Hungry? Thirsty? We have the technology!

Smart devices have replaced much of the drudgework that used to be part of restauranting. This assumes, of course, that the restaurateur has the wisdom to adapt to changes in the marketplace. Case in point: A couple of weeks ago, I had my order taken by an iPad-wielding server communicating wirelessly with the inner sanctum of the kitchen. She moved smoothly from table to table, never once having to scamper into a dark corner to enter her orders into a central computer system. I guess I’m just too old to take this stuff for granted, and the time and effort these devices save can be enormous. 

Speaking of old, I still smile when I call for pizza delivery and the person on the other end of the line immediately knows my address, what (and when) I last ordered, and maybe even my credit card number, next of kin and waist size. It’s like “1984” … but with pepperoni. 

Cooking equipment also keeps pace with the technology. A prime example is the leading-edge induction cooktops at Hari Cameron’s Grandpa(MAC) on Coastal Highway. The cooking surface remains mysteriously cool as the cheese bubbles happily in the stockpots. Magnets! Not just for your refrigerator any more. Gary Chorman at Millman’s Appliances in Lewes showed me a cooktop with an integral screen on which the home cook can display cooking lessons with a real chef. I wonder if it can show old Julia Child broadcasts? 

When it comes to customer interface in restaurants, POS (point-of-sale) systems have for years been tracking orders, controlling inventory, handling employee hours and even ordering supplies. Technologies such as caller ID, online shopping cart systems and customer preference tracking have merged with modern software to allow restaurants to blend the ordering process with cellphones, landlines, texts and even faxes (remember them?). In fact, recent trends have brought about order kiosks or table-mounted iPads that eliminate the order taker entirely. 

A number of restaurants in the Cape Region streamline their phone/delivery orders with software. If you’ve ever ordered delivery from Grotto, Pete’s Steak Shop or Papa John’s, for example, you’ve been on the receiving end of that technology. Deliveroso uses a system that recognizes you automatically, knows how close you are to certain restaurants, and prompts the delivery person to keep you informed as your food moves toward you. One of the more impressive systems I’ve seen has been implemented by Adam Newman at Rehoboth Ale House. In addition to upgrading the POS system in general, Adam can receive mobile-based orders. Sunbathers can access the restaurant’s menu from their smartphones, order with a simple tap of the finger, then enter their payment information. The orders appear in the kitchen as if they had been entered by servers, so nothing is missed and carryout containers can be double checked. 

Leave it to technology to make beer drinking even more convenient. Newman invested in software that keeps Rehoboth Ale House craft beer fans informed about what’s available - and what’s not - at any given moment. And you can see it in real time from your phone, computer or on a big screen in the restaurant. Many craft breweries are small and can’t provide unlimited kegs to their distributors. So, in some cases, when your favorite boutique brew is gone, it’s gone. Digital Pour software tracks the sale of each pint of beer and extrapolates that information to the quantity of liquid remaining in each keg. It then converts that information into a graphic interface that shows little multicolored kegs in various stages of emptiness. Restaurants that use all the features of the software can promote new additions to the beer menu and even allow users to post their favorites. 

Adam told me a funny story about a couple who logged on to the system from home, saw that their favorite brew was available, and drove to the Rehoboth Ale House only to find that, in the interim, the keg had been emptied by fellow beer aficionados. I was braced for stories of a tirade when I asked him how the customer reacted. “Oh, they just ordered another brand,” he smiled. Beer drinkers. Y’gotta love ‘em. 

So whether it’s keeping track of the liquid/fume ratio of your favorite craft keg, knowing where to dispatch your pizza, heating pots and pans with magnets, kibitzing with virtual chefs, or tracking gift cards and frequent diner cards, smart restaurateurs (and home cooks) know that technology can make this business of eating more fun than it already is.