I’ve been successful in ignoring them since they appeared, yesterday I was badgered into using it by our server (the manager says we have to, we get points for getting customers to use it, I have a 12 top over there, I’m so busy") that I caved.
Are these secure, or at least as secure as I might expect these days? Wireless, able to be moved possibly from table to table? I fret.
I have never seen what you’re talking about. Can you give a picture of these things?
Are you talking about the electronic payment device they bring to your table? Why would it be any more or less secure than any other such terminal you use, like at the Walmart or gas station? Why would one be secure and not the other?
Are you talking about a handheld wireless POS terminal? Those are ubiquitous in Canada and it never occurred to me to be worried about them.
https://www.elavon.ca/point-of-sale-products/wireless-pos-solutions
I use one at Red Robin all the time. Never had a problem, other than when it runs out of paper and can’t print a receipt. But I usually have it email one to me anyway.
They’re talking about certain chain restaurants where there’s an annoying device cluttering up every single table. You’re supposed to use them for ordering, paying, summoning your waitperson, etc.
I imagine that such restaurants are trying to eliminate staff to control costs, but I find that they make the experience bad enough that I just don’t go to them anymore. I’m not a millennial, but these are typically the restaurants that blame the millennials for killing them.
I find them no less secure than the waitperson scurrying off to …somewhere… with my card in hand.
They are convenient machines because I don’t need to wait for the server to come to my table in order to pay and go. Without the device that operation is often a lengthy three-step process: 1. “Could you please bring the check?”…server leaves for possibly a long time. 2. “Here you go, I’ll pick it up when you are ready” …server leaves for possibly a long time. 3. “I’ll run that for you” …server leaves for possibly a long time.
The little kiosk thing short-circuits all of that.
This.
For those not familiar, these are popular in big box chain restaurants, they’re a bit more involved than just a normal POS device. You actually order your food through them, you play games while you wait, then you pay when you’re ready. Restaurants love them because you can order extra food as soon as the mood strikes rather than waiting to flag down a waiter, they tend to result in more sales and (as I understand it) increased tips.
To the OP, I’d echo **minor7flat5 **that it’s more secure than handing your credit card off to someone who can go skim it without your knowledge, which is a frequent form of credit card theft. Plus, if you’re using a chip terminal you can rest assured in the security – the machine can’t access the chip without getting a code over the internet from the CC company, so there’s no way a skimmer/fake can access it at that point, and it’s all encrypted so there’s no fear there.
In short, it’s much better than the old way.
Outback steakhouse has these on every table and I just started moving the thing off the table. It was one but not the only reason we stopped going there. IIRC, the little tablet had games to keep kids occupied. Last thing I want to do in a restaurant is to touch something some little kid had his grubby hands on. Irrational, I know, but once it was in my mind it stuck.
I would be inclined to give a smaller tip since the waitperson did less for me than usual.
A smaller percentage on a larger bill might still work out for the waitperson, though. Also, a lot of people still tip 15%, I don’t think that’s even an option on these (you can always punch in your own tip amount but you can also select one of the options). Anyway, the cites I’ve seen come from the company’s own data, so take it with a grain of salt I guess.
My sushi restaurant uses a system where I order 1 plate at a time of take them off of a rotating bar that goes past my table. When I finish I simply pay and leave. I like it.
I have no problem using them or an app on my phone. As mentioned above, I hate the wait to get the check, the quick glance to make sure the check is correct, and then having an unknown person walk off with my card.
I find it odd to be worried about germs on the device, the same grubby hands were also on the condiment bottles and the salt/pepper.
The day I never have to give my card to restaurant server/bartender will be one I’ll rejoice! The USA is so far behind the rest of the developed world.
I object to the continuously streaming ads and the pay-to-play video games, not the ability to pay at the table. I don’t eat at the restaurants that have these too often, but my experience in the last 6 months has been one of a few things: the staff completely ignores them; they don’t work and the staff has to run my card manually anyway; or they sort of work, but I have to check with the staff to make sure I paid because there isn’t good feedback from the device.
I’m less worried about fraud through the tabletop tablets- I don’t doubt they have encryption, etc… than I am about whatever sketchy restaurant staff may look at/copy my card in the back.
What annoys me is the video game stuff- my children flip out like it’s a personal arcade and start whacking at it trying to get it to do stuff and play the games- it always sets up a fight with them about why they can’t play games on it. I wish they’d just include that stuff, but not necessarily show it at the table. Other than that, they’re pretty convenient- once you have your food, you can pay up, and then just leave. Plus they let you apply whatever rewards program stuff there is right there; none of this “go scan your receipt, and present this coupon to your server on your next visit” stuff- you just log in and there’s what you’re eligible to use right there.
(for those who don’t know what these things look like:
http://hungrymaneats.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/IMG_0517.jpg
They’ve been ubiquitous at the Chili’s restaurants in the DFW area for a few years now.)
I’ve only seen them at Red Robin and maybe Uno’s Pizzeria, but I absolutely love them for the reasons cited above. Especially not having to wait for the check.
Hmm. I never wanted to use them, just from resistance to new things most likely. They immediately turned me off because they’re so demanding of my attention, like a TV on your table. (I don’t even like TVs at bars and restaurants at all. I know I’m in the minority.*) I usually just put them on an empty chair or the floor so I can’t see it or have to talk around it.
I’ll reconsider them next time, though. Last time I was at a restaurant with one, we ordered something from the waitron and she merely punched it into the machine herself. Well, hell, I guess I could’ve done that myself, right? I’m still getting it out of my sight when I don’t need it, though.
*(Related rant: What really burns my bacon are gas stations with a TV monitor on the pump. Not just ads, but some random TV station playing on it. I can go for more than ten minutes without a television in my face, ya know. What do they expect us to do? Buy more gas so we can finish the program?)
They’re useful if you want to be able to split the check between people at the table (since it lets you select which items are on each person’s bill), and, as noted above, if you don’t want to wait for the server to take your card(s), process them, and come back.
Also, the brand name for most of the ones that you see is Ziosk. (I’ve had several casual dining restaurants as clients, which is why I have that bit of info lodged in my head.)
Thanks for that. For those who haven’t encountered them yet, here’s the list of chains that they service, according to their website:
[ul]
[li]Abuelo’s[/li][li]Applebee’s[/li][li]Chili’s[/li][li]Friendly’s[/li][li]Olive Garden[/li][li]On the Border[/li][li]Outback[/li][li]Red Robin[/li][li]Smokey Bones[/li][li]Uno Pizzeria[/li][/ul]