Order your meal from your phone in dining revolution

ORDERING your meal from an tablet device embedded in the table was once the preserve of a few trendy London restaurants.

But while such gimmicks were once hailed solely for their novelty factor, the Covid-19 pandemic is forcing shops and restaurants to embrace technology in ways they had not previously considered, with apps to show which stores are busy and online menus to reduce the need for contact with staff.

The hospitality and retail industries are working to devise new ways of operating, with experts suggesting that a meal in a restaurant might be more akin to ordering a takeaway.

Meanwhile, popping to a shop might require logging on to an app to see how many people are inside. Paul Martin, head of retail at KPMG, said the crisis would rapidly accelerate the adoption of new technology due to sheer necessity.

“Social distancing is here to stay,” he said. “The core principle is, how do you avoid as much contact as possible? Technology will very much come to the fore.”

He said countries such as China, South Korea and Singapore were already adopting apps that recorded footfall using infrared sensors.

In restaurants, diners are ordering on an app, picking up their food and taking it to their own tables.

Crave Interactive, a British company whose software is used for room service in luxury hotels, has said its technology could be used in pubs and restaurants, allowing diners to scan a QR code on arrival, then be directed to their table via their phone.

They would be able to order and pay on their phone, and be alerted to collect their food when it was ready.