Restaurants, bars adding technology to enhance customer experience

CHICAGO (WLS) -- From the bar, to dining in and even delivery, technology is revolutionizing the restaurant industry and the future is definitely here.

And from what we saw recently at the recent National Restaurant Association Trade Show in Chicago the future of eating and drinking means a faster and more convenient experience for the customer.

You never have to leave your lazy chair to get take out with the new Orderbotz service. You simply speak your order into a voice activated device.

"In today's world it's all about speed, ease and convenience so there's nothing easier than voice," Mike Routtengerg, Orderbotz, said.

Dining in but hate the long wait for a table? Restaurants with the new Seat Ninja technology can help you skip the line all together.

"It saves you time energy, stress of having to wait outside finding out it is an hour and a half wait, like I shouldn't have even left the house," Justin Stofle, Seat Ninja, said.

When you get a table, servers can get you what you want faster than ever before.

With Tabit, orders are sent to the kitchen and bar in just seconds.

"As soon as I keyed in your drink before I key in your appetizers or main courses I fired those off to the bar, chances are we're done conversing on your meal your drinks are at the table," Dror Ben-David, Tabit Technologies, said.

Have trouble seeing the menu? Not anymore with the Light-A-Bite.

"If you don't have a lighted menu, then you need a cell phone or a need a flashlight, this is very simple, it's easy to see it doesn't take away from the ambiance and they're kind of fun," Frank Floyd Jr., Light-A-Bite, said.

How about a beer with less foam? Just tell the bartender to fill it up from the new bottoms up reverse tap.

"We see it at large venues, concerts or ballgames and you want to move quickly and get back to the game or back to the concert, it's definitely the wave of the future for being fast and efficient," Michah Taylor, Bottoms Up, said.

And watered down cocktails are thing of the past with Beyond Zero's new ice machines. The booze is in the rocks instead of just on the rocks.

"You can have a drink that's colder smoother and stronger than anything that's made with regular ice," Jason Sherman, Beyond Zero, said.

The makers of the ice machines said freezing the liquor also brings out flavors you might have never tasted before.

By the way many of these products and technology are just hitting the U.S. market, so it could be a couple of years before we start seeing them show up at restaurants and bars in Chicago.