Johnny Rockets Is the Latest Chain to Attempt to Replace Servers With Tablets

Johnny Rockets is the latest restaurant to announce plans to use tablet technology. According to Nation's Restaurant News, the retro-themed diner chain/fledgling lifestyle brand will debut tabletop touchscreen tablets at the end of this month "in an attempt to speed up service." Within six to eight months, the technology will be available at its 200 locations nationwide. Eventually, the tablets will be available at all of its locations across the globe. Johnny Rockets has been testing the technology at a location in Santa Monica, Calif. for the past three months.

Diners will be able to use the technology to to pay for their check without having to wait for the server to bring their bill to them. They will also be able to use the tablets to order their meals and to play games for around 25 cents per game. The tablets will also replace the chain's "signature jukebox": Customers can pay about 49 cents to add a song to the restaurant's playlist or they can put in a free vote to play a song in the queue.

Overall, Johnny Rockets says tests show that using tablets improved table-turn times by 11 percent. Other eateries have seen tablets cut down turn times by an average of five minutes. Chili's has also embraced the technology and has installed Ziosk tablets in many of its locations. It hopes to have tablets in most of it locations in the Fall. Other chains including Applebee's and IHOP also have plans to integrate tablets into service.