Tablet Ordering Hasn't Quite Screwed Over Waiters Yet

Good news, servers of America! Not only have you not yet been replaced by robots, but computers may have conspired to help you make more money by manipulating cheapskate diners. TechCrunch checks in on tablet ordering device E la Carte — long rumored to signal the end of waiters — and discovers that, hey, humans seem to be less jerky about tips when using tablets:

"You would think that with tablets doing much of the wait staff’s job for them, there would be a decrease in tips ... But, paradoxically, the opposite has proved true so far. Tips are up. This is mainly because restaurant owners can customize the tablet with suggested tip options which can be selected at the touch of a button. And it’s easier to push a button than figure out how to stiff your waiter."

This particular tablet is now available in more than 600 restaurants, with about 20,000 tablets in 20 U.S. states.

· One Year Post-Launch, E La Carte Has Put 20,000 Of Its Tablets In 600 Restaurants Worldwide [TechCrunch]
· All Technology Coverage on Eater [-E-]

[Photo: E la Carte]