| iPhone apps are all the rage right now, and already | | | | available: search by location, reviews, and maps. If |
| there is an app for just about anything you can | | | | you run a vegetarian restaurant, this app is your |
| think of under the sun. This includes the | | | | very best new friend. |
| restaurant industry, and these 10 apps are | | | | 5. LocalEats - This app focuses on producing the |
| affecting how consumers make their decisions on | | | | 100 best independent restaurants in the 50 largest |
| where and when to go out to eat, which directly | | | | cities in the U.S. If you run a chain or don't get |
| affects your business. | | | | picked by the editors of LocalEats, you're kinda |
| Here's the top 10 ways people are getting info | | | | out of luck. But if your restaurant is on the list, |
| about your restaurant on their iPhone: | | | | potential customers can find you easily by |
| 1. OpenTable - You've probably already heard of | | | | searching by location. |
| OpenTable.com, an online reservation service. Well, | | | | 6. Pocket Cocktails Drinks & Wine - |
| now potential customers can use their iPhone to | | | | Customers can use this app to search for |
| search for restaurants near a given location based | | | | hundreds of cocktails, get drink recipes in case |
| on price, number in the party, and type of cuisine. | | | | they stump your bartender, and even get wine |
| If your restaurant is registered with OpenTable | | | | recommendations based on what they have |
| they can even make a reservation right then and | | | | ordered. |
| there. Wow. | | | | 7. Tipulator - This app allows your patrons to |
| 2. Yelp - I've already covered all the hot water | | | | calculate any tip from 0 to 50% among as many |
| Yelp has been in lately on this blog. Now | | | | people as are in the party. It could be a double |
| customers can write those sometimes scathing, | | | | edged sword for your servers, but this cool little |
| sometimes retarded, sometimes good reviews of | | | | app will probably help customers calculate a good |
| their restaurant right from their iPhone. They can | | | | tip rather than a bad one. |
| also find you and read other reviews about you | | | | 8. Calorie Tracker - An app developed by |
| before they walk in the door. | | | | Livestrong.com, it calculates the calories of over |
| 3. UrbanSpoon - this app brings a fun element to | | | | 525,000 different ingredients so your customers |
| the locating a restaurant genre with a slot | | | | can select the most healthful items on your menu. |
| machine interface that randomly selects three | | | | 9. Fast Food Calorie Counter - this app does |
| factors - neighborhood, food type, and price. You | | | | exactly what it says it does - calculates the |
| can lock any of the three and spin for the others | | | | calories and fat of 6,000 menu items from 55 |
| to focus on a specific category. For a restaurant | | | | fast food chains. |
| owner, it can be a little frustrating leaving the fate | | | | 10. 160,000 Recipes from BigOven - if you're ever |
| of your potential customer's decision to a random | | | | hurting for a new recipe, you might want to |
| spin, but that's how it goes. This app also has | | | | check this app out. Get ingredients and |
| reviews and maps for restaurants. | | | | preparation instructions, plus save your favorites |
| 4. VegOut - This app searches vegetarian | | | | and randomly select new recipes. |
| restaurants only. All the same features are | | | | |