While the before / after effects of cell phone technology for restaurant ordering are interesting, why haven’t restaurants taken advantange of the technology?
More specifically, since this is 2014, why don’t restaurants have web accounts for patrons so that they can decide what they want before they arrive at the restaurant, their orders automatically placed when GPS indicates that they have stepped inside the restaurant? I think that it would be convenient to simply edit minor changes to menu items that I have previously placed and click OK.
As a side note concerning old versus new concerning business transactions, please consider the following. With all due respect to freepers who still write checks at the cash register, I really tighten up when I see somebody ahead of me in a cashier line taking the time to write a check. Is it my just my imagination, or is everybody in the line, including cashier, rolling their eyes like I am because the check-writing patrion is wasting everybody’s time carefully recording the details of a check in a check register?
“I really tighten up when I see somebody ahead of me in a cashier line taking the time to write a check.”
Well,then it would be best if you do not read what is below because it is real and you may not survive it.
Elderly lady in grocery line:
Lady: That can of soup is 2 for 1. You just charged me the full amount.
Cashier: When the second one is rung up the computer will make the adjustment.
Lady: Oh, I don’t trust those things.
Cashier: OK… that will be $49.22.
Lady: Show me where I got the soup two for one.
Cashier: Right here. After it rang up the second can of soup, you can see it deducted the same amount in the line below.
Lady: How do I know it was for the soup?
Cashier: Well, it is the same amount as the soup and it occurs in next line.
Lady: I should have been charged zero for the second can of soup.
Cashier: It works out the same. The charge and then the rebate, end up being zero.
Lady: But you charged me for the second can of soup.
Cashier: Yes, but then I deducted it here.
Lady: Why?
Cashier: I don’t know.
Lady: OK…….How much was it?
Cashier: The soup?
Lady: No the total.
Cashier: $49.22
(Lady has been in line for 5 minutes but now decides to find hand bag. Digs through, finds wallet. Fumbles with wallet, opens check book.)
Lady: Where are we?
Cashier: Detroit.
Lady: No not what state, what store is this?
Cashier: Safeway.
(Lady closes wallet and puts it on counter. Goes back into her purse and finds glasses and puts on. Fumbles with wallet and opens check book. Closes check book, opens purse and gets out a pen. Opens check book.)
Lady: What’s the date?
Cashier: May 20th.
Lady: M….a……y 2….0. Is this 2013?
Cashier: 2014.
Lady: 2…..0……1…..3
Cashier: 14
Lady: What’s 14?
Cashier: 2014.
Lady: Why did you tell me it was 2013?
Cashier: It’s 2014.
Lady: I’ll have to start over. V……O……I……D.
Cashier: You could have just changed it.
Lady: No, they would never take it. Then it would bounce and you would charge me.
Cashier: OK.
Lady: What’s the date?
Cashier: Still, May 20th, 2014.
(Lady looks at him with suspicious distain.)
Lady: M…..a…..y 2…..0 2…..0…….1……4. Where are we?
Cashier: Safeway
Lady: S…a…f…e…w…a…y. Safeway right?
Cashier: Yes, Mamma.
Lady: How much was it?
Cashier: $49.22.
Lady: $.....4…..9….2….2
(Lady opens up check register, begins to meticulously copy the check information into the register. But does not give the check to the cashier. She even performs the balance subtraction. Closes her wallet and puts it back in her purse. )
Cashier: Mamma …. I need the check.
Lady: Oh….
(Lady opens purse, gets wallet, opens check book. Hands cashier the check.)
Cashier: Mamma… this was the first check. It says VOID.
Lady: Oh…. I forgot to put that one in the register.
(Lady meticulously copies the information for the voided check into her register. Closes her wallet and puts it back in her purse.)
Cashier: Mamma …. I still need the check.
(Lady get out her wallet, opens it up, puts on her glasses and hands the check to the cashier. Closes her wallet and puts it back in her purse.)
Cashier: Mamma, I need to see your Driver’s License.
Lady: I don’t have one. I don’t need one. I ride the bus.
Cashier: Do you have some ID with your picture on it?
Lady: No, I only have pictures of my grandkids. You want to see them?
Cashier: No, that’s OK. Do you have anything with your name on it?
Lady: The check I just gave you.
Cashier: Anything else?
Lady: I have my water bill.
Cashier: That will be fine.
(Lady goes back into purse and pulls out crumpled envelope with water bill in it. Carefully opens it up and hands the bill to the cashier.)
Lady: See…… there’s my name. That’s me.
Cashier: OK, thanks.
(Cashier’s line has now grown to 22 people. Heads bobbing to the right and left to see what is going on.)
Cashier: I’m going on break.
Not only the check writer, but also the customer (usually an older woman) who, after the clerk has rung up and bagged a $125 order of groceries, suddenly remembers she has to pay for them and starts rummaging in her purse for the card or the checkbook. Then there are the types whose cards are rejected or can't remember their pin and have to get the manager over to clear up the mess.
I recall when the scanners first went into operation, the prediction was that customers would soon be able to wheel the buggy through the scanner and all items would be totaled automatically with no human interaction. Whatever happened to that?