A couple order their food on the "e-menu" touch-screen
 
Restaurants in Europe, the United States and Japan are testing technology to let diners order their food direct from a screen at their table instead of depending on a fellow human being to note their choice -- sometimes grumpily or erroneously.

Besides cutting costs, companies that sell the "e-menu" argue the bytes-for-bites approach has a novelty value that can lure younger customers, and boost revenues as tantalizing photographs of succulent steaks and gooey desserts tempt diners to order more.

In Israel, privately owned start-up Conceptic has already installed e-Menu technology in sushi bars, pubs and family restaurants. The system is based on touch-screens already used in self-service canteens or for ticketing in airports and cinemas.

"It's about impulse-buying," said Adi Chitayat, Conceptic's chief executive. "If a person starts looking at pictures of chocolate cake, the chances are he'll order it."

The firm has also supplied its systems to restaurants in France, South Africa and Belgium.

Frame, a trendy sushi restaurant in Tel Aviv which has installed the system, said sales on tables with the e-Menu have increased by about 11 percent. Customers often call ahead to reserve spots equipped with the screens, manager Natalie Edry told reporters.

At one of the e-Menu tables, information technology worker Gil Uriel and his young family were enthusiastic as they checked out pictures of the dishes on offer and squabbled over desserts.

"It's more visual," said Uriel. "We can still choose, we can still argue -- but it's much easier when you can all see it."

 
欧洲、美国和日本的一些餐馆目前正在试用一种可让顾客直接通过餐桌上的屏幕点餐的技术，这项新技术取代了服务员点餐——服务态度不好或忙中出错的情况也可以避免了。

推广这项“电子菜单”技术的公司称，这种新潮的电子点餐法除了可以节约成本外，还能吸引年轻顾客，而且牛排和甜点等各种美味佳肴的图片能“引诱”顾客消费，从而增加餐馆的收益。

新成立的以色列“新概念”私人公司推出的这套“电子菜单”系统目前已在寿司店、酒吧和家庭餐馆中使用。该系统使用的是触摸屏，这种屏幕在自助餐厅和机场、影院的自动售票机上可以见到。

新概念公司的执行总裁阿迪•齐塔亚特说：“这会引起顾客‘冲动消费’。如果顾客看到了巧克力蛋糕的图片，很有可能会点它。”

目前，该公司已将这一系统推广到了法国、南美和比利时的餐馆。

以色列特拉维夫的一家名叫Frame的流行寿司店安装了这一系统。据其介绍，安装了电子菜单的餐桌收益增长了约11%。餐厅老板娜塔莉•艾德里在接受记者采访时说，顾客们常打电话提前预定安装有电子点餐屏的桌子。

在其中一张电子点餐桌上，年轻的IT工程师吉尔•乌力尔正与家人一起兴致勃勃地浏览菜肴的图片、讨论点哪些甜品。

乌力尔说：“这种点餐方式更加直观。我们仍然可以挑选、讨论——但同时可以看见所有菜肴的图片，这就好办多了。”

Vocabulary:

squabble over:争论