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As if Buffalo Wild Wings wasn’t already great enough, the popular sports bar is now testing iPads as on-table ordering systems for its restaurants, giving customers the ability to choose their meals and pay for them without having to wait.
Image Composite by Joe Aimonetti
The iPads are being tested in Toronto and soon Minneapolis. Apple’s tablet is encased in a rugged Hubworks case and can be used for more than just ordering your food. Facebook, Twitter, and interactive games are all part of the experience.
Tim Murphy, director of international business for Buffalo Wild Wings, told Computer World, “Ultimately, we are trying to use the technology to enhance the customer experience. People are familiar with iPads, iPhones, and Android tablets, so this would enhance that.”
B-Double-Dubs (as it is affectionately known by my brothers and I) has yet to decide on whether to use the iPads as purely entertainment devices as well as ordering consoles, but has tossed around the idea of licensing popular iOS games and offering paid advertising space on the devices.
Though the device could be seen as a replacement for waitstaff, Murphy doesn’t expect that to happen. Instead, he thinks the iPads would free up waiters and waitresses to handle customer service issues and interact more with customers to help promote food and drinks.
The Hubworks cases come with a credit card reader and extended battery life capabilities, all wrapped around an 8GB iPad for around $750. Hubworks also produces point-of-sale software and licenses it alongside the cases.
Murphy explained that while in larger groups, men typically stayed glued to the game of choice, women would pick up the iPad and launch Facebook or other social apps. With an audience that has already proven to produce good sales volume, Murphy thinks the iPad would increase the social connectivity of Buffalo Wild Wings, offering yet another revenue stream.
Would you want to use an iPad to order your wings and drinks at Buffalo Wild Wings (or your favorite bar)? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
