Also, think of this--why do you still carry cash? I know why I do: small transactions (< $5) and paying for my part of the tab at a restaurant or bar with co-workers and friends. Here’s my solution--what if paying for your bill was just as easy as paying for groceries at a supermarket? This is how it would work:
- Three of my co-workers and I sit down for lunch at a table with a swipey thing (card reader).
- The waitress stops by and takes our order.
- The waitress goes in the back and enters our order into that touch screen computer. When she’s done the itemized order is beamed (via wi-fi or Bluetooth, take your pick) to our swipey thing at our table
- While the four of us wait for our food, we calculate how much each person owes. We then swipe our credit/debit cards and enter how much we want to pay, including tip.
- By the time we're done eating our bill has already been settled and we're free to leave.
Who benefits? I obviously do, but so does the restaurant. Since the wait staff no longer has to worry about billing, they are free to tend to other service responsibilities, such as making sure I have enough water in my glass. This will generate a better overall experience for the customer and higher ratings for the restaurant.
But the biggest gain is in higher table turnover. During the busy times of lunch and dinner, restaurants will service more customers if they no longer have to wait and calculate the check once they've finished their meal.
Everyone wins! Or am I missing something?
Now I just have to figure out what to do with those slow eaters...
