Does Apple want to come to dinner with you? Yesterday the United States Trademark and Patent Office published a patent application that the tech giant filed in June 2012. The application outlines a system that would allow iPhone and iPad users to make reservations at restaurants, check wait times, add their names to wait lists, and even order food.
As Eater reports, the proposed system would grow and improve over time: "The more customers participate, the more accurate the system can be. The wait times change based on what seated customers order. The system — which knows the average amount of time a customer spends at the table eating specific dishes — can alert waiting customers when their table is ready."
While other apps already allow users to make restaurant reservations, Apple's proposed system could offer the added benefit of finding a restaurant based on current wait times — the ultimate tool for procrastinators and spur-of-the-moment folks who didn't know ahead of time where they wanted to eat.
As Eater points out, it's possible the system will never actually materialize, but it's an interesting piece of technology. While it may give diners more control, the system would certainly affect the duties of front-end hosts (who generally take reservations and handle waiting lists) if it were to catch on.
What do you think of the proposed system? Do you hope Apple gets the patent and moves forward with the technology?
