E la Carte Menu/Ordering Device Signals the End of Waiters

Forget about fragile and pricey iPad menus: E la Carte is a new mass-market service that gives restaurants a durable, rubber-coated tablet menu with a day-long battery life. Oh, and it also allows diners to customize and place orders, split the check, calculate tips, and pay for the meal via credit card. It even has games for you to play while you wait for your food!

Don't worry, real live humans will still run your food and refill your drink. What, who did you think the tip was for? Robot servers?

And they might be everywhere soon: it's currently being tested in "20 restaurants, mostly in SF and Boston," and the company will be announcing a deal with a major national chain soon, rumored to be Applebee's. Welcome to the future.

· E la Carte: Table-Top Computers Bring Restaurants To The Future [TechCrunch]
· Table for Two and a Tablet, Please [GigaOm]
[Photo: E la Carte]