Usually, you would use a tablet to
play a game, finish some school homework. But how about ordering your next
drink or an appetizer. This is one of the features that Applebee's restaurant introduced
about 18 months ago.
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Applebee's E- La Carte |
Applebee's introduced 12,000 tablets in over 1800 locations in 2014. The chain restaurant’s decision was welcomed by Cisco Systems and Intel Capital (producer of the processor for this device).So far, the tablet allows you to order drinks, appetizers, and even pay your bill. The full menu is not available yet. Currently there is a combination of human service (hostess and waitress/waiter). The device was also welcomed by parents who use the tablet’s games to distract and entertained their children while they wait for their meal to be served.
This innovative technology was not welcome by everyone. The service crew saw this new technology as a threat. The service crew saw this technology as competition and that eventually it was going to replace them. However, after running the program for some months they realized that the tablet actually helped them gain additional income. People were waiting less time to order a drink. Although there was one server assigned for 5 to 7 tables; those tables were capable of making drink orders at the same time. Resulting in less time writing orders and still accomplishing to serve all their customers.
According to MIT engineers and
restaurant experts, this system can generate up to a 10 % sales boost and 7-
minute faster table turns. The presto tablet features an all-day battery life.
The tablet is rugged in design in order to withstand spills and bumps.
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Applebee's E- Menu |
I found a few negatives to this
tablet. It does not take cash as payment (maybe in the future will see it). The
tablet takes a part of your table. If you have a table full of people, you
might need the extra space. Another negative factor was that; I imagine that
the sanitizing process of these devices is not easy. These tablets are in
contact with several people throughout the day.
Overall it is a great strategy to
gain additional sales and minimize the time that consumers spend sitting while
dinning. Plus, you may play a few games on the tablet if you forgot yours. One
feature that I would like to see in the near future on these devices, is an
updated so that you can make voice order without touching the screen.
Sources cited
Sources cited
Konrad, A. (n.d.). Applebee's Will install 100,000
Intel-Backed Tablets. Retrieved April 02, 2016, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/alexkonrad/2013/12/03/applebees-intel-tablet-rollout/#42ccb0d82997
Martin,
ReplyDeleteI was glad to see your review on these devices. I love them! One of my biggest annoyances when going out to eat is waiting for the ticket. When I am finished I want to go, not wait around for the check to come, then hand over my credit card and wait again for them to come back. I LOVE that I can pay at my table at my convenience. Another thing that I liked about it was that you could add a dessert item. I never know if I want dessert until after my meal is over. It was convenient for me to push a button to add a dessert to my order.
Martin:
ReplyDeleteIt is a very interesting piece of technology. However something that would be an interesting addition, would be the ability to see peoples reviews of food items. This would be very helpfull for people who are trying applebees food for the first time.
Hello Martin,
ReplyDeleteMy first thought as I began to read this article is that the tablet would replace wait staff as the kiosks have replaced many cashiers. Your article seemed to anticipate my concern and addressed it immediately. I find it curious that this technology boosted profits, and that it did not seem to adversely affect the staff of the restaurant.
I have been to one restaurant where the waitress was trying to use a tablet and seemed like more of a hindrance. The waitress had the tablet on her it wasn't at the table, and there was only one tablet for the whole staff.
Great article!
I have been to a few restaurants where the server could lose their job to a trained monkey and still demand a tip so no sympathy from me. I think this kind of technology is great. I recently discovered the round table internet site where I am just a few clicks away from a pizza. In most restaurants, I pretty much know what I am going to eat and they should be serving me as I am sitting down. Having a tablet on the table seems a bit cheesy though, no pun intended. There should be an IPhone app. This is just another thing the poor bus boy has to clean my kid’s greasy fingerprints off of. That’s where my tip should go as my lack of sympathy turns to frustration and anger.
ReplyDeleteI have been to a few restaurants where the server could lose their job to a trained monkey and still demand a tip so no sympathy from me. I think this kind of technology is great. I recently discovered the round table internet site where I am just a few clicks away from a pizza. In most restaurants, I pretty much know what I am going to eat and they should be serving me as I am sitting down. Having a tablet on the table seems a bit cheesy though, no pun intended. There should be an IPhone app. This is just another thing the poor bus boy has to clean my kid’s greasy fingerprints off of. That’s where my tip should go as my lack of sympathy turns to frustration and anger.
ReplyDeleteHi Martin,
ReplyDeleteI am glad someone wrote about this tablet in restaurant technology, because I have an interesting little story to tell. Recently I went to an Olive Garden in Utah with my boyfriend, they had tablets on every table too. While we were waiting for our food, we played around with the games on the tablet, without knowing there was a $1.99 charge. When the check came, it was an unpleasant surprise. Next time we would know better. We did pay on the tablet and it's nice not to have the pressure of the amount of tips we're going to give.
People are worried about ordering kiosks in McDonald's will take away jobs too, should it be a concern?
Jenny Leung
Hi Martin,
ReplyDeleteI actually like this idea! It seems that our orders actually come out right when we place it ourselves. Our server still has to bring the food and drinks to us and clean up after us so they still deserve a tip in my book. Although it is less interaction with the server and may cause new servers to have less experience with customer service, I still feel that this is great for some diners.