When the iPad was originally announced (and, heck, when it was rumored), lots of us were dreaming up different ideas for how the iPad might revolutionize the way written content is consumed. There were books, of course, including comics, magazines and coursebooks. This is the first time, though, where I’ve seen a different kind of print medium successfully making the jump to digital: restaurant wine lists.
One upscale restaurant in Atlanta, for example, has decided to take its very extensive wine list and bring it over to the iPad, as the New York Times reported. The restaurant uses iPad-specific software to display its wine list, along with information on each wine, including ratings, pricing and pairing suggestions. Like traditional menus, the iPads are handed out to diners. The result of the switch is pretty impressive: wine sales shot up 11% from the first day the iPad wine list was introduced.
Similar experiences with iPad wine lists were noted at restaurants in New York City, London and Sydney. At least one company, Incentient, makes wine list software that several restaurants are using, while others are developing their own apps. [Chances are that FileMaker Go would work fine for most restaurants with modest wine lists. -Ed.]
I wonder why a simple web app isn’t used instead? Maybe it’s hard to keep a solid Wi-Fi connection through all those bottles of vino.
[via Cult of Mac]
TUAWiPad wine list boosts sales in high-end restaurants originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 17 Sep 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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