WTF Wednesday - Ziosk
Restaurant guests sour on Ziosk’s “touch it and you’re charged” payment systems
"When customers aren’t aware that doing something - in this case, clicking an app - will cost them money, it’s problematic, and the company is profiting off the deception.
The Ziosk company claims that its device speeds up the restaurant ordering and payment process, which benefits both the restaurant and customers. But the $1.99 fee for unlimited premium content, which is being charged to the customer without their consent, is high enough to generate profit, but low enough that customers don’t feel like arguing with management to have the bill adjusted.
After all, if the customer is able to pay at the table without calling a server over to bring the bill, return to collect payment, take the customer’s card to a pay station and come back, the customer would have to make the judgment call as to whether two dollars is worth the time to summon a manager, listen to an explanation of the charge, make their case, and wait for an adjustment.
In other words, this is all by design."
"When customers aren’t aware that doing something - in this case, clicking an app - will cost them money, it’s problematic, and the company is profiting off the deception.
The Ziosk company claims that its device speeds up the restaurant ordering and payment process, which benefits both the restaurant and customers. But the $1.99 fee for unlimited premium content, which is being charged to the customer without their consent, is high enough to generate profit, but low enough that customers don’t feel like arguing with management to have the bill adjusted.
After all, if the customer is able to pay at the table without calling a server over to bring the bill, return to collect payment, take the customer’s card to a pay station and come back, the customer would have to make the judgment call as to whether two dollars is worth the time to summon a manager, listen to an explanation of the charge, make their case, and wait for an adjustment.
In other words, this is all by design."