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Cut The Line At Blue Bottle & Brooklyn Roasting With This New App
By
Jen Chung
Published Nov 12, 2014
Modified Nov 12, 2014
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Jen Chung/Gothamist
By
Jen Chung
Published Nov 12, 2014
Modified Nov 12, 2014
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Waiting on line is part of life—so is searching for ways to bypass lines. Our civilization has been vastly improved by innovations like "Express Checkout" or "VIP Fast Pass," but if your local artisanal coffee joint is still stuck in the Stone Age with "uncivilized dual-line ordering systems" (Larry David knows what we're talking about) then maybe you should look into the new app, Order.
Order is from Square, so if you already use Square, you can just sign in and get ready to go. (Otherwise, you register and link a credit card to your account, etc.) There are hundreds of coffee shops, like Blue Bottle, that have started using Order; the app only launched last month, so some are still working out some kinks. But here's the gist: Square developed a special "arrival prediction technology" which allows customers to pre-order at participating establishments. "Sellers get alerts to prepare orders when the buyer is close by, providing hot coffee and a cool experience," the company says.
After placing your order, you'll get alerts saying that they are working on your coffee and when the drink is ready. I tried it out at Brooklyn Roasting Company in DUMBO. My alert said it would be ready in the back right—but it wasn't there. An employee had to ask where the Square Order was being made, and pointed me to the other side. I waited about a minute for my perfectly prepared latte.
However, when I ordered an iced coffee about an hour later, the staff at Brooklyn Roasting was a little bewildered why I'd order an iced coffee in advance. A Square employee emphasized that Brooklyn Roasting only joined the program recently and would be working on its Order service.
Square tested the app with Blue Bottle, and Blue Bottle CEO and founder James Freeman said, "We're always looking for new ways to foster hospitality at our stores and acknowledge regular guests."
Tagged
App
coffee
Order
Square
technology
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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