Pay your bar bill by phone: New app replaces credit card

There’s nothing worse than trying to get out of a busy restaurant and waiting forever just to get your check, or forgetting your credit card in a crowded bar.

Now, there’s an app for that.

Tabbed Out is a free iPhone and Android app that lets you open a tab with your phone, view it in real time and pay at any time.

Poquitos on Capitol Hill in Seattle is among the first in the city to put Tabbed Out into action. And managing partner Rich Fox says it’s been a hit.

“At lunch, it’s nice for people on a tight schedule. They know they can still come in have a sit down lunch and still get up and leave whenever they choose. They can close out the tab while they’re still there, walking down the street or even when they get back to the office.”

And he says it’s already cut down on the number of people who open a tab at the bar then forget their credit card at the end of the night.

The app is easy to use. Just sign up for the service with your credit card and you’re good to go. Nearly 20 Seattle restaurants are on board for the initial launch.

And Fox says rather than cutting down on the interaction with customers, it’s actually allowed servers to develop a more personalized level of service and intimacy.

Tabbed Out also makes it easy to figure out how much to leave with a built in tip calculator. And you can’t stiff your server. The establishment can set a minimum gratuity.

-Josh Kerns/97.3 KIRO FM