This week in robots coming for our jobs: an app to assist (or replace?) your waiter. The Brooklyn Paper found a DUMBO techie who got tired of waiting for his brunch check and developed Dash, an app that enables users to view and pay the bill on their iPhone without having to interact with their servers, because – let’s face it – there’s already too much interaction going on when you go out to eat.
In some respects, Dash seems like the perfect middle man between impatient diners and frenzied waiters. Although a waiter is still needed to take your order, enter it into the computer, and bring you extra napkins and ketchup, the app will keep track of your order, bill you at the end, and allow you to pay online.
The whole thing seems a little too convenient to be practical though. After all, service is an essential part of dining out. Will it catch on with foodies who have higher demands? It can’t be much fun to verbally abuse your iPhone when it fails to refill your water glass. And for servers who have chased dine-and-dashers down the street to pay for their food (excellent workout, by the way), won’t it be harder to keep track of who pays and who doesn’t? And won’t diners who are already reluctant to tip well feel more inclined to stiff if they don’t have to face their server with the check?
What do you think, diners and restaurant workers? Will this app be a service to the industry, or will it just leave us with a bad taste in our mouths?
View Comments (1)
I'm sorry, but the process of paying a bill is the least intrusive part of the entire dining experience. These apps that simplify even the most basic, straight forward personal interactions are ridiculous. If you're in a hurry, just speak up and ASK for whatever you need... If you desire fast food service, go to McDonalds or Burger King. Anyone who doesn't have 5 minutes to pay a bill at the end of a night has issues with their over-inflated self importance.