[gspencley]

I don't mind restaurants that have tablets on the table in place of paper menus. There is a sushi restaurant in my city that does this and I love it. This avoids the same problems you're talking about, with servers coming to check on you etc.

Where I have an issue is when the restaurants expects me to have my own device, to install their app, or even just jump through hoops (scanning a QR code) etc.

I'm not attached to my cell phone. I often like to leave it at home. And I'm sure as hell not going to install a restaurant's app on my device.

Another thing the tablet does better is just better UX. My phone screen is tiny and my old man eyes are poor. A tablet is often much easier to read and use.

[slipperlobster]

I've only seen QR code -> PDF menu (and one where it was QR code -> web interface to order food/drinks). I agree with you re: app, but I think it's completely reasonable in 2023 to expect the general public to carry their mobile phones around with them.

[gspencley]

> I think it's completely reasonable in 2023 to expect the general public to carry their mobile phones around with them.

I have to respectfully disagree with you on that one. Phones get lost, stolen, damaged, compromised, forgotten and batteries die or get low enough to not want to drain what's left reading a menu when paper menus have existed for trillions of years and didn't need fixing.

Many families also have a "no devices at the dinner table" policy and so it's annoying for the restaurant to undermine that.

So no. I don't think it's reasonable to expect me to use MY phone when I'm in person at your establishment.

The market will ultimately decide, however. I know I'm the grumpy old guy that hates tech despite being a software engineer.

[crazygringo]

I think it's completely reasonable to expect that 90+% of your customers have working phones with them.

Obviously batteries die so restaurants always have a backup solution, which sounds like the one you'll use.

Everybody's happy.