Technology
Pay phones: Mobile payments wake up and smell the coffee
Mobile payments have been high on the list of "next big things" in technology for quite awhile, but it’s only recently the market has started to heat up. Mobile payments promise convenience and speed for consumers, while lowering costs and generating more customer data for businesses.
Technology
Root taps beer blogger for pairing partnership
When a New Orleans journalist reached out to an enthusiastic beer blogger and a trend-bucking restaurant owner for an article on restaurants offering better beers, little did he know he’d be playing matchmaker.
In April, T.G.I. Friday's released its own mobile payment app. While many foodservice operations have embraced mobile apps for location services, coupon offers or linking into reward programs, proprietary mobile payment apps are still somewhat unchartered territory. In the quick serve arena, Dunkin Donuts just released its own mobile payment system, and Starbucks partnered with Square for its system.
It’s not quite an avalanche, but iPad point of sale software is unfurling out into the marketplace at a heightened pace. Touting wireless connectivity, anywhere, anytime access and quick response to menu and room changes, the field is crowded with options, as newcomers to the market, like Lavu and Breadcrumb, join more established POS vendors like Micros, Revel Systems and Aloha.