Contactless Dining: Exploring the Intersection of Hospitality and Technology

One year ago we walked into a Cambridge, Massachusetts restaurant for the first day of field research.  Our palms were  sweaty from the excitement and anxiety. We were greeted by the manager of the restaurant and shared with him the concept of contactless dining, an experience where dine-in guests can view menus, order, and pay directly from their mobile phones.

A second of silence passed before the manager’s response:

”You mean people will use their phones at the table? People come here to get away from technology, not use it.”

Rejection is always expected when new ideas are shared, but when we looked around the restaurant we saw most guests on their phones– taking pictures of their food, splitting checks through Venmo, sharing on social media. Those not on their phones, had them visibly on the table. The scene inside this particular restaurant completely contradicted what the restaurant manager told us, and represents a larger disconnect between guests and restaurants.

A…