Innovation in a restaurant usually involves different methods of food preparation (Swiss-Asian cuisine anybody?). Treva Restaurant and Bar in West Hartford Center has shaken things up by making its menus high tech.
On Oct. 6, it became the first restaurant, proprietor and executive chef Dorjan Puka owner claims, to start using tablets (think iPads) as menus for its selection of food, wine and signature cocktails in Greater Hartford. Customers can, with just the tap of a finger, see a picture of what they might order, along with information on ingredients and other details like preparation.
Puka said his interest in the high-tech menus came about because he likes to use Italian words to describe the offerings of his restaurant that specializes in Northern Italian cuisine. But, there could be a language barrier with his customers. “The tablets make it easier for my guests to understand,” he said during a recent post-lunch break in his 104-seat restaurant.
The tablet menus are being sold and maintained by MaxxMenus of Stamford. Company president Stephen Drew says the firm has 15 restaurant groups as clients with eight in Connecticut. He said the tablets are beneficial to restaurateurs because a menu item can, for example, recommend wine pairings for a potential product upsell.
Drew also said the tablets are designed to complement servers and not replace them. Guests won’t be tapping in their menu choices. It also means servers don’t have to memorize every last detail of a complex menu. He cited another client, Geronimo Tequila Bar and Southwestern Grille in New Haven, which specializes in tequila with more than 250 varieties available and more being added. “There’s no way one person can keep track of all of those,” Drew said.
One of the best features of the new tablet is its ability for the menu to be updated instantly. No more ordering an item only to have the server return with the bad news. The MaxxMenu software allows an item to be hidden from the tablets once it is no longer available.
The photography also enhances the menu. These aren’t the low-quality pictures seen on greasy spoon menus. “You sell a lot more desserts if people can actually see them,” said Drew. In effect, the tablets become a digital dessert tray.
“Initial response has been fantastic,” he added. “People eat with their eyes.”
Puka has bought 10 of the tablets. Each table would receive one as a party is seated. There is software built in so Treva customers can’t walk away with the tablets (intentionally or not). The tablets are also insured against damage, which seems almost inevitable, with no deductible.
The investment per tablet is $300, according to Puka. Drew said the restaurants also pay a monthly service fee for maintenance. Restaurants can use existing computers with no need for specialized hardware because the information is stored on the cloud. “It’s easy to use. It can be done from a home laptop,” Drew said.
Puka, who opened his restaurant two days before Christmas 2010, said he likes to change his menu four times a year. He had spent about $1,000 on menus before this. Now, he said, he can change the menu once a month.
One interesting aspect of the tablets is impressions can be tracked. Puka can now see what items may have interested diners that they ultimately did not order and tweak the items to make them more appealing. Previously, a restaurant had no way of knowing what a diner was interested in but did not buy.
Treva Restaurant is located at 980 Farmington Ave., West Hartford. More information is available by calling (860) 232-0407 or logging onto www.trevact.com.
