WaitersWorld - Paul C. Paz

Tablet Tableside Service Tech

Thoughts on the impact on Guests and Servers?

In my dining experience the past several years, too often the server is more focused on the handheld device rather than the Guests. It becomes 75% a transactional engagement, rather than a personalized hospitality experience.

This is especially important given the rise in pricing. If the meal is 25-50% more expensive than five years ago, consumers are expecting an equal elevation of the personalized dining experience.

There have been some staff who have become very efficient with the tableside technology. They have overcome the technical challenge and distraction and are able to deliver the, "old school", genuine hospitality. (For me it is odd to refer to hospitality as "old school". I don't recall diners expecting anything less before or now.)

There have always been servers whose primary interest is making as much money (gratuities) as fast and easy as possible with minimal delivery of full-service dining hospitality. This query is not direct to them.

Would be interested in your thoughts.

How long does it take for one to become proficient with tableside tech?

What recommendations might you have in how to train staff on tableside tech?

Pros of the tableside tech?

Cons of tableside tech?

Looking forward to useful and constructive critique of Tableside Tech.

https://www.newsweek.com/texas-roadhouse-ceo-servers-tablets-11932045
🍽️🍽️🍽️

Texas Roadhouse CEO signals table service change “Handhelds may speed things up when placing and sending orders,” the popular restaurant's boss told a recent earnings call.

Restaurant Employee Demographics
Data Brief – March 2026
The restaurant and foodservice industry is the nation’s second largest private sector employer, providing
15.7 million jobs – or 10% of the total U.S. workforce. This includes 12.5 million jobs at eating and drinking
places, plus an estimated 3.2 million foodservice jobs in other sectors such as healthcare,
accommodations, education, food-and-beverage stores, and arts, entertainment and recreation.
Based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, this National Restaurant
Association Data Brief contains an overview of restaurant employee demographics in 2024.

https://restaurant.org/getmedia/e4cac6f8-dfa6-43c3-97a3-3d6fba13ef0f/NRA-Data-Brief-Restaurant-Employee-Demographics-March-2026.pdf?mkt_tok=MDc4LVpMQS00NjEAAAGg8qFHt0FRKvdISnaFvnNBUoQoSglRgo_QWzUtEl8b_pIEGyDgPXXeo6fs_2rMiXndRWKDV8nGKvI-cPRWMiuGlgHnNSgjt2TBWWJO4eZ8IEQz