Use your iPad at your favorite restaurants

[agkm800]

Instead of waiting forever for your waiter/waitress to come to your table, just take out your iPad, (instantly download the restaurant's iPad app - only have to do this once), then start ordering right away. The entire menu with nice pictures and descriptions and prices is in "palm of your hands". Choose whatever you want then click [Send]. Wait for your food.

 

[macuserx86]

Instead of waiting forever for your waiter/waitress to come to your table, just take out your iPad, (instantly download the restaurant's iPad app - only have to do this once), then start ordering right away. The entire menu with nice pictures and descriptions and prices is in "palm of your hands". Choose whatever you want then click [Send]. Wait for your food.

That is probably the most out-of-touch with society statement I've ever read. A very small percentage can afford to buy an iPad. If the restaurant provided them instead of a menu it might work, but even still, this is a pretty luxurious menu system.

 

[Palm Pimp]

That is probably the most out-of-touch with society statement I've ever read. A very small percentage can afford to buy an iPad. If the restaurant provided them instead of a menu it might work, but even still, this is a pretty luxurious menu system.

lmao yes. You'd look out of place at the Hilton, let alone at a regular restaurant or bar. The waiter might even make you wait longer once he peeks out from the kitchen and sees a fool swinging up his iPad onto the table just to order a meal.

 

[agkm800]

That is probably the most out-of-touch with society statement I've ever read. A very small percentage can afford to buy an iPad. If the restaurant provided them instead of a menu it might work, but even still, this is a pretty luxurious menu system.

It's just an option for already iPad owners. BTW, it's just a fun idea and won't probably become reality in near future.

 

[agkm800]

lmao yes. You'd look out of place at the Hilton, let alone at a regular restaurant or bar. The waiter might even make you wait longer once he peeks out from the kitchen and sees a fool swinging up his iPad onto the table just to order a meal.

You'd first need to get used to MR forums. Have you read what people say about your comments?

 

[King Mook Mook]

No offense but if you were at a restaurant and you somehow managed to procure an iPad not only would you look like a major tool (think of pulling out an iPad on a bus, or a MacBook Air on a train) but it would be incredibly rude to the other person you were dining with. Maybe this is unique to Australia, but we have somewhat of a custom that whipping out a 9 inch tablet or any other sort of computer for that matter is rude when dining with others as when I go to dinner with people I want to be talking to them not looking lustfully at my iPad.

In addition how would you bring your iPad to the restaurant? It wouldn't fit in your bag (unless you have a huge bag). If the restaurant had iPads for you, for the sole purpose of ordering food, would probably not only be a waste of money, but would detract from the quality (or class) of the restaurant.

King Mook Mook

 

[Hawkwind]

The waiters would hate that... a big perk of that job is having people trying to pronounce exotic meals from the menu

 

[arkitect]

*Strange suggestion snipped*

I assume you mean fast food joints?

Otherwise what kind of "restaurants" do you go to?

 

[maghemi]

Considering how much I loathe it when people bring out their mobile phones in restaurants, I can't say I'd be all the impressed to see someone whip out one of these.

You can guarantee if someone brings in one of their own, they wouldn't just order the meals, they'd then play with it for a little bit and just generally irritate everyone else in the place.

Technology such as iPads do not have a place in restaurants.

 

[miles01110]

This would just lead to a slew of "SPILLED ALFREDO SAUCE ON IPAD: HELP!!!!" threads. We're going to get enough water damage threads as it is.

 

[ditzy]

I intend to buy an iPad, but no I wouldn't use it in a restaurant, in the same way that I would not use my iPhone. It's just rude.

 

[LeonGirby]

iPad menu for restaurants

It's just an option for already iPad owners. BTW, it's just a fun idea and won't probably become reality in near future.

hey, its actually already happening in restaurants...
theres a company called conceptic which makes ipad menu app
http://www.emenu-international.com/iPadMenu

 

[donnaw]

We were at the Olive Garden a couple of weeks ago and at a table across from io what looked like a mother and 20-something daughter were waiting on their order. The younger girl whipped out her iPad and proceeded to use it leaving the other woman just sitting there.

Yep, it was rude. I'm betting it was mother and daughter. The first time I took my son to dinner and he did that would be the last time I would take him out.

I understand what the OP is saying about perusing the menu to get to your decision quicker but 1) usually the hostess destiny you gives you a menu anyway and 2) the point of dinner is usually companionship and conversation. I sincerely hope our society dose not become so enthralled with our tech and the "always connected" syndrome that we forget each other.

I'm old enough to remember when cell phone first started appearing in restaurants. It was the "thing" to always be connected. People thought it made them look important. Then the next "thing" was to be important enough to be ably to be out-of-touch. Hopefully we will get back to not having to always be connected via our tech.

End of rant. Sorry

 

[Michael CM1]

I must be missing something because I don't get using an iPad or an iPhone at a restaurant as being "rude" by definition.

These and other electronics are all devices that can be used and abused in many fashions. If you recall the Nextel Direct Connect, that was very similar. I hated it myself because there was no "leave me out of this" option if you were near someone using it. That's fine for on the job, like at construction sites or doing tech work on a campus that I interviewed at. But in a restaurant, turn the damn thing off.

But iPads and iPhones can be very useful in a restaurant. First, if you go to eat by yourself, you've got something to do. iPad can be extremely useful as a book reader in this instance. I'm assuming at some places you can even get work done, especially if you have a keyboard.

Move to what the OP suggested. I have thought that at least the menu part is an awesome idea just waiting to happen. We already have apps and websites to place orders at pizza delivery places. Starbucks shows you what kinds of drinks can be made. I don't know of any that do nutrition, but Weight Watchers has an app that does that, and others have similar apps.

I don't know that the actual ordering thing is necessary since it is nice to have an employee to whom you can ask questions. But I would personally love a menu app that would explain all sorts of stuff instead of pre-printed menus that have to last for months and can't give you specials or stuff like that. And many places have alcohol listed but don't give you prices because that stuff changes. With an app, that's gone.

Now I understand that it can be rude to just use something like this and ignore everybody else if you're in a group. But I'm usually with my parents and many times with my young nephews. I can keep my nephews entertained with the Crayola ColorStudio HD and SoundTouch apps. All of them love to see pictures, which I can show them on the big iPad screen. A time or two I have shown them videos I made using the iMovie trailer feature.

So yes, these things can be abused in restaurants. But they can also be used quite well.

 

[mfr1340]

get a life

You are all wasteing too much time and effort on this one. Its like most of you don't have a life! Just look at the time spent on this post. Most of you wish you had someone to go to dinner with!

 

[MonkeySee....]

I have an indian restaurant near me who do their ordering on an iPad which is hooked up to their back end. Its a great idea and it would be good to have an iPhone app that would live update with your order so you can confirm/add new dishes etc.

This isn't completely unrealistic.
We can already use "Voucher Cloud" on the iphone to get discounts in restaurants.

 

[SRLMJ23]

I must be missing something because I don't get using an iPad or an iPhone at a restaurant as being "rude" by definition.

These and other electronics are all devices that can be used and abused in many fashions. If you recall the Nextel Direct Connect, that was very similar. I hated it myself because there was no "leave me out of this" option if you were near someone using it. That's fine for on the job, like at construction sites or doing tech work on a campus that I interviewed at. But in a restaurant, turn the damn thing off.

But iPads and iPhones can be very useful in a restaurant. First, if you go to eat by yourself, you've got something to do. iPad can be extremely useful as a book reader in this instance. I'm assuming at some places you can even get work done, especially if you have a keyboard.

Move to what the OP suggested. I have thought that at least the menu part is an awesome idea just waiting to happen. We already have apps and websites to place orders at pizza delivery places. Starbucks shows you what kinds of drinks can be made. I don't know of any that do nutrition, but Weight Watchers has an app that does that, and others have similar apps.

I don't know that the actual ordering thing is necessary since it is nice to have an employee to whom you can ask questions. But I would personally love a menu app that would explain all sorts of stuff instead of pre-printed menus that have to last for months and can't give you specials or stuff like that. And many places have alcohol listed but don't give you prices because that stuff changes. With an app, that's gone.

Now I understand that it can be rude to just use something like this and ignore everybody else if you're in a group. But I'm usually with my parents and many times with my young nephews. I can keep my nephews entertained with the Crayola ColorStudio HD and SoundTouch apps. All of them love to see pictures, which I can show them on the big iPad screen. A time or two I have shown them videos I made using the iMovie trailer feature.

So yes, these things can be abused in restaurants. But they can also be used quite well.

I agree, why couldn't I bring my iPad into say an Applebees or Outback and place my order via a menu system that works through wi-fi provided by the business.

 

[ZombieZakk]

yea this is a cool concept if provided by the restaurant but im not bringing my ipad to use as a menu maybe if available on my iphone that would be cool because its always on me but who honestly carries their ipad with them 24/7

 

[darngooddesign]

Considering how much I loathe it when people bring out their mobile phones in restaurants, I can't say I'd be all the impressed to see someone whip out one of these.

You can guarantee if someone brings in one of their own, they wouldn't just order the meals, they'd then play with it for a little bit and just generally irritate everyone else in the place.

Technology such as iPads do not have a place in restaurants.

I feel the same way about books, magazines and newspapers. People dining by themselves have no business doing anything other than staring at the table before their food arrives. anytime I see someone reading something while they eat it angers me.

 

[waterskier2007]

While I think it is pretty bad to use an iPad or something like this during a meal, I think it could be cool in a different way. Say when you sit down the waiter hands you an iPad to order with. Using that you can look at a menu which allows for you to actually see the meals and read nutritional facts about the food. You place your order on the iPad and then the waiter takes the iPad from you similarly to removing the menus. This way you get the advantage of an interactive menu without being a douche using an iPad at a meal

 

[spiderman0616]

I have read other stories about this--there are some restaurants passing out locked down iPads AS MENUS, and also using them for their point of sale.

It's not unheard of---I wouldn't whip out my own iPad at a restaurant, but ordering with it electronically through their own system is a cool idea.

I hate when someone posts a thread pertaining to uses for your iPad in the outside world, and then the rest of the forum members go into a bash fest and start judging them about how pretentious they are. Just because something is pricey does not mean you are not allowed to use it in public. Zillions of people pull out laptops in public, many of which are more expensive than an iPad--I don't see people judging them.

 

[iThinman]

SOP for my wife and I is to arrive at restaurant, play with iPad while waiting in over crowded line to be seated, get seated, play with iPad until finally receiving water and order taken, play with iPad for 30 minutes till food arrives, turn on nightly news and eat.

Seems to be working for us so far.

Not sure if it bothers other patrons because I'm too busy minding my own business to notice them.

 

[sishaw]

I feel the same way about books, magazines and newspapers. People dining by themselves have no business doing anything other than staring at the table before their food arrives. anytime I see someone reading something while they eat it angers me.

Actually, you're supposed to have a cocktail. That's why they make martinis.

 

[mrkjsn]

I intend to buy an iPad, but no I wouldn't use it in a restaurant, in the same way that I would not use my iPhone. It's just rude.

How is pulling out your iPhone not rude compared to pulling out an iPad? Because your iPhone is smaller?

I did see a family with their grand parents show up at a restaurant one time and had the father pull out an iPad to show the grand parents pictures of their kids. I thought it wouldn't have been any different than pulling out a small packet of photos and showing it to them. Not like the dad was surfing the web while everyone is eating or talking.

 

[palpatine]

A great idea. And, it is already a reality in many restaurants. Yesterday I was at one that didn't have ipads, but some sort of custom tablet tied into the restaurant. You order from it, they bring your food, and that's it. Quite nice.

As for reading the iPad at dinner, why not? I like to hang out and read together with people. We share about what we read, and it's quite relaxing. I highly recommend it. Then again, I have been known to bring books to first dates

I don't see how it is so much different than having a bunch of 2000 inch tvs hanging all over the place with sports / news / crap buzzing around you. At least I can turn off the iPad without having to stand on a table and turn its inane babbling off.