Safety? Food on iPads

Olee Fowler of Eater reports a restaurant in New York City is employing Apple Watches to increase communication between staff; tablets on tables are replacing menus and servers at restaurants across the country; and apps are aiming to smooth out everything from ordering to payment to food delivery. Serving actual food on an actual iPad may be the next big thing in dining rooms across the globe.

food-ipadRestaurants in the United Kingdom have been using iPads as plates since 2015, according to the Daily Mail. Arzak, the San Sebastian restaurant that boasts three Michelin stars, has been serving food on iPads for a few years. Now, acclaimed San Francisco restaurant Quince is the latest to join the trend.

The 13-year-old, tasting-menu-only spot run by Michael and Lindsey Tusk, which just received its third Michelin star this year, is now incorporating iPads into its meals: The dish “A Dog in Search of Gold” is served on a iPad Pro in lieu of a plate. Understandably, this had some on Twitter scratching their heads a few days ago when it was first revealed. According to 9to5Mac, it’s an attempt by the restaurant to attract a younger audience.

The dish, which is made of white truffle croquettes on iPads playing videos of dogs on the truffle-hunt, raises questions about food safety and how thoroughly the iPads are cleaned in-between customers, which is something San Francisco has no regulations on at the moment.

Representatives for Quince did not respond to requests for comment.

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About Douglas Powell

A former professor of food safety and the publisher of barfblog.com, Powell is passionate about food, has five daughters, and is an OK goaltender in pickup hockey. Download Doug’s CV here. Dr. Douglas Powell editor, barfblog.com retired professor, food safety 3/289 Annerley Rd Annerley, Queensland 4103 dpowell29@gmail.com 61478222221 I am based in Brisbane, Australia, 15 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time