In today’s ordering process, tablets, Bluetooth printers, apps and other advances spell efficiency. But we’ve only scratched the surface on the capabilities. What might ordering look like in a few years?
1. Guests place takeout orders on mobile ordering apps that use geolocators to find the nearest store; in-app customization tools flag nutritional and allergy concerns.
2. To complete their orders, guests won’t have to plug in credit-card numbers, instead using mobile wallets to pay.
3.Beacons track the diner’s whereabouts via mobile device and alert the kitchen to start prepping when the guest is a mile away.
4. In the kitchen, software calculates the prep time for each element of the meal and displays instructions on kitchen screens at different times to complete whole orders simultaneously.
5. When they arrive, takeout guests skip the line and scan a QR code that signals virtual pager, alerting staff to the waiting guest’s in-store location [using GPS?]; food is delivered to the table.
Up next? One day, who knows, maybe drones will use geolocation to air-drop preordered meals at diners’ doors when they’re hungry.
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