uWink Bistro | Where food & tech meet for dinner

What do you get when the founder and former CEO of video game giant Atari and the amusement-themed children’s restaurant Chuck E. Cheese takes on modern dining? Entertainment and restaurant visionary Nolan Bushnell has launched uWink Bistro, an innovative restaurant concept that combines modern comfort food with at-the-table entertainment. At uWink, customers place orders on touch screen terminals right at their tables. There are no waiters or waitresses, but rather food runners who deliver meals and beverages. Need a refill on your drink? Extra dressing for your salad? Touch the screen. But that’s not all the high tech tables offer. Customers at uWink can enjoy games, table-to-table trivia tournaments, movie trailers, internet-browsing and more while they wait for and enjoy their meals. Bushnell’s team isn’t skimping on the food, either. The menu features upscale bistro fare made with fresh ingredients. The first uWink Bistro opened its doors in October 2006 in the Los Angeles area. Franchises are already being offered in 36 U.S. states, and plans are already in the works to offer them internationally. Could this new digital dining experience spark a trend?