"Your Waiter Today Will Be a Computer"

(page 2 of 2)

Self-service proponents also say their systems have the potential to boost check amounts through intelligent upselling—suggesting certain items based on past orders—or by using customized screensavers throughout the meal to advertise, for example, a featured dessert. (Red Bull, Evian, and Stockholm Vodka have signed partnership agreements with uWink that give them featured placement on the touchscreen terminals.)

But some industry experts aren't convinced. "That's a fantasy," says New York restaurant consultant Malcolm Knapp. "The waiter isn't just a server, the waiter is a salesperson. An ad can make someone think they might be interested, but they rely on the server to tell them is the cheesecake good."

Fit for Speedy Eateries

At fine-dining establishments in particular, diners typically want to linger and be tended to by a professional who could recommend a certain entrée or wine pairing. But experts say self-service could have a place at sit-down restaurants when diners are willing to trade human interaction for faster service—during the lunch-time rush, for example, or when dining with young children.

Piccoli says one example of the type of restaurant well-suited to self-service ordering is the European noodle bar chain Wagamama. At Wagamama, servers take orders using wireless order pads and food arrives at the table as soon as it's ready. The customer base is young and tech-savvy, the menu is relatively simple, and speed is already an important element. Another possibility, Knapp says, would be a restaurant like Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD), where servers take refill orders amid a lively and social sports-bar atmosphere and a table-top touchscreen would be a practical substitute.

Time-pressed New Yorkers are already happy to skip the line at the register by using their cell phones to order and pay for take-out meals through Mobo (see BusinessWeek.com, 11/15/06, "America's Best Young Entrepreneurs").

Gotta Serve Somebody

A broader application for sit-down restaurants could be an in-between step—a small signaling device a diner could press to signal for a refill or the check. That would be a value-added alternative that would actually improve the dining experience, Knapp says.

Indeed, instant gratification was the highlight of the experience for many uWink diners. "I pressed refill on the screen and it came 30 seconds later," says Nicole Mohr, a 23-year-old from Simi Valley, Calif., who visited uWink with her husband. "I don't think the games helped us interact, but it was nice to have something to do while you're waiting." And Bushnell says he has also seen an increase in "second guess" ordering at uWink, with diners ordering more appetizers, sides, and drinks in the middle of the meal.

But not everyone is ready to give up on traditional table service quite yet. "The day I stop going to restaurants with a waiter or waitress is the day I stop going to restaurants," says Mathew Baxt, a 34-year-old from Woodland Hills, Calif., who visited uWink with his wife and two kids. "There's a reason why the automat is out of business."

Miller is a New York-based staff writer covering startups and small business. Miller is a graduate of Brown University.