London Restaurant Goes High-Tech

Why is it that every time I think of a ground-breaking idea or invention, the next week I find out that it’s already been put into play. After years and years of experience with messed up orders, uncourteous wait staffs and debates over how to split the tip, I’d had enough and thought about integrating a touch-screen table from which you can order food at a restaurant.

Eight days later I find this. Inamo Restaurant in Soho, London has stolen this million-dollar idea from me, using a projector to display a menu of options on the table and a touch pad to navigate them. That’s idea plagiarism in my book. After the diner’s order is selected, a computer communicates it to a central server, which then delivers a print-out of the order to the kitchen, all done via Bluetooth. The diner’s table gives pictures of the meal, prices and even offers non-food-related options like ambiance (peaceful images that are projected onto the table) and a chef cam to spy on your food while it’s being made.

Social media is being added soon. Speaking of which, I now understand how the Winklevoss tiwns from The Social Network feel…robbed. After you’re done with your meal and dessert, leaving is just a matter of scrolling to the bill button. I don’t know what was more impressive, the table or the six dollar seafood.