It's about time the whole restaurant menu/payment ritual was streamlined. To the rescue comes EPOS-lite, a design concept for a tablet that serves as both a menu and wireless payment device. It even wirelessly recharges itself as you place it on the tabletop.
While it's not clear exactly how this works, the best scenario would be to give each diner an EPOS-lite, they select their meals from the menu, and then their choices are displayed on a screen in front of the chef. When dinner's done, each person can enter payment info, just like buying something online. No more strangers carrying your credit card back and forth in that goofy payment ritual that takes your credit card out of your sight with its number ending up who-knows-where.
A touchscreen might get a bit smudged at a rib restaurant, but that could be worked out with voice recognition. Imagine bypassing wait staff altogether, being served by robots (or a gravity-powered rail system), and then paying online. It would be downright revolutionary.
Behance, via Gizmo Watch
editor@dvice.com
By bubbagump at 4:28 PM ON 09/26/08
I'd LOVE to have something automated in the drive-through that eliminates the wrong food in my bag. (that I find when I'm 15 miles away!!)
By wolper at 4:53 PM ON 09/26/08
But who would touch my eggs?
By Space Ninja at 5:12 PM ON 09/26/08
Great, now I won't have to give those snobby waitresses the tips they think they deserve :P
By budgethero at 6:11 PM ON 09/26/08
while yes this would be nice as a menu and payment method (for people who always use credit), i wouldnt want to take away anything from the wait staff. seeing the waiter/tress less would make restaurants less warm and boring. no waiter/tress would make the experience cold and disconnected. yes u get the cranky person sometime but that depends on the person.
By Allport at 4:57 AM ON 10/02/08
The designer also has a website - www.allportdesign.co.uk...