Tablet War Extends to Restaurant Industry

The battle of the tablets is now on the menu. Industry giant Apple is going head to head with the fairly new company E la Carte for a share of the lucrative restaurant tablet market. E la Carte has already raised over $1 million from prominent investors like Y Combinator, Dave McClure аnԁ SV Angel. E la Carte tablets let customers browse a full menu and communicate their orders directly to the kitchen. They come loaded with social games and a calculator for check splits and tips. Customers can email themselves a receipt or instantly sign up for a loyalty club. In high-end restaurants, the tablet can even suggest an appropriate wine pairing for a meal. Unlike the iPad, E la Carte tablets have a full-day battery life and credit card reader. E la Carte tablets sit comfortably and naturally on tables and are more durable than the iPad as they have been ruggedized for restaurant use. On the other hand, Apple asks users to download the app Storific, posing a problem since not everyone carries a smartphone; and even those who do may not want to pause and download an app as they sit down to lunch. By now you should be able to guess who is leading the race. Well, if you are having a, uh, slow day, it’s not Apple; at least not in this aspect of the tablet war. Why this sudden interest in providing every table with its own touch-screen tablet? For starters, people buy more food when they can do so instantly, without waiting for service. In the six restaurants that ran a pilot scheme, according to CEO Rajat Suri, customers at E la Carte tables spent 10% to 12% more than those at other tables. According to mashable.com, “The Company will soon be launching tablets in 20 restaurants on the West coast. It also has a partnership with a large restaurant chain in the pipeline that hasn’t been announced yet — but the fact that Applebee’s executives participated in the funding round might provide a hint.” Another important detail about the E la Carte tablet that gives it an edge on Apples iPad is that it costs a whole lot less. So Apple’s strongest selling point - ‘the apps’ – won’t help them to win this race!