The Apple App Store which has been around ever since the creation of the I-Touch and I-Phone has brought several different hobbies to the palm of mobile phone users hands. Sport's Apps, entertainment apps, and games have been the most popular thus far. However, food Apps have found a place in the App Store and enthusiasts are taking notice.
The Chipotle App is probably my favorite app, it makes me feel like a celebrity. Imagine being able to skip the entire line when it reaches around the store, walk right up the register, tell the cashier your name, grab a bag with your favorite burrito, and walk out. With the Chipotle App this is possible. I particularly like this app for the reason I just mentioned, I can show up to Chipotle and get my favorite meal with out any waiting. Other cool features include being able to save your credit card number with them so you can pay via your I-Phone or I-Touch. Whatever it is you order you can save to your favorites so whenever you want to show up again you don't have to go through the process of virtually making the burrito again. Let's say you work with other people who like Chipotle, you can save their favorites too so ordering is just a matter of clicking the screen on your phone. A confirmation email is always sent to you to ensure that you know your order has been received. The app is easy to navigate and read, the layout is appealing to the eye. Chipotle doesn't deliver, but this is the next best thing.
Next, Open Table is an app that I have noticed gaining popularity among restaurant goers. I have noticed a number of people who have this app on their phone. This app makes it easy to make a reservation at a restaurant. It is very simple to use. You simply select the metro or city you want to make a reservation in. The Open Table network is huge, you can make reservations using this app from Beirut to Jackson Hole. Before picking the restaurant you pick the time and date, and then a list of restaurants that have reservations open will pop up and you choose one. In addition to the reservation making capability, it also serves as a kind of Zagat sort of app. The restaurant you click on has reviews, price range, cuisine, and a short summary of the restaurant. I would definitely recommend this app for someone who travels a lot, or is a restaurant aficionado and dines a lot.
EveryScape's series of Eats! apps is an interesting concept. This app takes advantage of technologies such as Google Street View and applies to restaurants. In my opinion this app is very young and still developing, I do not feel it has reached it's full potential. It is no different from the Yelp, Zagat, or CitySearch apps except this app gives the user a screen shot of the interior of the restaurant, and using Google Street View the opportunity to view the exterior of the restaurant and it's surroundings. I can think of times this app could be useful from a personal standpoint. Several times when my family goes on vacations my father does all the planning and makes reservations at restaurants that appeal to him, have gotten good reviews, or are famous in the area. However, sometimes when we get to these restaurants my mother disapproves and is not flattered by the restaurant. If my father used this app he could show my mother a picture of the restaurant's interior and exterior to get her seal of approval. To go off on a little tangent this app would've been very helpful when I was with my family in Vancouver Canada. My dad got a reservation at the best chinese restaurant in Vancouver's Chinatown. However, my father was not aware that this chinatown was not the safest neighborhood and the restaurant was in the heart of this neighborhood. It was a very interesting day to say the least.
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