UK Restaurant Uses iPod Touch To Let Customers Pour Their Own Drinks
by Joe White
February 11, 2011
Taps is a UK based restaurant and bar, that uses Apple technology to allow users to literally "serve their own draught beer."
Upon arriving at Taps, you can choose whether you'd like to dine, or just drink in the bar area of the restaurant, which is located in the city center of Manchester, England.
Once you've decided, you make your way over to one of the unique tables Taps has to offer. As you can see in the above image, each table houses a pair of taps, each of which are hooked up to two different varieties of beer.
Importantly, each table also includes an Apple iPod touch, which is kind of embedded into the table itself, screen up.
As mentioned, the buzz factor about Taps is that customers can pour their own beer. After you've settled into your table, a member of staff will "turn on the taps," and you're good to go.
Every time you top off your glass, you're charged per tenth of a pint (for example, Amstel costs £0.33 per tenth). This is great, because it means you don't have to fill up your glass to the very top; if you only want an extra mouthful, that's all you'll be charged for.
The iPod touch app not only recognizes how much you've drank, but the application also displays how much beer you've consumed, so you can keep track.
I was really impressed with Taps. Essentially, this is another example of how people are utilizing Apple's mobile iOS technology, and creating something brilliant out of it.
Below, I've included a video which was recorded last night, on location at Taps. Hopefully, you'll be able to better understand the setup they've got at the restaurant, if you can make any sense of my slurred words!
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