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  Q1: What do you think our main problem with our idea is? (3 pieces of advice)

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  by mountainmann 

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  11.21.08 | 09:02 PM

  I think that servers know the food really well and can usually anticipate problems ahead of time that computers can't. Also customers in restaurants are picky and weird and sometimes ****. I imagine they will mess up their own orders more than a server messes it up. You may need a concierge to be available to answer all questions and address all problems.

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  by ripley117 

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  11.20.08 | 05:42 PM

  The last link I gave in the previous example had three main point to think about if you are deciding to go into business for yourself with your idea or to sell it
  they are:
  Your goals
  Your available resources
  Your tolerance for risk and expectation for rewards
  As you think about this start to think about what separates your business from everyone else and what you would need for its originality to be justified.
  Your business concept is fairly new and although a few businesses like sonic have done it in the past, having an entire business plan run around this concept is quite new. So it will take some convincing.
  I think another problem that could arise is the overall reaction time you will have with people. This will be cut down tramendouiusly because of the nature of your business. Not to s ay its a bad thing but it will be lower.
  I would say also there is always a larger chance of technology breaking over people so that brings cause for certain if your computer system crashes and you don't have enough staff to take orders.

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  by dmalby 

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  09.19.08 | 06:56 PM

  I like this idea!!! My only concern is crudded up food on the touchscreen!

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  Q2: Do you think restaurants will be willing to purchase our idea? (5 pieces of advice)

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  by pacificsailer 

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  11.30.08 | 07:42 PM

  There is a great deal of research you can do into this question. The Japanese who are famous the world over for their love of technology and automata (even to the point of using "high tech" toilets in upscale restaurants) seem to be digging your idea:
  
  http://www.cscoutjapan.com/en/index.php/deli-touch-automated-ordering-system/
  
  You might consider selling to restaurants in Japan. How's your Japanese (doesn't matter... they speak English)? You might also research the world's first fully automated restaurant, which opened last year in Germany. They've taken your idea to the next level- even the service is automated:
  
  http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,501086,00.html
  
  Guten Appetit!

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  by mountainmann 

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  11.21.08 | 09:01 PM

  I think some will be willing to try it. Once you prove it works and is efficient you will be able to sell more of them.

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  by ripley117 

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  11.20.08 | 05:35 PM

  As I said, focus on forming your initial business idea and implementing it into action so you are out in the public eye for a few years. Who knows, you may get to a point where there is some franchising opportunity. After the success of a few stores in a target market and possible after you get the attention of some big hitting businesses, then you could start thinking about either franchising or licensing. However, although doing would increase your profits your original selling feature would be lost in the process.
  In fact the only thing you would probably have left to claim is that you were the first and the best at your idea other than that I really would see what could separate your business from the rest of the pack.
  However, if you are interested in licensing here are a few links that might help you out in your endeavor.
  
  http://www.coollawyer.com/webfront/internet_law_library/articles/0,4621,309132,00.php
  READ THIS!!!!!
  http://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/inventing/inventionscolumnisttamaramonosoff/article81596.html
  

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  by elDuse2543 

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  11.17.08 | 09:58 PM

  Very cool idea. I see two very different types of restaurants getting on board. One would be the Chili's/Applebee's Bar-and-grill chains. The other would be high-class/trendy restaurants in big cities.

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  by mfheadcase 

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  09.26.08 | 08:10 PM

  I think it depends on how you package it. If you have people who can do fabrication as well as UI design make a few prototypes based initially on this :http://www.popsci.com/diy/article/2007-01/wall-mounted-pc (posted in the other advice too) with different cases in multiple styles, and put a customised UI on the screen matching each style. Make one like a retro 50's table side jukebox controller, for the 50's style diner with a ui based on jukebox controls (maybe even tied into a musical DB with licensed music giving it jukebox functionality) then Do one up in battered metal for goth and industrial themed bars and clubs and at least one in a simple modern design. Als build a server for them to tie into and one or two back room notification systems. (these can be unmodded except for software)
  
  You can use wireless for the tech demos... but i strongly suggest going wired only for installed systems as it makes interception of payment info more difficult.
  
  You or a decent coder working with you should be able to whomp up the interface in linux by combining already av…moreailable tools, including a point of sale system that is free and open source... else you will either need to pay licensing fees or come up with something from scratch.
  
  What i describe is NOT the tablet you are looking for, but with the price of a table vs the price of a laptop with equivalent power this is much cheaper than anything bt compromising and going with PDA's. What i am suggesting will need to be wall or table mounted, perhaps on a swivel or swing arm, but should be able to be made accessible to everyone at the table, if not all at once.
  
  And more on the topic of q3... opening a restaurant would provide you with a test bed and proof of concept for the technology... if it works at your restaurant, it will be easier to convince potential buyers that it will work in theirs

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  Q3: Do you think it would be better to open our own restaurant with this technology? (3 pieces of advice)

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  by pacificsailer 

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  11.30.08 | 07:34 PM

  No. Though restaurant failure rates are often exaggerated, even this BusinessWeek article which points out that they are inflated for rhetorical effect, says that the actual figure is 60% within three years:
  
  http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/apr2007/sb20070416_296932.htm
  
  By opening a restaurant with this new service/technology, you will be starting a venture with two different competencies and potentially two different sets of cashflows and marginal returns. If either one fails, it could take the other down with it. This also makes it complicated and difficult to track results and measure success.
  
  It would be better to take an already tried and true business model for a restaurant and add to it your business model by selling them your product/service. This way you are not "reinventing the wheel" or dealing with two separate business models, one or both of which might be new to you.

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  by mountainmann 

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  11.21.08 | 09:00 PM

  No. You should try to sell this technology to restaurants. Maybe tell them to offer some tables that work this way, like the grocery store has some self checkout lines. The problem with opening your own restaurant is that most fail within the first two years for a variety of reasons. Your technology may be conceived as not working if your restaurant fails even if it failed for other reasons.

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  by ripley117 

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  11.20.08 | 05:29 PM

  Yes I do and I'll tell you why. Helping other businesses inprove the way they handle and can serve customer is good but having your own business and developing your own brand would be so much better in the long run for your service idea and product. Think about it , you sell the technology to multiple businesses and make a good amount of money on licensing. But then what's to stop another company like your own from coming out with their own product that is similar to your.
  At least if you could start your own business, own the patent to the hardware so it is only used in your stores wouldn't that be more beneficial in the long run? You would essentially be creating your own brand of restaurant in which your competition could not relate.
  In fact it would take them so long to catch up b/c they would have to first hire a company out to make the technology and brand their own--it would be really expensive and time consuming. Trust in yourself and start your own business. If you want to patent the technology go to this site
  http://www.uspto.gov/
  

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• Advise

  What advice do you have to help me grow my idea?
       (4 pieces of advice)

   

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  by ripley117 

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  11.20.08 | 05:50 PM

  Through all this advice there has been one main question that has not been answered that will have alot to do with how you carry out your business, what your competition will be like and who your customer will be. This question considers itself with the type and level of market you wish to enter as a food provider. Will it be fine dining, middle area, or fast food? These are essentially the three main groups that branch off into more specific categories.
  So which one will it be? Personally, I would think either of the later two would be your best bet just b/c of the nature of the business types and demographic of customer.
  Think about it, you machines provide a service that is essentially extremely proficient and can take order and get them delivered quick. Well fine dining is definitely off the radar b/c it is slow. And fast food is already fast enough with a drive through so your best option is the middle category. These types of restaurants include most of the ones on this link
  http://nyjobsource.com/restaurantchains.html
  Knowing the market and price demogra…morephic that you want to go into will really help shape your business into what it needs to be good luck.

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  by greenlawn86 

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  11.18.08 | 03:51 PM

  I seriously think that you should look into some market research. What is influencing your thought that a decrease in customer service or human interaction will increase the restaurant experience? This may be something that would work in a rationalized industry such as fast food, but other than that you will need to provide some support that this is truly what the restaurant consumer desires. Look into creating a market study in which people are either surveyed or examined using both traditional restaurant service and your product. Here are a few research links to get you started.
  
  http://tutor2u.net/business/marketing/research_introduction.asp
  http://www.marketingteacher.com/Lessons/lesson_marketing_research.htm
  
  I would also look into creating a focused business plan while you are tossing around your ideas.
  
  good luck!

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  by greenlawn86 

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  11.18.08 | 03:51 PM

  I seriously think that you should look into some market research. What is influencing your thought that a decrease in customer service or human interaction will increase the restaurant experience? This may be something that would work in a rationalized industry such as fast food, but other than that you will need to provide some support that this is truly what the restaurant consumer desires. Look into creating a market study in which people are either surveyed or examined using both traditional restaurant service and your product. Here are a few research links to get you started.
  
  http://tutor2u.net/business/marketing/research_introduction.asp
  http://www.marketingteacher.com/Lessons/lesson_marketing_research.htm
  
  I would also look into creating a focused business plan while you are tossing around your ideas.
  
  good luck!

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  by mfheadcase 

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  09.25.08 | 09:47 PM

  Doing it on the relatively cheap, you can build your prototype devices based on this:http://www.popsci.com/diy/article/2007-01/wall-mounted-pc from Popular Science nearly 2 years ago. It can apparently be done easily with obsolete craptops.
  
  The high end is either purchase of Microsoft Surface systems, or try to replicate them.
  
  Me, for the prototypes at least, i would go cheap.

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