Restaurants are upgrading their tech to streamline service

Shift comes as younger customers are more comfortable with restaurant technology like QR codes and smartphone apps

The following article appeared in the August 30, 2024, edition of The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with smart and original local news for Charlotte. We offer free and paid subscription plans. More info here.

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Sit-down restaurants are increasingly offering ordering and payment options on customers’ phones to appeal to younger diners; QR code at the wine bar

By Tony Mecia and Lindsey Banks

We’ve all been there: You’ve finished eating. Your waiter has brought the check. You’re ready to leave.

And you wait, and wait, and wait for the waiter to take your credit card and bring it back.

Now, an increasing number of sit-down restaurants in Charlotte and around the country are tapping into technology to solve that age-old annoyance. For quicker payments, they’re offering QR codes. Some are expanding the use of apps (applications, not appetizers). It’s part of a bigger move toward incorporating technology into food service.