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IT USED TO BE THAT YOU
HAD TO BE A REAL V-I-P TO
GET RECOGNIZED AT YOUR
FAVORITE RESTAURANT.
BUT NOW, THANKS TO
NEW TECHNOLOGY,
EVERYBODY KNOWS YOUR
NAME!
PROBLEM SOLVER SUSAN
HOGAN SHOWS US THIS
LATEST TREND IN "NOT SO
PRIVATE DINING."
EVERYBODY KNOWS YOUR
NAME, YOUR FAVORITE TABLE
AND MAYBE HOW WELL YOU TIP.
THESE DAYS ALL THAT INFO IS
BEING STORED IN DATABASES
FOR INSTAND ACCESS THE
MOMENT YOU WALK THROUGH
THE DOOR.
BEFORE WE WALK INTO A
RESTAURANT, WE TYPICALLY
KNOW WHAT WE WANT.
" MOS :02"I would like my Coke
to
have no ice."
MOS :03 "Preferably unprocessed
food, vegetarian."
NOW THANKS TO
TECHNOLOGY, THE
RESTAURANT MAY KNOW IT,
TOO.
SOT Clark Wolf President of
Clark
Wolf Consulting Restaurant
Consultant"There was a time when
it
was all in the mind of a maitre
de or
an owner and they knew what you
wanted to eat, what you wanted
to
drink, all by memory. Now it can
be
in the computer."
MANY RESTAURANTS AROUND
THE COUNTRY ARE STARTING
TO KEEP DETAILED RECORDS
OF THEIR CUSTOMERS IN
COMPUTER DATABASES, READY
TO PULL UP AND USE THE
MOMENT YOU WALK THROUGH
THE DOOR. THE IDEA IS
SIMPLE-THE MORE THEY KNOW
ABOUT YOU-THE BETTER THEY
CAN SERVE.
SOT Anne Shepherd Senior Vice
President of Marketing Open
Table
"Who doesn't like to go into a
restaurant and be recognized,
greeted by name, and maybe shown
to their favorite table?
OPEN TABLE IS ONE COMPANY
THAT PROVIDES DATABASE
SOFTWARE TO RESTAURANTS.
THEY SAY THE INFORMATION
COLLECTED CAN RUN THE
GAMUT.
BUT IT DOESN'T ALWAYS STOP
THERE. EXPERTS SAY THESE
RECORDS CAN ALSO CONTAIN
INFORMATION ON HOW MUCH
YOU TIPPED OR HOW LONG YOU
STAYED AT YOUR TABLE. NOT
EVERY DINER WANTS THEIR
DETAILS DOCUMENTED
. MOS :04"That makes me feel a
little bit uncomfortable. Like
they
know too much about me.
TRACK SIX Length :05 EVEN THE
RESTAURANT CONSULTANTS
ACKNOWLEDGE THERE ARE
PRIVACY ISSUES TO CONSIDER.
SOT 1:35 Clark Wolf President
of
Clark Wolf Consulting Restaurant
Consultant"There's a fine line
between knowing all about you
for
the benefit of giving you good
service
and being a stalker.
BUT MOST OF THE TIME,
RESTAURATEURS TELL US, THE
DATA IS USED TO ENHANCE THE
DINING EXPERIENCE.
(SH) SO HOW CAN YOU HELP
THE RESTAURANT HELP YOU?
SIMPLE: TELL THEM WHAT YOU
WANT AND BE CLEAR ABOUT IT.
IF THEY'RE KEEPING RECORDS,
YOU'LL ONLY HAVE TO MENTION
IT ONCE. ALSO IF YOU BOOK
ONLINE THROUGH A WEBSITE
LIKE OPEN TABLE OR REZBOOK
YOU CAN ADD SPECIAL
REQUESTS TO YOUR
RESERVATION WHICH CAN BE
KEPT ON FILE FOR FUTURE
VISITS.
IF YOU HAVE A CONSUMER
PROBLEM YOU NEED HELP
SOLVING - CONTACT OUR CALL
12 FOR ACTION CENTER
MONDAY THRU THURSDAY FROM
11 UNTIL 1 - OUR HOTLINE IS
228-1850.
OR IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN
BECOMING A CALL 12 FOR
ACTION VOLUNTEER...
YOU CAN CALL THAT SAME
NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN.
I'M PROBLEM SOLVER SUSAN
HOGAN - EYEWITNESS NEWS.