To not want to order via an app in a restaurant!

[TeaAndBrie]

Visited a restaurant for brunch today, it wasn’t super fancy but £12 for eggs Benedict to give an idea of price.
we were told to sit anywhere that’s free and then use the QR code on the table to see the menu and order. I must’ve pulled a face as she said she would get a paper menu and that we could order at the counter.
surely part of eating out if the experience and the service and this is all part of what you pay for?

I agree. I love it. Order what I want pay for my own not have to try and get the servers attention.

I’d always use the app given the choice

As long as im not cooking the food i dont give a toss about how i order, in fact i much prefer a qr code. I cant understand why youd want someone taking your order unless you enjoy small talk or are an awkward customer who needs to edit any meal they order.
Ive never had an issue with it, once my signal was a bit dodgy but they gave me the wifi password, problem solved!

Can't imagine having strong feelings about this. It's not inherently better or worse.

Plus side is being able to order and get the bill without having to spend 20 minutes trying to catch someone's eye.

Minus side is if the app is shonky in any way. If this was the case I can choose not to go back.

It's never occurred to me that "service" is an all-important part of the experience - the only thing I care about in a restaurant is the quality of the food. A good proportion of MN does get off on the idea of being served by staff, who are beneath them, though.

I much prefer ordering via the app. However, I was out with a friend with a dairy allergy and she couldn't order as she had to make changes to the meal. It's a pain in the arse then.

In general, if you have no dietary requirements or allergies, ordering via app is much easier. Nothing worse than trying to get someone's attention to order, pay, get a drink etc. It makes the dining experience much more pleasant.

Apparently not going by the comments 😂

I much prefer it. Quicker, easier, I can do it my own way and know it’s right. Don’t have to wait around for staff and can pay there and then so can just leave when we’re done.

Wish all restaurants would do it.

Agree totally. Plus quite often I might want to ask a question about the food.

I don’t mind it. It’s definitely better when you’re in a group, or a hurry. It’s definitely better than having an irritating 20-something asking if you’ve eaten there before and then wanting your undivided attention for ten minutes while they explain the dining concept. It would probably detract from the sense of occasion if you were somewhere expensive though, I agree with that.

App ordering doesn’t stop that Just ask a waiter/waitress as they pass you.

Agree.

At least, I know when I order via app, I don’t have to go through the faff, can see exactly what I ordered, pay, and head out when I’m finished. Plus, if there are any mistakes, it’s likely on my end.

Personally I like having the option of the QR ordering. Saves trying to get the waiters attention for the bill at the end when you just want to leave. Also great fir sticking to a budget as you can see your bill from the off. You can still get good service even when using the apps

I agree OP. I've actually left probably 3 restaurants now over the past 9 months where you need to use an app to order. It's so exclusionary and it's so cold.

I hate it especially if I’m with whole family and I have to essentially do the waiter’s job asking everyone what they want, read it off a tiny menu that doesn’t quite match the paper one and then key it all in. Then sometimes after you’ve done all that which takes a good 10 minutes at least, the flipping site crashes or signal disappears. So much easier and nicer with a human being so that you can chat while you wait rather than sorting out the whole order!

It’s typical of the digital world we live in today. People are losing social skills and prefer the anonymity of an app than having to speak to an actual person. Same as speaking on the phone. Some people seem reluctant or even nervous at the thought of it, preferring to text or email.

You didn't order by an app though did you? So on that basis YABU. I haven't been anywhere post pandemic where they have this and it isn't optional (ie you have to use it). Everywhere it is an option. I'm guessing because they set it up for the pandemic and some people prefer it.

Went to a local café today. The server said "I'll bring it to you outside, and you want an ashtray don't you. Have you got your newspaper?" Because she knows me, my bad habits and how I spend my café time 😍

In less familiar situations I like the fact that a human being has a paid job, I enjoy the human interaction and being 'hosted', and it's nice to be able to ask for details and/or adjustments.

Machines are just "Give us your money and we'll spew out some standard fare. Fuck off. Enjoy your meal!"

This is all part of the agenda to phase out cash and the AI takeover, there’s already robots serving food at some venues. We all need to avoid these places as the future looks very grim if we don’t stand up to it.

I hate it too. I often don't even take my phone to restaurants on principle to avoid being antisocial at the table.

I also avoid self-service tills unless I have, like, one item that isn't reduced or likely to be age checked.

I agree I hate it too !

I hate it, too much fucking about on a phone, far too little time spent talking to the people you're with. Restaurants should be a social, digital detox kinda space.

but strip away ALL those opportunities for small moments of connection and added together, it makes for an even more atomised society than we already have. If anything, we need more, not fewer opportunities for social connection

THIS

We are social animals. We need human connection. And people need jobs!

As someone with unusual
allergies, I specifically give my business to restaurants that use well-designed apps for ordering. I find order mistakes much less
frequent with this system.

the typical system where I tell the server and then hope the server accurately enters it into the system often results in food I can’t eat

now some apps are awful and can only handle the officially recognized allergens. I skip those businesses.

Signing up and all that faffing to order a latte from an indie cafe in a town you’ll never visit again. No ! I’ll go to Costa.

I can understand the cogent arguments in favour from those PPs on the spectrum or with social anxiety though. I also thought that the budget argument was compelling. And in groups, it stops the “let’s split the bill- £25 each ok” awkwardness when one person in the party has had one course and a lemonade and has a strict budget of £15.

You could have just politely made your point with a smile, there was no need to pull a face at the staff as it's rude.

What happens if someone doesn't have a smartphone? (Like my mum). Or who doesn't have the GB to put all these bloody restaurant apps on their phone? Mine is in need of replacement and laggy and constantly running out of GB. I don't want to be faffing about putting apps on, deleting other content, then selecting food off an app is nowhere near as nice as looking at a paper menu. Sounds like it's taking all the joy out of eating out.