaurant operations as communication tool between team members and idea sharing will become and easier and faster.
Here is a related article: http://www.dailymirror.lk/index.php/business/117-other/3083-nihonbashi-first-restaurant-to-launch-menus-on-ipad.html
Here is website : http://www.nihonbashi.lk/index.html
For operation’s side, I would like to introduce a useful application for waiter or waitress called “iWaiter”. This program helps restaurant staffs to track of annual earnings and end- of- shift tip outs. If someone has working experience in restaurant, they will understand how rarely tip get calculated. Though this app, staffs can even know which shifts are most profitable and how much they are actual earning.
Here is app link: http://iphoneapplicationlist.com/2009/12/31/iwaiter/
Another application for waiter/waitress is “Waiters Notes”. This program helps them to order more efficiently, saving time and preventing mistakes when taking customers’ orders. Especially, this will be helpful for bartender who needs to memorize complicated wine or drinks menu from many customers.
Here is a link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/waiters-notes/id383058546?mt=8#
Order Pizza for iPad is an app(lication) that has been designed by Order Mapper Inc. to provide a pizza ordering system, like Dominos has done, to small, independent, local, pizzerias. It is rated in the Top 100 of iPad Lifestyle App(lication)s.
The program offers you a menu of member establishments near your location (determined through your iPad's software) you then pick delivery method, payment method, size of pizza, and toppings, the program then sends your order to the chosen establishment.
This is only a mechanism for ordering pizza however, and does not facilitate any transactions, so when your pizza arrives, it is not paid for.
Order mapper appears to be positioning itself as a software designer for independent delivery stores, mainly pizza places, its other offerings in the Apple store are delivery programs for small Italian/Pizza spots around the country.
"Metaflavor is a community powered dining application that lets you search and compare millions of restaurants and dishes, learns your unique taste, and makes finding what you want simple!" www.metaflavor.com
By prompting the age-old question "what do you feel like?" and focusing it within a given range (1-20 miles) Metaflavor provides a profile of restaurants within your vicinity that it thinks will be a good match. The question "what do you feel like?" has an open response box, so you can look for a specific dish, protein, ambiance, or cuisine type.
The restaurants are outlined very thoroughly, showing: name, phone number, location, cuisine, amenities, ambiance, payment options, dress code, bar service, hours of operation, a 5 metric, 5 star rating system, and the number of menu items, as well as peer reviews.Metaflavor also looks for specific menu items that match your desires or cravings.
Unfortunately, it appears that as of now Metaflavor's main customers are larger chains( if you search for a burger in Ithaca it gives you Dominos - they have a cheeseburger pizza, Burger King, and Chilis), and the 1 mile search radius is not specific enough for a city like New York.
However, the depth of the results are very promising and informative, hopefully they will continue to grow.
Have you ever had the craving for something at a sports game or concert, but was hesitant to leave your seat in fears of a long line causing you to miss your show? Just Enjoy, inc. is in the process of releasing an application for Iphones, Androids and Blackberries where you can use your phone "as a cash register." Not only can you place your take-out order from the venue in which you wish to patronize, you can also complete the transaction via your phone.
Just Enjoy, Inc has been around for years connecting their clients' restaurants to potential customers around the world via social media and mobile devices. This new venture will be the first of its kind and is an exciting innovation for customers and business-owners alike.
While the main goal is to improve staffing challenges and manage labor expenses, it will inevitably improve guest satisfaction with the added ease of ordering.
More about this particular venture can be found below...
Yahoo! Sketch-a-Search is new application that lets you search and look up restaurants by drawing a line around the area you want to search within. No keywords are needed to search. The user simply draws a circle around the general area of interest on the iphone map and all restaurants within that location will show up. Information about each restaurant, including name, address, star rating, and much more are displayed. You can also choose what type of food you are looking for and the application wills find restaurants matching your choices. This application is now allowing people to find restaurants of their choice in a more specific area than other applications have before.
More information, including a picture and video of the application, can be found at: http://www.appsafari.com/searching/11356/yahoo-sketch-a-search/
Item: buUuk - location based restaurant and bar guide
Description: Provide recommendations on restaurants and bars using GPS/search engine to find a location nearby
Link: http://buuuk.com/
Features: 1. Augmented Reality: View information about locations with augmented reality 2. Vast coverage: Over 75,000 sites - Southern Asia, Eastern Asia, Middle East, and Australia (Singapore, Thailand, Tokyo, Seoul, Honk Kong, Beijing, Dubai, Qatar, Oman, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and even North Korea) 3. 3 Search criteria: by cuisine, location, and rating 4. Active userforum: twitter, facebook integration 5. View offers from sites: free and discounted food and drinks 6. Halal taggings 7. Wi-fi taggings
Issue: CNN selects buUuk as one of 11 crucial iPhone travel apps (Relevant Link: http://www.cnngo.com/explorations/none/11-crucial-iphone-apps-598817)
The beauty of this app is 'Augmented Reality' technology, which enable restaurants to notice current promotions for boosting up revenue.
One Click Diner is an application for your mobile device that uses GPS technology to locate the nearest dining establishment to fit your needs.
One Click Diner's motto is "Ordering Online Made Easy." They also allow subscribers to search online by distance of their current zipcode.
It is free to register and companies can pay a fee to get their restaurant on the list of options.
In time, restaurants will feel more and more pressure to join all of these different mobile services as more and people will choose their restaurant based on the list available to them on their mobile phone.
GoMeals is an application that is intended to help users with diabetes, as well as users who are focused on improving their health. The application helps users select restaurants and menu items that would work with their restrictive diets. Users can monitor caloric intake, as well as distribution of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. This information is vital for people with diabetes to have with them, and this application is intended to help them manage their blood sugar levels with healthy eating. It contains a database full of nutritional values for foods, a food tracking tool to help record meals, and a restaurant locator.
More information, including a picture and video of the application, can be found at: http://iphoneapplicationlist.com/app/gomeals/id336651139/#ixzz0zv8FKO00
Grub-on-the-go, (Not to be mistaken with GrubHub) is a cool mobile App that finds local restaurants around your present location.
The thing that makes it different is its "I am craving for" function. Here, you can type in the exact dish you are craving for and together with your location, it generates results.
Its actually a Mobile app, but can be referred to even on the internet via laptops/computers/iPads
Here's the link:
http://grubonthego.com/
When you click on the Restaurant, you can see ratings etc, further on it even lets you call the Restaurant with its "Call" feature. You can even see user reviews sorted by date and decide which place to goto depending upon your mood.
CrazyMenu has taken the social media stream in restaurants to the next level by allowing you to find a restaurant, update facebook and twitter, and look at restaurant menus within the same app. The application is built around helping people update thier status and tell people about the restaurants listed on the app. Here is the description found on the iTunes website:
order from 30,000 restaurant menus pick from 500,000 locations for eat outs set Twitter & Facebook status directly from the app. Chosen by facebook as a facebook fund finalist use feed picker to quickly and with minimal typing update your tweets or facebook status and connect with friends, get restaurant or dish suggestions, or make recommendations Rub your lucky ticket to find a new local restaurant Embedded map, restaurant hours and more.
iRestaurant is an app that dynamically links with Yahoo local to provide restaurants that are near you with colored pins that correlate to their rating (Green:Excellent, Purple:Good, Red:Average). The app is basically just like UrbanSpoon but provides the options with ratings so that you can make a more informed choice of dining options that are near you. Pretty cool.
Found this really interesting app called as Vintage Chart+. VintageChart+ is the first app by Wine Spectator, the most widely read and respected wine magazine in the world. It lets you carry one of Wine Spectator’s most popular features—its vintage charts—in the palm of your hand, so you can have expert information wherever and whenever you need help choosing the right wine: at a restaurant, retail shop, or in your cellar.
The key idea behind vintage charts is to help you make an educated decision about the quality and character of unfamiliar wines. For example, if you were deciding between two Napa Cabernets, a 2004 and a 2003, consulting VintageChart+ would reveal that 2004 was generally a much better year.
Here's the link if you want to read more. http://www.appstorehq.com/vintagechart-bywinespectator-iphone-303324/app
This is a special delivery site that caters only diet food. The menu is based on the dietory preferences. The websites has some celebrities endorsements. The interesting part is the FAQ.
Gutscheinbuch is an application that allows restaurants and other business to distribute coupons electronically. If the restaurant is never running at full capacity on a tuesday night for example this tool allows to distribute discount coupons to potential guests (people who downloaded the app or who recieve their email newsletter).
Disney World Dining is an app created specifically for Disney World customers. When the app opens, users select a location, such as a Disney resort hotel or a Disney park. All of the location's restaurants are listed, with dollar signs indicating the price level. You can also find restaurants newar your current GPS location. When you click on a restaurant you can find a great deal of information including a description of the restaurant, its exact location, its service level, and the menu. Clicking on the menu allows users to see all menu item prices and descriptions. You can also call the restaurant's reservation number to make a reservation. In addition, users can create a personalized reservation schedule of all of their reservations, and can email this schedule to others. A photo and link to the app can be found here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/disney-world-dining/id307589910?mt=8#
VegOut is a great application for vegans or vegetarians around the world. The application picks up your current GPS location (or you can manually select a location if you're planning on taking a vacation somewhere say)and displays all vegetarian, vegan, or "veg-friendly" restaurants in the chosen location. You can sort the list by distance, customer rating or alphabetically. You can also filter the list by diet (vegan, vegetarian or veg-friendly). When you click on a restaurant, the app gives you the restaurant's phone number, address, cuisine, website, price range, and further details including customer reviews. The app works in international locations as well. A photo and link to the app can be found here: http://itunes.apple.com/app/vegout-vegetarian-restaurant/id301275521?mt=8#
The Baja Fresh, Be Fresh app, created by Snapfinger allows users to find the nearest restaurant, order, and then just drive by and pick up their order.
Burger King has a new app, just like an online ordering system, but thanks to GPS, it automatically locates the closest restaurants. It also acts like a loyalty card, earning rewards.
An interesting article explores the possibilities of the Ipad in restaurants. It mentions its use as a tableside ordering and payment system, and as a way of streamlining ordering and payment during high traffic times, and as a paperless menu. Not mentioned in the article, the Ipad menu could be changed at will without wasting paper, so it would be good for greener restaurants.
Key features: 1. systematic wait list grouped by table type 2. page customers with SMS 3. summary page with avg. waited time 4. full statistic access 5. configurable wait time estimation 6. export records to email
The strength of this app. is simple interface so that users can use it intuitively without additional education. Appropriate for start-up/mid-sized stand-alone restaurants.
This japanese restaurant is known for its designer interiors and lovely food. The best part about this meal is that the table top is actually a large touch pad. This touch pad can help you choose and place the order. The order directly goes to the kitchen. Apart from that it can help you surf the web or play game while you are waiting for your food. If you choose to watch your food being made click on "chefcam" and you can see your food being prepared. One very interesting feature is that you can choose the design as wallpaper which becomes the placemat.This helps customers have a sense of control.
This restaurant has jumped a few notches to make the restaurant unique. This japanese restaurant in Thailand employs a cute robot as wait staff. (Really!) Whether it is efficient or not time will tell but it has created some buzz. This not it after the service, this robot dances to entertain the audience. Must watch the link to the you tube video and the website link. Futuristic!
(If you are short of time watch it after the 2.4min mark)
Just register on this site and you can book a table or order can also order a home deliver. Just type the message and send it to 82055 and they will do the rest.
HOW TO ORDER FOOD TO BE DELIVERED:
Type BELMONT DELIVER and then the following information to 82055: 1. Your name 2. Your address 3. The dish numbers or descriptions of your order
For table reservation you can so it in similar manner.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium has a great app out for seafood lovers who are concerned about over-fishing. The Seafood Watch app allows customers to compare fish and other forms of seafood on the menu with a database of species that are endangered or are farmed using environmentally damaging practices.
Near+Now is an application for the iPhone that strives to destinations relevant to the user. Initially the user must rate a few locations that they are familiar with, in order for the application to determine their preferences. Based on these ratings, Near+Now will then be able to recommend places for the user to go ranging from restaurants, to bars and clubs, to other nightlife entertainment. The suggestions are based on unique attributes like vibe and atmosphere to find spots that the user will like the best.
The application also offers a good interface which allows the user to search based on current location or a specified address as well. Results generally include information such as hours, address, and ratings to help the user in finding the location. One of the most unique aspects of this app is its ability to show similar or suggested listings directly on the detail page of the restaurant. Also, the more someone rates locations, the more the application gets to know the user’s preferences, and it shows a rotating module of places that are "sortuv similar."
For images and more information check out the link above.
My Menu Mobile is a service to create apps specifically for restaurants. Though this is not one specific app, it is especially worth noting because it is linked to iPOS , which is a POS system that can be run from any iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch system. I especially like their visual description of the pre- and post-migration to iPOS. The cartoon boss in the iPOS phase is running everything from the beach.
The mobile apps designed by this company will integrate directly with a restaurant's POS system or they can elect to receive orders by fax or email. Both are targeted toward restaurant owners and operators.
Any germaphobes out there? The "Stinky Rag" app lets you look up a restaurant's Health Inspection ratings. It currently works in New York City, as well as the entire states of Virginia and Florida. Site says more are coming soon.
Based on your location, the screen shows a map of restaurants. Simple rating system (with green=good, yellow=iffy, red means you better have a strong gut) shows up on the map. You can click on any of the restaurants for detailed notes from the inspector as well as a history of inspection ratings.
You can see pictures of the iphone screen as well as more info at http://stinkyrag.com/
"Movie Night Out" lets you plan your dinner and movie with your iphone, blackberry, ipadtouch or Android. You start by picking a movie based on your preferences, and then it can connect you to the rest of the evening's activities, including where to have dinner beforehand. The food part is currently powered by urbanspoon.com. It gives you suggestions on where to have dessert or go out for drinks afterward as well! Now if they could only incorporate average wait times and dining duration, customers could use that to decide if they'd make their movie on time! Something for the future I suppose...might also be good if applied to the NYC theater district, and do a Dinner and Theater app.
The article that I founded is in Italian but I will explain everything. It contains more than one innovation: http://punto-informatico.it/2432249/PI/News/menu-hi-tech-mangiare-un-click.aspx
At Inamo restaurant in London, a kind of sushi-bar that sells fusion cuisine with a hint of white technology: the tables are intended for the projection of the menus. Browsing with a system similar to mouse track ball, you can view the dishes with just one click. The system also allows you to choose and combine wines and beverages and to spy on the kitchen through a dedicated webcam on cooks at work. While waiting for the dishes, the guests can enjoy changing the background image that appears on each table, looking at the map of the surroundings to decide what to do next or defy their diners to a game of sea battle.
That is possible thanks to a series of video projectors positioned on the ceiling that send images on the white surface of the table. Once filled with food in the small tables will be unusable unless the need to make room or raise plates and glasses in order to read. Such Devices are not new: the Microsoft Surface, finished recently in bars of Las Vegas and in shops of AT&T. it should be specified that in the case of gem in Redmond, as well as products of other brands, technological fittings is significantly more massive.
Here's DBS Indulge App, a mobile app from Singapore. The app is a tie-up between a bank (DBS) and food review website (hungrygowhere.com).
Key highlights of this app are:
1. Quick access to dining deals - Users can find special promotions such as birthday treats and top 10 best deals at their fingertips.
2. Amazing coupon exclusives - Users only have to choose the desired coupons in their phone, and flash and redeem the coupon at the restaurant.
3. Awesome camera view - Users can select the 'Camera View' function on their app and use their phone camera to scan the surroundings. The nearest dining deals will automatically pop up as an overlay on the camera's image with the distance displayed. Users can also instantly access more details on the dining offer, or tap-to-call to make reservations.
The link for this app download is on http://www.dc2go.net/dbs/index.php
@ Brandon Kim Thank you for your kind comments! Yes it was 9 days but with Time differences it was 8. It was the most nerve wracking 8 days as i had no option but to put up with DHL (Half Way across the US) 4 Public Holidays in Sri Lanka. If i was in the US i gues it would have been same day! Anyways wanted mail you but could not find your addy on here. If you have time do mail me at muni@nihonbashi.lk ! Kanpai Dharshan Munidasa
Express Pro! by Starbucks is an interesting express ordering application. Fans of Starbucks coffee can use it on their iPhone or iPod Touch and take their time to create any drink combinations they wish. After making their selections, all they have to do is to simply select their choice and flash their device to the Barista who will instantly recognise the beverage configuration. Fans can also save their favourite beverage combinations for future use.
ReplyDeleteA detailed description and picture of the app is available at this link: http://appadvice.com/app/294293726
Global Mundo Tapas in the North Sydney Rydges Hotel uses a custom-made iPad application which allows customers to browse the iPad as it were a virtual menu page. Interestingly, it also makes suggestions on the best wines to go with certain dishes (suggestive selling!) and users can even make specifications on how they like their meals prepared, i.e. how they would like their meats done, what sauces they prefer, etc. Users can get a preview picture of how their food is going to look like before sending their orders wirelessly to the kitchen.
ReplyDeleteThis menu app can also helps the restaurant keep track of stock levels so if certain dishes and wines sell out they will automatically disappear off the on-screen menu.
Read more at this link and click on the video tab to see how it is used: http://www.news.com.au/technology/ipad/sydney-restaurant-replaces-menus-with-ipads/story-fn5knrwy-1225874904671
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ReplyDeleteVeganXpress is a new app that gives vegans the option of checking QSR & FC restaurant menus to see if they have items that do not contain animal products (honey still seems to be a bit of a gray area). Initial reviews among vegans are positive.
ReplyDeleteLink to VeganXpress: http://www.branberger.com/Branberger_Apps/VeganXpress.html
Another App, which can also be used on the operations side, is called MenuPad. It has been rolled out in Australia and it allows guests to order directly from an ipad. The real benefit seems to be for the restaurant management because prices can be changed easily (demand pricing), there is no need for printing, and customers can drill down into menu items to get additional information without asking servers.
No photo yet but here is a great summary in YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-y_rV6OSpw
This is a new private-label app that is supposed to increase order accuracy and turnover.
OrderTalk iPad App For Mobile Meal Ordering (from website)
http://www.ordertalk.com/
An iPad app produced by OrderTalk brings mobile check out for quick service and full service restaurants. These hand-held terminals allow restaurant employees to collect order info and relay it to the ticket printer in the kitchen. Restaurants take orders from in-line customers and have the food prepared and ready to go when reaching the counter. The app from OrderTalk reduces the chances of error and creates a more efficient process of taking customers orders. Customers at participating restaurants can order food from their personal or restaurant-provided iPads with the installed app.
Dan I guess you beat me while I was typing this out!
ReplyDeleteMenuPad an Australian company has developed a menu app for the iPad that restauranteurs can easily update and customize for their operations on the fly by going to the MenuPad website. It uses the restaurant's branding styles. Customers can order directly from the iPad and request modifiers for their menu items. Customers can also post and read reviews of the menu items.
http://www.menupad.com.au/
http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/menupad/id377365825#
The Fairmont Chicago Millennium Park Aria Restaurant introduces an iPad Menu App
ReplyDeleteCustomers can tap on ingredient names for definitions, descriptions, and preparation techniques. Menu items are paired with wine suggestions. Wines all have background information and tasting notes. Customers can also use social media from the app to tweet, post on Facebook walls, and send emails about the menu items.
The app also provides a story about the restaurant's design and chef.
http://www.envisionitmedia.com/social-media/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/press_release_fairmont_hotel_ipad.pdf
http://www.gadgetvenue.com/apple-ipad-selforder-restaurants-08254050/
ReplyDeleteThis application is a self-order system using an iPad that displays the traditional Japanese menu (with the numerous pictures) on the screen. This allows the customer to view individual pictures of the dishes by using the touch interface and allows them to zoom in and out before ordering straight from the iPad.
The developers of the application predict that using an iPad will lower the entry barrier for restaurants to introduce this application and it will increase revenues as it will make it easier for customers to place additional orders. In the future this system might also allow customers to pay using the iPad.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.tuaw.com/2010/04/27/company-to-begin-testing-resturant-ipad-pos-system/
ReplyDeleteThe Lecere Corporation has developed a fully integrated restaurant management software system for iPads. This also includes a POS application where the server can take all orders on the iPad and the restaurant can then even accept payments through the iPad.
The video in the attached link shows a table going through the entire process (from greet to check returned!)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe South Gate Restaurant in the Jumeriah Essex House in New York City was the first restaurant in New York to use an iPad wine list.
ReplyDeleteThe app is powered by SmartCeller app. The wine list has extensive information about wine regions and verietals. Customers select characteristics they are interested in "dry and red from Southern Italy" and the app will give you a list to choose from.
The app automatically updates as bottle sell out. This means customers won't see any wines that the restaurant is sold out of - preventing customer dissatisfaction.
The SmartCeller software can be customized to each restaurant so that the logos, colors, and images all match the look and feel of the restaurant. It has data reporting functions that give management feedback so they can monitor wine sales.
http://www.blackbookmag.com/article/high-tech-boozing-south-gate-restaurant-unveils-ipad-wine-tablets/20940
http://www.incentient.com/smartcellar.php
4food restaurant has iPad waiters, Foursquare and Twitter tie-ins
ReplyDeleteNew York City restaurant 4Food has provided first details of an Internet-focused approach to its business. The midtown Manhattan burger shop will let visitors customize and order food over the web, including for pickup, but will also have waiters with iPads for those who want to order in person or eat in. The design is also patterned loosely after that of an Apple store and will have free Wi-Fi.
Social networking and collaboration will play roles, as a 240 square foot display built into a wall will show both Foursquare check-ins to the location as well as Twitter updates. Customers will be encouraged to share the customized burgers they make and can even get 25-cent credits for every burger sold based on their choice of ingredients.
The restaurant just opened after Labor Day.
(There is a neat 'make your own burger' online concept which is posted in the online ordering portion of this blog site)
Here's the link to the 4food article:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.electronista.com/articles/10/05/28/4food.already.using.ipad.for.restaurants/
BackPocketMobile is an application that can be used on either an iphone or ipad. This application allows you to have an app specifically for a restaurant of your choosing. In this way, customers can order food to go right from the app. The restaurant also has the opportunity to send out coupons that will pop up instantly on either the user's phone or ipad. In this way, customers will know about special offers immediately.
ReplyDeleteThe link for the article is:http://www.restaurantnewsresource.com/article48082BackPocketMobile_Recently_Introduced_a_Fresh_and_Innovative_Approach_to_Mobile_Marketing_for_Restaurants_.html
Also, if you read the article and then go to the backpocketmobile website, it gives examples of how this app is used.
The Unified Lifestyle application for the ipad is one that allows you to enter the number of calories or other health restrictions you have and it will find a restaurant in your vicinity that will meet your needs. It allows you to save your favorite meals, restaurants, you can create optional profiles for all the restaurants you dine at
ReplyDeleteLink:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/restaurant-nutrition/id285180322?mt=8#
In 2009, Liveonthego.com created an app for Blackberry users to make orders with restaurants such as Subway and Baja Fresh.
ReplyDeleteA key feature of this app is providing customers with the flexibility of choosing the specific pick-up or delivery time. Users can even choose curb-side pick-up at some restaurants. Giving customers control is certainly a smart business technique!
Full press release of the launch is found on http://www.liveonthego.com/newsroomfiles/LOTG-Blackberry.pdf
Sharp debuts iPad Self-Ordering System at Izakaya
ReplyDeleteWith this system, the pictures shown on the iPad can be exactly the same as those on the conventional menu. The system makes intuitive use of the iPad’s user interface; for example, pictures can also be enlarged by pinching.
“Here, we’re using the iPad, but Sharp also plans to release an e-book reader. If people’s reaction to the iPad system is good, we’ll commercialize it. Meanwhile, we’re thinking of selling a system with the same application on the Sharp e-book reader.”
http://bionicbong.com/japan/only-in-japan/food/sharp-debuts-ipad-selfordering-system-izakaya/
Celebrity Eclipse restaurant claims iPad first
ReplyDeleteApril 27, 2010
A restaurant on Celebrity Eclipse, a new cruise ship from Celebrity Cruises, was the first in the world to have its menus made available on Apple iPads.
Only a couple of weeks after the launch of iPads, passengers onboard were browsing the menu and selecting wine on this newest favorite gadget. Celebrity Cruise was able to pioneer the launch of iPad menu as a result of its partnership with Apple which also saw the ship being fitted with the line’s first iLounge internet cafe.
The complete article is available on http://www.travolution.co.uk/articles/2010/04/27/3450/celebrity-eclipse-restaurant-claims-ipad-first.html
Wait List
ReplyDeletehttp://www.avclub.com/articles/download-our-waitlist-app-or-suffer-the-consequenc,44771/
A new app called WaitList aims predict wait times at popular restaurants. The important part of this application is that it uses Twitter feeds and location sharing services as well.
The creators of the app make use of twitter feeds of registered users as well as make calls to popular restaurants to enquire about the Wait times
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2010/09/13/app-watch-predicting-wait-times-at-restaurants/?KEYWORDS=restaurant+apps
Four Square
ReplyDeletehttp://foursquare.com/
Four Square is a location based Social Network that helps users explore the city they are in. Users can share information about restaurants, bars, shops, music venues and other destinations.
On Foursquare, for instance, users can repeatedly plug a favorite restaurant , often simultaneously sharing that news with Facebook friends and Twitter followers , this gives more points to that restaurant. Hence start-up restaurants have started encouraging repeat visits by rewarding customers with discounts or free drinks on their fifth or tenth check-ins
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703545604575407123264092684.html?KEYWORDS=foursquare
Global Mundo Tapas, North Sydney, Australia
ReplyDeleteGlobal Mundo Tapas is using iPads for menus. The tapas bar has developed an app specific to their needs and is using it for menus.
The iPad gives customers pictures of menu items, full descriptions, a wine list, and wine suggestions for each item on the menu, and even asks for temperature preferences on steaks and fish.
The diners tap their selections and wirelessly send them to the kitchen. The app even upsells--asking diners if they would like to add fries or sauces.
And lastly, the app keeps track of stock levels of wine, menu items, and menu mix wirelessly and instantly with each order.
http://www.redmondpie.com/sydney-restaurant-uses-ipad-as-a-menu-card/
http://www.mundo.com.au/north-sydney/index.php/templates/flash/
Snapfinger is similar to Grubhub-- that is, Snapfinger is a 3rd party ordering site for getting food delivered.
ReplyDeleteThe difference between the two, however, is that Snapfinger is integrated into restaurant POS systems so there is no need for confirmations. They are also integrated into major brands like Outback Steakhouse, California Pizza Kitchen, Boston Market, Baja Fresh, and Subway.
Here is the link:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/snapfinger-restaurant-ordering/id328071835?mt=8
Grubhub is a 3rd party site that lists "over 1,200 restaurants" for ordering take-out and delivery and has "over 25,000 menus" for viewing.
ReplyDeleteI imagine that this application is not marketed to any one particular market segment, but is marketed instead to anyone with the technology and orders delivery food.
Here's the link:
http://www.apple.com/webapps/utilities/grubhubcomdeliveryordering.html
As a BOH junkie I'm not the biggest Zagat fan, but I know a lot of clients utilize their rating system for dining decisions so here's their app.
ReplyDeleteThis is pretty much the high-tech version of the Zagat Guide, but with a little more muscle. For example, you can do restaurant check-ins after using their viewing tools for the restaurant details, browse dining tips, and view photos of dished (meaning restaurateurs have an opportunity to up-sell their stars).
I imagine this app is marketed towards anyone and everyone-- pretty much any market segment that owns the hardware and goes out to eat.
Here's the link:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/zagat-to-go/id296428490?mt=8
I like the implications of this app for wine sales-- the app, Swirl & Sip, is essentially a wine pairing device.
ReplyDeleteThe pairings are written by a noted wine expert/chef (Bruce Riezenman) so credibility isn't an issue, and I like the options of pairing according to ingredient, wine, or food item.
I'm thinking this app will be especially helpful for business clientele (similar to Katherine's in-class comment that in business settings wine knowledge is an advantage), or for other clientele looking to avoid the sommelier.
Here's the link:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pair-it-food-and-wine-guide/id327474863?mt=8#
YWaiter from MobileBytes:
ReplyDeletehttps://secure.ywaiter.com/Restaurants/#
YWaiter allows restaurants to develop their own personalized apps for mobile phones that allow customers to place orders, make reservations, and pay their checks.
Several people in class have mentioned the commonality of such systems in Europe. It has seen limited use in this country. One restaurant using it is Legal Seafood restaurants. To date it is the only place I have seen it in use. Their system seemed a bit clunky and it required extensive explanation by the waiter. Perhaps the technology will get better and customers will become more more comfortable and familiar with the technology.
That being said, YWaiter seems to be a tremendous concept for younger mobile phone users who are more comfortable with the technology. The most interesting part of this application is that it allows restaruants to customize the app for their operations.
Queuent:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.queuent.com/
Queuent is used by PF Chang's restaurants to manage wait lines. The system uses mobile phones to page customers after they have made reservations. The host stand merely tells the system that a table will become available and the system calls the guest.
The interesting thing about this application is that the guest can reply to the text with three options: cancel reservation, delay reservation, or accept reservation.
This allows the host to better manage table usage and also allows guests to cancel a reservation without feeling any guilt. By removing the need to speak with a person, guests are more likely to cancel a reservation if they have made several.
Wine HD App
ReplyDeletehttp://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wine-hd/id377186447?mt=8#
Interactive wine app that provides tutorials on making wine, food pairings and popular wine destinations.
Much like the swirl & sip app that jeff mentioned above the sommelier and pairing sections on the Wine HD app will allow customers to plan their wine selections before heading to a restaurant. This can remove a sometimes stressful portion of the dining experience
NY Street Food App
ReplyDeletehttp://itunes.apple.com/us/app/new-york-street-food/id389582047?mt=8
This street food app removes the stress from finding the best of nearly 3,000 street vendors in NYC. In addition to searching by cuisine or neighborhood the app will find you public seating near the best vendors.
In a city where street food is a very important feature in the culinary landscape this app makes it easy.
Anybody who wants to start his own restaurant ans is in the need of an iPhone app should check out this company: http://www.blueshoemobile.com/
ReplyDeleteThey specilaze in providing restaurants no matter of size can be large and small with custom, branded iPhone applications. Their features include:
guests / users can place orders right from phones
Restaurat owners can use the apps to track their most popular dishes and other stuff the POS does as well.
The real cool thing is though that restaurant owners can also instantly post discounts, promotions and news of special events.
It is also not very expensive, they charge a one time fee of $98 and then you pay a monthly rate depending on the amount of orders comming in.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis app transforms iPhones and iPod Touches into portable charge card terminals. It works like a traditional charge card terminal: you enter the amount, input the card number, expiry date etc. For restaurants there is a tip option. Customers receive an email receipt for each transaction. I wonder if this will be ccepted by people.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.processaway.net/
Unlike in the West, hungry Japanese consumers have been using touchscreen menu systems for quite a while now to order food in local restaurants. It’s therefore not much of a leap to think that the iPad could be used in the same way.
ReplyDeleteSo Sharp has developed a solution. It’s a universal self-ordering system app that restaurants can offer to any visitor who has an iPad with them. Instead of being handed a menu, or using the restaurant’s own touchscreen order system, you can just sit down, boot your iPad, and check out the menu app.
Once you’ve decided what you want to eat, just select the appropriate food and drink on your iPad and the restaurant will bring it over when ready.
To begin with Sharp will be targeting Izakaya, which are drinking establishments that offer a range of food options too. Their primary method of ordering is currently a plastic coated multi-page menu. If the system proves successful with them, then Sharp will expand and offer it to other restaurants across Japan.
Sharp also plans to release the same app for e-reader devices, again expanding the number of devices and therefore people who can take advantage of it.
http://www.geek.com/articles/apple/sharp-turns-the-ipad-into-food-ordering-device-for-japanese-restaurants-20100825/
I know this is not only about menus in an ipad, but I thought it was very original!!!
ReplyDeleteRestaurants are always quick to embrace new devices and software systems, either to appeal to the techy interests of their customers, or to help streamline operations. Just think: six years ago, only a select few Manhattan eateries were using iPods as a part of their sound systems. With that in mind, we now present nine ways that restaurants can incorporate iPads into their concepts — some of these ideas are already in play right now, others are suggestions on how the device can be integrated into future dining experiences.
Let us gaze into the future!>>
1) Replace the Newspapers and Magazines Offered to Customers with iPads: Yesterday we learned that power lunch spot Michael’s is going to start handing out iPads loaded with the day's newspapers for guests to read while eating breakfast. Even if there's something funny about an old institution like Michael's embracing the device, this might prove to be a smart step for the restaurant as it appeals to the tech interests of its media-type clientele, and there’s also a green element to using iPads in this way. If this trend took off, the inevitable conclusion would be a Pulino’s or Shiller’s style iPad rack by the door.
2) Use iPads for Multimedia Booth Dining: We’ve all been to one of those kitschy 50s-style diners with the quarter-a-song jukeboxes in the booth, for you to select your favorite music while you eat a cheeseburger. What if this concept was updated with iPads loaded with a variety of playlists, movies and TV shows, afixed to the wall? A part from being able to set the tone and mood of your dining experience, you and your friends could catch up on last night’s episode of How I Met Your Mother together, or settle a bet about who played the fiancée in the Hangover by watching the movie right then and there.
5) Serve Petit Fours on an iPad: So far, no restaurant has actually integrated the device into actual food service, but this could be a great place to start. What better way to wow a customer at the end of their meal than by carefully placing a few small cakes or sweets on the surface of an iPad that’s screening a film clip that thematically relates to the restaurant? New York, if we don't do it first, Grant Achatz surely will.
6) Use iPads as Brunch Wait List Clip Boards: With an iPad and USB camera extension, the host could not only input the names of the customers, but also take a photo of them. And, if any customer walks in without knowing the system, a server can just say “Find the guy with the iPad.”
8) Let Customers Play with an iPad if There is a Long Wait: If the wait for a table is a half hour or more, a lot of customers might opt to go somewhere else. Giving customers the option of playing with an iPad while they wait might get them to hang around, happily, until their table is available. If the restaurant has a bar, this might also be a good way to get people to stay and spend money on drinks, as opposed to going to another place for cocktails while they wait.
9) Replace Waiters with iPads: Although a highly trained, experienced service staff is key to any fine dining experience, more casual restaurants could certainly cut down on staffing costs by handing out iPads with menu apps that lets them scan through the selections, find out info about their preparation and ingredients, and also use the 3G capabilities to punch in orders and send them directly to kitchen. Customers would also no longer be subjected to a soliloquy of daily specials, awkward attempts at menu up-sells, or being told to “enjoy” their food, which would definitely appeal to a certain group of diners.
http://ny.eater.com/archives/2010/06/five_ways_for_restaurants_to_use_ipads.php
While not exactly an iPad or i-related application, other companies have developed electronic systems to capture the customers' penchant for new fangled devices. In a particular example, Avaya, a leader in telephony devices, capitalises on IP technologies to improve guest satisfaction and drive revenue for a hotel. IP Telephony essentially uses internet protocol as a platform as opposed to the aging public switched telephone network (PSTN) system. An IP platform allows a single device to act as a web-browser,in-room control as well sa F & B ordering device. Oh, yeah, it makes phone calls too.
ReplyDeleteCurrently, its application is limited to in-room ordering delivered through room service. A hotel can develop application for a their unique "Guest Media Hub" to enable guest to order direct from their room without the need to speak to anyone from service. It eliminates the annoying transfer of calls from operator then to room service. It is also multilingual; allowing ease of ordering and eliminate language barrier.
Initial set-up cost could be expensive, however. As this system requires a rather comprehensive upgrade in a hotel's IT backbone.
http://www.avaya.com/usa/resource/assets/brochures/Guest%20Media%20Hub%20Brochure%20-%20MIS4346-02-FINAL.pdf
Brasserie Latem, Belgium: iPad POS system in action! 4ASoft Resto offers this solution to the restaurant in Belgium. The youtube video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-QJ2Q81MxQ&feature=related)shows the system in action.
ReplyDeleteWhile iPad and other mobile ordering application simplifies the system, I am not quite sure it will be relevant in all types of restaurant. When I dine at a 'nicer' restaurant, I am always impressed when the waiter remembers the order without having to write anything down. I have had an occasion where the waiter remembered the appetiser, and entree order from four of us; including the condiments! No paper; no iPad. In addition, he delivered the order to the guest concerned without asking again. That probably warrants a better tip. If he, on the other hand, has an iPad; I would expect him to know who order what exactly. The "Wow" factor in having a service staff who can remember your order is going to be more impressive than having a service staff who is adept at punching the order into an iPad.
Local Eats features coupons and dining savings for the top 50 US cities. It suggests local places (no chains), uses gps technology to locate restaurants nearest to the user, provides driving directions, neighborhood favorites and a best of category.
ReplyDeleteIt is used in the following cities:
Atlanta Austin Baltimore Birmingham Boston Buffalo Charlotte Chicago Cincinnati Cleveland Columbus Dallas Denver Detroit Fort Lauderdale Fort Worth Honolulu Houston Indianapolis Jacksonville Kansas City Las Vegas Los Angeles Louisville Memphis Miami Milwaukee Minneapolis-St. Paul Nashville New Orleans New York Oakland Oklahoma City Orlando Philadelphia Phoenix Pittsburgh Portland Raleigh-Durham Rochester Sacramento Salt Lake City San Antonio San Diego San Francisco San Jose Seattle St. Louis Tampa Bay Toronto, ON Vancouver, BC Washington D.C.
Uses: Iphone
GoodFoodNearYou provides low calorie items and all nutritional information for all menu items. It lets a user search based on fat, calorie or carb content and searches grocery stores, fast food, and casual restaurants. A user can also search near their current location, enter another location or find good food near a popular landmark, university or airport.
ReplyDeleteUses: Any Blackberry device
full descriptions and pictures can be found at
ReplyDeletehttp://www.getjar.com/mobile/25586/goodfoodnearyou/
http://www.getjar.com/mobile/39898/localeats/
http://mashable.com/2008/07/16/iphone-disposable-apps/
ReplyDeleteThis is not actually created yet, but the idea is cool and would be very applicable to restaurants. If a guest could sit in a restaurant and instantly have access to the menu and be able to order from the device as opposed to having a constant application that they had to keep or re-download everytime they go to a new restaurant. This would allow customers to sit down and order any place they walk into through the GPS tracking on their phone.
The market would be owners of the i-phone or i-pad and those people who go out frequently and are maybe often in a rush. This would enable people to order before their serve even came over. It would be good for lunch rushes and would speed up the service process. It would also allow the guest to control more of their meal experience.
http://www.psfk.com/2010/07/10-innovative-uses-of-the-ipad-by-the-hospitality-industry.html
ReplyDeleteNaples Tomato is using the i-pad for what they call "vine-dining." The program allows guest to go through their wine spectator wine list into the wine spectator application and become educated on their wine. This guides guests through the ordering process for wine and allows them to learn about new wine, which makes the dining experience more stimulating.
Additionally, the application recommends wine to people based on their menu selections and the menu offerings of Naples Tomato. They can see the flavor profiles of the wine, the price points and the recommendations all that the click of a button.
The application will be used by Naples Tomato customers, but I think within that pool, it will be a huge draw for foodies who may not be as educated about wine, and business people who want to seem informed about their selection of wine. This device allows any guest to make intelligent ordering decisions and brings a talking point to the table.
More information can be found at http://www.naplestomato.com/about-us/vine-dining/
Where To Eat?
ReplyDeleteThis ipad/iphone app allows users to find nearby restaurants with their GPS. Results can be filtered by meal type, cuisine, delivery, takeout, bar, etc. The app also does in-app reviews of your selected restaurant.
Also, it includes the standard dining-out apps such as tip calculator. And a shake-to-suggest feature:
http://www.ipad.net/ipad-app-reviews-where-to-eat.html
OpenTable is buying toptable.com
ReplyDeleteOpenTable is acquiring the U.K. restaurant reservation system toptable.com for $55 million to grow their presenece in Europe.
http://www.fool.com/investing/high-growth/2010/09/16/opentable-eats-its-british-competion.aspx
I like this one...my dad owns a restaurant and yells at his kitchen inventory manager all the time for letting the food spoil.
ReplyDeleteKitchen Porter Tech
"Restaurant owners, whether they have one eatery or a chain, have to worry about supplies running out, late deliveries, unexpected price hikes on food, inaccurate paychecks because a cook didn't clock out, even expensive steaks that sometimes walk off.
Robert Vasquez and his team developed Kitchen Porter Tech, named after the ''kitchen porter'' whose job is organizing the kitchen and making life easier for the chef.
Kitchen Porter Tech is a Web-based application that connects restaurateurs, franchisors, franchisees, management, staff, vendors and customers through a centralized location that's always open. This lets a restaurateur monitor and control back-office operations from any place at any time."
--Candy
Here's the link:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.kitchenportertech.com/
iPad KegBot
ReplyDeletehttp://gizmodo.com/5610569/ipad+powered-kegbot
Watch the YouTube video - it's awesome!
"The shouting Yelper explains now the iPad/Kegbot contraption works. The iPad displays beer information—live, while it's flowing—and even tracks who's drinking from the keg, plus how much they've taken. You can rate the beer and even see a leaderboard."
--Candy
Square
ReplyDeletehttp://tastytouring.com/2010/05/square/
"Square was created by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, and it allows anyone to easily and cheaply take payment by credit card. The Square device is free and the app is available on both iPhone and Android operating systems."
You basically plug the Square device on your iPhone or iPad and you can swipe credit cards on it.
--Candy
Restaurant Nutrition - 'Stay in the know on the go'
ReplyDeleteThe Restaurant Nutrition application allows a user to easily view nutritional information about restaurant menus and track what they have eaten.
The Restaurant Nutrition user can turn on diets to track calorie, carb, protein, and fat to help track and quantify their dieting progress. Each time a restaurant name appears, the map button near it can be touched to open the Maps application showing all of that restaurant’s nearby locations.The Application is loaded with 80 retaurants and has accurate nutritional information.
Here's the link -
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/restaurant-nutrition/id285180322?mt=8#
Where to Eat
ReplyDeleteNo matter where you are, Where to eat displays the closest places to eat. Users can choose for a list of over 45 cuisines and also get turn-by-turn instructions to their chosen restaurant.
This application also lists coffeehouses and pubs. Users also have the advantage to search restaurants by types (family, fine-dining, buffets etc)
The link -
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/where-to-eat-find-restaurants/id294193888?mt=8#
GoCelly.com
ReplyDeleteIt allows customers order and pay for food online AND through text messages. The users log on to GoCelly and nickname their favorite foods. When ready to order, users can text the nicknames to GoCelly’s short code. It is conveniently for those who don’t have smart phones!
Two applications for iPod/iPhone/iPad, etc are Restaurant Finder and GlutenFreed.
ReplyDeleteWith Restaurant Finder, all you do is choose what kind of restaurant you are looking for (they have pretty much every kind of restaurant you can think of--Singaporean, Turkish, Tapas, Delis, Crepes, everything!) and using your current location, it will tell you what is in the area. From there, it will link you to reviews, the restaurant's website, and a map. With built-in GPS, it will tell you exactly how far you are from the restaurant. For example, I am currently 1.3 miles from the Carriage House Cafe, and surprisingly, there are "No Results Found" when I use my current location to search for a Singaporean restaurant.
Similarly, the app GlutenFreed uses your current location to tell the user about Gluten Free options in the local area, including grocery stores. When I search in Ithaca, Really all that comes up is Wegmans and Outback Steakhouse, whci his apparently 29 miles away. Clearly there are more options in Ithaca. This app also tells you your current distance from the location, and links to reviews. On an iPhone, there is also a link to call them directly.
Both of these are also "free apps" so they are not the most developed!
GlutenFreePassport
ReplyDeleteThis year GlutenFreePassportlaunched its mobile application exclusively for iphone/ipad users: iEatOut Gluten & Allergy Free and iCanEat on the GoGluten & Allergy Free. These two applications offer fast food menu options from 20+ US Chain and guide the users what is safe to eat. Users can personalize fast food menus with common 9 food allergens for meal options. Pretty neat!
Here is the screen shot of the application
http://glutenfreepassport.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/iCanEat-OnTheGo-Screenshots.pdf
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ReplyDeleteA relatively new application from a San Francisco-based company, Foodspotting allows you to:
ReplyDelete1. Share a recommendation by taking a picture of your food, saying what it was and where you found it. You get virtual tips and rewards for sharing things other people love.
2. Find a recommendation by looking in a bakery window or restaurant window and seeing what looks good.
The app allows you to look in a specific neighborhood or zooming out to a different city to 'want it' if you see something you want to try. You can also add sightings and photos to the foodspotting database, 'nom' a food you've tried and loved, and earn tips whenever someone compliments, wants or noms what you've spotted.
What I like about the idea behind this app is that it's all about the food; it's not about the restaurant, it's not complaining about what you didn't like.
Although it's still a very young app, they have already been featured in Time magazine, on the Travel Channel, and have recently partnered with Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations. It's also linked to facebook, twitter and foursquare.
Here's their link:
http://www.foodspotting.com/iphone
Wine Food Matcher: Wine and Food Pairing
ReplyDeletehttp://www.androidzoom.com/android_applications/entertainment/wine-food-matcher-free_jyfg.html
This app for Android systems has 76000 pairings for 3670 foods and 1214 wines from 21 countries. Each of the winds has a data sheet with a full description.
iFood Diary
http://www.apptism.com/apps/ifood-diary
This is an app designed to help people keep track of what they eat on a daily basis. It has a feature to easily share your diary with others. It is meant for those keeping track for dieting purposes, but in this day and age of foodies sharing their culinary exploits with others, I think this could be a cool resource.
Textaurant is a web-based waitlist management system. Restaurant hosts take the customer's number and input it into a laptop or netbook device, and then the customer gets a text message about 5-10 minutes before their table is ready.
ReplyDeleteWith Textaurant, customers can see wait times online or on a mobile device, choose a location, and get in the queue remotely, without having to go in to the restaurant in person.
On the restaurant end, they also provide follow-up services to boost return visits, allow the business to track call-aheads, reservations and waitlists, and manage patron information like frequency.
Although they are only in the Boston area right now at a couple of restaurants, they've recently landed a huge deal with Finale Desserterie. They'll be at BizTechDay in New York next week.
It'll be interesting to see how this one plays out. They have huge ambition -- their goal is to contract with Cheesecake Factory.
http://www.textaurant.com/
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMundo Global Tapas restaurant at North Sydney Rydges Hotel replaced their printed menu with iPad touch screen menu. The application shows the diners a picture of what each dish looks like, suggests the best wines and food pairings and how they would like the meat cooked and even allows the customers to view the tasting notes. After making decision, customers can submit the order wirelessly direct to the kitchen! According to the press release, Mundo is the first in Australia to take a step into the future with the introduction of a custom-made iPad menu application.
ReplyDeleteRestaurant website:
http://www.mundo.com.au/north-sydney/
Video about the application:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuyvOHkT7w0&feature=player_embedded
AG Wine:
The word “AG” states for “approach guides”. This applications helps wine drinkers, no matter how much or how little wine knowledge they have, to choose a great bottle of wine . The application present wine by style, grape, region and food paring.
Here is the iPad screenshot:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ag-wine-for-ipad/id371922856?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4#
This is a neat video on Microsoft Surface. I heard about this technology awhile ago. It definitely has a lot of functional features that the iPad does not have, but the big issue here is price. The iPad is so cheap now that this technology may not ever be relevant for restaurants in the future, but it still is worth bringing up.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QST6Hz12mOk
BackPocketMenu
ReplyDeleteThis company creates standalone iPhone applications for all types of restaurants. The BackPocketMenu applications are designed to be restaurant marketing tools. The application sends instant notifications to potential customers that feature photos of menu items and specialty ingredients. These notifications will remind customers to dine in the particular restaurant and entice their appetites. Below is an example of the notifications that are sent to application users.
Currently, the application can be designed for restaurants using two programs. The first program is “Dine-In” and does not include online ordering. The second program is “Take-Out” and allows customers to place orders online. The orders that are placed through the application do not tie into the POS system because the restaurant needs to confirm the order through the BackPocketMenu application. Dine-In costs $1,200 for development and setup and Take-Out costs $2,000 for development and setup.
Additionally, iPhone users can map the location of the restaurant, call to make reservations, or place online orders. Currently, this application is being us
Here is the link to BackPocketMenu:
http://www.backpocketmenu.com/BackPocketMenu/Main.html
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI realized that Dylan already posted a comment about Mundo Global Tapas, so here is my third founding:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.openrice.com/english
Openrice.com is a popular dining guide in Hong Kong and it is now linked with iphone application. The database has over 18,000 restaurants across different regions in Hong Kong and user can locate the current location with GPS and have the application to show nearby restaurants. Information about type of cuisines, signature dishes, price ranges and photos and comments added by other users are also available via the application. Here is the link for iphone screenshot. http://itunes.apple.com/app/id310663323?mt=8#
This application is also available in Chinese, so it is a real useful food guide for Taiwanese tourists (like me!). Hong Kong is a popular destination for Taiwanese and when we travel to Hong Kong, we do not go with leisure groups. Usually, people book airplane and accommodation and enjoy shopping and eating at free time on our own. A food guide application like this is very useful!
Even pizza places can use iPads! Pizza Capers is in Australia and Asia. It is using the iPad not only as a POS system, but as a queue management system too! We learned a lot about managing a reservations queue in class, and the iPad could provide more revenue management possibilities by having rushed guests jump ahead in the queue while less time concerned customers can wait.
ReplyDeletePage 2
http://www.travelandleisureasia.com/toplists/507002/four_tourism_ipad_apps.html
Eataly, iPhone Application
ReplyDeleteThis application for the iPhone is based on Mario Batali’s new restaurant and food market, Eataly. The Eataly iPhone application allows users to look up recipes that utilize products from Eataly, to learn more about the Italian wines featured at Eataly, and to learn about produce that is currently in season. Overall, this application allows iPhone users to experience Eataly before and after they visiting the dining establishment.
This application will primarily be used potential and current Eataly customers. iPhone users can download the application for $4.99.
Here is the link to the Eataly iPhone application:
http://blog.zagat.com/eataly-the-iphone-app
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ReplyDeleteDid you know the first restaurant to launch menu on IPad is not in the U.S? It is Nihonbashi, a Japanese cuisine in Sri Lanka!!!! More surprisingly, the owner, Dharshan Munidasa, started using IPad as a menu just after 9 days of its launch! He is a really foreseeing person. The new interactive menu has made dining easier and convenient and also suggests food to suit customer moods. In addition, IPads allow customers to browse the menu and daily specials and also help select the best wine to complement the dining selections and best food pairings. He said that the IPads will also be used in the administration aspects of restaurant operations as communication tool between team members and idea sharing will become and easier and faster.
ReplyDeleteHere is a related article: http://www.dailymirror.lk/index.php/business/117-other/3083-nihonbashi-first-restaurant-to-launch-menus-on-ipad.html
Here is website : http://www.nihonbashi.lk/index.html
For operation’s side, I would like to introduce a useful application for waiter or waitress called “iWaiter”. This program helps restaurant staffs to track of annual earnings and end- of- shift tip outs. If someone has working experience in restaurant, they will understand how rarely tip get calculated. Though this app, staffs can even know which shifts are most profitable and how much they are actual earning.
ReplyDeleteHere is app link:
http://iphoneapplicationlist.com/2009/12/31/iwaiter/
Another application for waiter/waitress is “Waiters Notes”. This program helps them to order more efficiently, saving time and preventing mistakes when taking customers’ orders. Especially, this will be helpful for bartender who needs to memorize complicated wine or drinks menu from many customers.
Here is a link:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/waiters-notes/id383058546?mt=8#
Order Pizza for iPad is an app(lication) that has been designed by Order Mapper Inc. to provide a pizza ordering system, like Dominos has done, to small, independent, local, pizzerias. It is rated in the Top 100 of iPad Lifestyle App(lication)s.
ReplyDeleteThe program offers you a menu of member establishments near your location (determined through your iPad's software) you then pick delivery method, payment method, size of pizza, and toppings, the program then sends your order to the chosen establishment.
This is only a mechanism for ordering pizza however, and does not facilitate any transactions, so when your pizza arrives, it is not paid for.
Order mapper appears to be positioning itself as a software designer for independent delivery stores, mainly pizza places, its other offerings in the Apple store are delivery programs for small Italian/Pizza spots around the country.
http://www.ordermapper.com/
"Metaflavor is a community powered dining application that lets you search and compare millions of restaurants and dishes, learns your unique taste, and makes finding what you want simple!"
ReplyDeletewww.metaflavor.com
By prompting the age-old question "what do you feel like?" and focusing it within a given range (1-20 miles) Metaflavor provides a profile of restaurants within your vicinity that it thinks will be a good match. The question "what do you feel like?" has an open response box, so you can look for a specific dish, protein, ambiance, or cuisine type.
The restaurants are outlined very thoroughly, showing: name, phone number, location, cuisine, amenities, ambiance, payment options, dress code, bar service, hours of operation, a 5 metric, 5 star rating system, and the number of menu items, as well as peer reviews.Metaflavor also looks for specific menu items that match your desires or cravings.
Unfortunately, it appears that as of now Metaflavor's main customers are larger chains( if you search for a burger in Ithaca it gives you Dominos - they have a cheeseburger pizza, Burger King, and Chilis), and the 1 mile search radius is not specific enough for a city like New York.
However, the depth of the results are very promising and informative, hopefully they will continue to grow.
http://www.metaflavor.com/
Have you ever had the craving for something at a sports game or concert, but was hesitant to leave your seat in fears of a long line causing you to miss your show? Just Enjoy, inc. is in the process of releasing an application for Iphones, Androids and Blackberries where you can use your phone "as a cash register." Not only can you place your take-out order from the venue in which you wish to patronize, you can also complete the transaction via your phone.
ReplyDeleteJust Enjoy, Inc has been around for years connecting their clients' restaurants to potential customers around the world via social media and mobile devices. This new venture will be the first of its kind and is an exciting innovation for customers and business-owners alike.
While the main goal is to improve staffing challenges and manage labor expenses, it will inevitably improve guest satisfaction with the added ease of ordering.
More about this particular venture can be found below...
http://www.prlog.org/10881585-sports-stadiums-and-entertainment-venues-enable-mobile-ordering-with-new-app.html
More about Just Enjoy, Inc can be found below...
http://justenjoy.com/
Yahoo! Sketch-a-Search is new application that lets you search and look up restaurants by drawing a line around the area you want to search within. No keywords are needed to search. The user simply draws a circle around the general area of interest on the iphone map and all restaurants within that location will show up. Information about each restaurant, including name, address, star rating, and much more are displayed. You can also choose what type of food you are looking for and the application wills find restaurants matching your choices. This application is now allowing people to find restaurants of their choice in a more specific area than other applications have before.
ReplyDeleteMore information, including a picture and video of the application, can be found at: http://www.appsafari.com/searching/11356/yahoo-sketch-a-search/
Item: buUuk - location based restaurant and bar guide
ReplyDeleteDescription: Provide recommendations on restaurants and bars using GPS/search engine to find a location nearby
Link: http://buuuk.com/
Features:
1. Augmented Reality: View information about locations with augmented reality
2. Vast coverage: Over 75,000 sites - Southern Asia, Eastern Asia, Middle East, and Australia (Singapore, Thailand, Tokyo, Seoul, Honk Kong, Beijing, Dubai, Qatar, Oman, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and even North Korea)
3. 3 Search criteria: by cuisine, location, and rating
4. Active userforum: twitter, facebook integration
5. View offers from sites: free and discounted food and drinks
6. Halal taggings
7. Wi-fi taggings
Issue: CNN selects buUuk as one of 11 crucial iPhone travel apps
(Relevant Link: http://www.cnngo.com/explorations/none/11-crucial-iphone-apps-598817)
The beauty of this app is 'Augmented Reality' technology, which enable restaurants to notice current promotions for boosting up revenue.
Posted by Ryan Kim
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOne Click Diner
ReplyDeleteOne Click Diner is an application for your mobile device that uses GPS technology to locate the nearest dining establishment to fit your needs.
One Click Diner's motto is "Ordering Online Made Easy." They also allow subscribers to search online by distance of their current zipcode.
It is free to register and companies can pay a fee to get their restaurant on the list of options.
In time, restaurants will feel more and more pressure to join all of these different mobile services as more and people will choose their restaurant based on the list available to them on their mobile phone.
OneClickDiner.com
GoMeals is an application that is intended to help users with diabetes, as well as users who are focused on improving their health. The application helps users select restaurants and menu items that would work with their restrictive diets. Users can monitor caloric intake, as well as distribution of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. This information is vital for people with diabetes to have with them, and this application is intended to help them manage their blood sugar levels with healthy eating. It contains a database full of nutritional values for foods, a food tracking tool to help record meals, and a restaurant locator.
ReplyDeleteMore information, including a picture and video of the application, can be found at: http://iphoneapplicationlist.com/app/gomeals/id336651139/#ixzz0zv8FKO00
Grub-on-the-go, (Not to be mistaken with GrubHub) is a cool mobile App that finds local restaurants around your present location.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that makes it different is its "I am craving for" function. Here, you can type in the exact dish you are craving for and together with your location, it generates results.
Its actually a Mobile app, but can be referred to even on the internet via laptops/computers/iPads
Here's the link:
http://grubonthego.com/
When you click on the Restaurant, you can see ratings etc, further on it even lets you call the Restaurant with its "Call" feature. You can even see user reviews sorted by date and decide which place to goto depending upon your mood.
CrazyMenu
ReplyDeletehttp://itunes.apple.com/us/app/crazymenu-restaurant-menus/id315822647?mt=8#
CrazyMenu has taken the social media stream in restaurants to the next level by allowing you to find a restaurant, update facebook and twitter, and look at restaurant menus within the same app. The application is built around helping people update thier status and tell people about the restaurants listed on the app. Here is the description found on the iTunes website:
order from 30,000 restaurant menus
pick from 500,000 locations for eat outs
set Twitter & Facebook status directly from the app.
Chosen by facebook as a facebook fund finalist
use feed picker to quickly and with minimal typing update your tweets or facebook status and connect with friends, get restaurant or dish suggestions, or make recommendations
Rub your lucky ticket to find a new local restaurant
Embedded map, restaurant hours and more.
iRestaurant
ReplyDeletehttp://itunes.apple.com/us/app/irestaurant/id349271357?mt=8#
iRestaurant is an app that dynamically links with Yahoo local to provide restaurants that are near you with colored pins that correlate to their rating (Green:Excellent, Purple:Good, Red:Average). The app is basically just like UrbanSpoon but provides the options with ratings so that you can make a more informed choice of dining options that are near you. Pretty cool.
VintageChart
ReplyDeleteFound this really interesting app called as Vintage Chart+. VintageChart+ is the first app by Wine Spectator, the most widely read and respected wine magazine in the world. It lets you carry one of Wine Spectator’s most popular features—its vintage charts—in the palm of your hand, so you can have expert information wherever and whenever you need help choosing the right wine: at a restaurant, retail shop, or in your cellar.
The key idea behind vintage charts is to help you make an educated decision about the quality and character of unfamiliar wines. For example, if you were deciding between two Napa Cabernets, a 2004 and a 2003, consulting VintageChart+ would reveal that 2004 was generally a much better year.
Here's the link if you want to read more.
http://www.appstorehq.com/vintagechart-bywinespectator-iphone-303324/app
In the Zone Delivery
ReplyDeleteThis is a special delivery site that caters only diet food. The menu is based on the dietory preferences. The websites has some celebrities endorsements.
The interesting part is the FAQ.
http://www.inthezonedelivery.com/howItWorks/works.asp
Sachin
Gutscheinbuch is an application that allows restaurants and other business to distribute coupons electronically. If the restaurant is never running at full capacity on a tuesday night for example this tool allows to distribute discount coupons to potential guests (people who downloaded the app or who recieve their email newsletter).
ReplyDeletehttp://www.gutscheinbuch.de/seiten/schlemmerreise.html
Disney World Dining is an app created specifically for Disney World customers. When the app opens, users select a location, such as a Disney resort hotel or a Disney park. All of the location's restaurants are listed, with dollar signs indicating the price level. You can also find restaurants newar your current GPS location. When you click on a restaurant you can find a great deal of information including a description of the restaurant, its exact location, its service level, and the menu. Clicking on the menu allows users to see all menu item prices and descriptions. You can also call the restaurant's reservation number to make a reservation. In addition, users can create a personalized reservation schedule of all of their reservations, and can email this schedule to others.
ReplyDeleteA photo and link to the app can be found here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/disney-world-dining/id307589910?mt=8#
VegOut is a great application for vegans or vegetarians around the world. The application picks up your current GPS location (or you can manually select a location if you're planning on taking a vacation somewhere say)and displays all vegetarian, vegan, or "veg-friendly" restaurants in the chosen location. You can sort the list by distance, customer rating or alphabetically. You can also filter the list by diet (vegan, vegetarian or veg-friendly). When you click on a restaurant, the app gives you the restaurant's phone number, address, cuisine, website, price range, and further details including customer reviews. The app works in international locations as well.
A photo and link to the app can be found here: http://itunes.apple.com/app/vegout-vegetarian-restaurant/id301275521?mt=8#
The Baja Fresh, Be Fresh app, created by Snapfinger allows users to find the nearest restaurant, order, and then just drive by and pick up their order.
ReplyDeletehttp://itunes.apple.com/us/app/baja-fresh/id365184303?mt=8
Burger King has a new app, just like an online ordering system, but thanks to GPS, it automatically locates the closest restaurants. It also acts like a loyalty card, earning rewards.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.qsrmagazine.com/articles/news/story.phtml?id=8718
An interesting article explores the possibilities of the Ipad in restaurants. It mentions its use as a tableside ordering and payment system, and as a way of streamlining ordering and payment during high traffic times, and as a paperless menu. Not mentioned in the article, the Ipad menu could be changed at will without wasting paper, so it would be good for greener restaurants.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.qsrmagazine.com/articles/operations/144/ipad-1.phtml?microsite=online_ordering
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteItem: Wait List Manager HD
ReplyDeleteDescription: Wait list and reservation managing application for Host and Hostess
Link:
http://apps.yproduction.com/waitlistmanager/
Key features:
1. systematic wait list grouped by table type
2. page customers with SMS
3. summary page with avg. waited time
4. full statistic access
5. configurable wait time estimation
6. export records to email
The strength of this app. is simple interface so that users can use it intuitively without additional education. Appropriate for start-up/mid-sized stand-alone restaurants.
Posted by Ryan Kim
Inamo, London
ReplyDeleteThis japanese restaurant is known for its designer interiors and lovely food. The best part about this meal is that the table top is actually a large touch pad. This touch pad can help you choose and place the order. The order directly goes to the kitchen. Apart from that it can help you surf the web or play game while you are waiting for your food. If you choose to watch your food being made click on "chefcam" and you can see your food being prepared. One very interesting feature is that you can choose the design as wallpaper which becomes the placemat.This helps customers have a sense of control.
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/03/inamo-restauran/
(Go to the bottom of the webpage to see good images and the you tube video)
Sachin
Hajime restaurant in Thailand
ReplyDeleteThis restaurant has jumped a few notches to make the restaurant unique. This japanese restaurant in Thailand employs a cute robot as wait staff. (Really!) Whether it is efficient or not time will tell but it has created some buzz. This not it after the service, this robot dances to entertain the audience. Must watch the link to the you tube video and the website link. Futuristic!
(If you are short of time watch it after the 2.4min mark)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0Z1EaFFICI&feature=player_embedded
http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/20100402/samurai-robots-serve-humans-hajime-restaurant-thailand/
Sachin
Haweli Of Belmont
ReplyDeleteJust register on this site and you can book a table or order can also order a home deliver. Just type the message and send it to 82055 and they will do the rest.
HOW TO ORDER FOOD TO BE DELIVERED:
Type BELMONT DELIVER and then the following information to 82055:
1. Your name
2. Your address
3. The dish numbers or descriptions of your order
For table reservation you can so it in similar manner.
This is quite cool for a restaurant.
Sachin
The Monterey Bay Aquarium has a great app out for seafood lovers who are concerned about over-fishing. The Seafood Watch app allows customers to compare fish and other forms of seafood on the menu with a database of species that are endangered or are farmed using environmentally damaging practices.
ReplyDeletelink:
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/SeafoodWatch/web/sfw_iPhone.aspx
Near+Now
ReplyDeletehttp://iphoneapplicationlist.com/2009/02/05/nearnow/
Near+Now is an application for the iPhone that strives to destinations relevant to the user. Initially the user must rate a few locations that they are familiar with, in order for the application to determine their preferences. Based on these ratings, Near+Now will then be able to recommend places for the user to go ranging from restaurants, to bars and clubs, to other nightlife entertainment. The suggestions are based on unique attributes like vibe and atmosphere to find spots that the user will like the best.
The application also offers a good interface which allows the user to search based on current location or a specified address as well. Results generally include information such as hours, address, and ratings to help the user in finding the location. One of the most unique aspects of this app is its ability to show similar or suggested listings directly on the detail page of the restaurant. Also, the more someone rates locations, the more the application gets to know the user’s preferences, and it shows a rotating module of places that are "sortuv similar."
For images and more information check out the link above.
My Menu Mobile is a service to create apps specifically for restaurants. Though this is not one specific app, it is especially worth noting because it is linked to iPOS , which is a POS system that can be run from any iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch system. I especially like their visual description of the pre- and post-migration to iPOS. The cartoon boss in the iPOS phase is running everything from the beach.
ReplyDeleteThe mobile apps designed by this company will integrate directly with a restaurant's POS system or they can elect to receive orders by fax or email. Both are targeted toward restaurant owners and operators.
-Molly
Any germaphobes out there? The "Stinky Rag" app lets you look up a restaurant's Health Inspection ratings. It currently works in New York City, as well as the entire states of Virginia and Florida. Site says more are coming soon.
ReplyDeleteBased on your location, the screen shows a map of restaurants. Simple rating system (with green=good, yellow=iffy, red means you better have a strong gut) shows up on the map. You can click on any of the restaurants for detailed notes from the inspector as well as a history of inspection ratings.
You can see pictures of the iphone screen as well as more info at http://stinkyrag.com/
Safe eating!
Looking to plan out your entire evening of entertainment? Fresh off the presses:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.pr-inside.com/ncm-movie-night-out-app-launches-r2126515.htm
"Movie Night Out" lets you plan your dinner and movie with your iphone, blackberry, ipadtouch or Android. You start by picking a movie based on your preferences, and then it can connect you to the rest of the evening's activities, including where to have dinner beforehand. The food part is currently powered by urbanspoon.com. It gives you suggestions on where to have dessert or go out for drinks afterward as well! Now if they could only incorporate average wait times and dining duration, customers could use that to decide if they'd make their movie on time! Something for the future I suppose...might also be good if applied to the NYC theater district, and do a Dinner and Theater app.
Melissa Bergman
The article that I founded is in Italian but I will explain everything. It contains more than one innovation: http://punto-informatico.it/2432249/PI/News/menu-hi-tech-mangiare-un-click.aspx
ReplyDeleteAt Inamo restaurant in London, a kind of sushi-bar that sells fusion cuisine with a hint of white technology: the tables are intended for the projection of the menus. Browsing with a system similar to mouse track ball, you can view the dishes with just one click. The system also allows you to choose and combine wines and beverages and to spy on the kitchen through a dedicated webcam on cooks at work. While waiting for the dishes, the guests can enjoy changing the background image that appears on each table, looking at the map of the surroundings to decide what to do next or defy their diners to a game of sea battle.
That is possible thanks to a series of video projectors positioned on the ceiling that send images on the white surface of the table. Once filled with food in the small tables will be unusable unless the need to make room or raise plates and glasses in order to read. Such Devices are not new: the Microsoft Surface, finished recently in bars of Las Vegas and in shops of AT&T. it should be specified that in the case of gem in Redmond, as well as products of other brands, technological fittings is significantly more massive.
Cosimo Ranieri
Here's DBS Indulge App, a mobile app from Singapore. The app is a tie-up between a bank (DBS) and food review website (hungrygowhere.com).
ReplyDeleteKey highlights of this app are:
1. Quick access to dining deals - Users can find special promotions such as birthday treats and top 10 best deals at their fingertips.
2. Amazing coupon exclusives - Users only have to choose the desired coupons in their phone, and flash and redeem the coupon at the restaurant.
3. Awesome camera view - Users can select the 'Camera View' function on their app and use their phone camera to scan the surroundings. The nearest dining deals will automatically pop up as an overlay on the camera's image with the distance displayed. Users can also instantly access more details on the dining offer, or tap-to-call to make reservations.
The link for this app download is on http://www.dc2go.net/dbs/index.php
@ Brandon Kim
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind comments! Yes it was 9 days but with Time differences it was 8. It was the most nerve wracking 8 days as i had no option but to put up with DHL (Half Way across the US) 4 Public Holidays in Sri Lanka. If i was in the US i gues it would have been same day! Anyways wanted mail you but could not find your addy on here. If you have time do mail me at muni@nihonbashi.lk ! Kanpai Dharshan Munidasa