Union Square Hospitality To Outfit Floor Managers With Apple Watch

Apple may be having a hard time finding a place for the Apple Watch among consumers, but it is making its way into the B2B world.

Union Square Hospitality Group, the restaurant operator, and Resy, the reservation system startup, have reportedly inked a partnership to integrate the Apple Watch into front-of-house restaurant service, reported Eater.

According to the report, when Union Square Cafe in New York City reopens in November, all of the floor managers and sommeliers will be wearing an Apple Watch and will be alerted when a VIP comes into the restaurant, a customer orders a bottle of wine, a new table needs to be seated, guests are waiting too long for a drink or menu items run out. The idea is to ensure customers get what they need and don’t leave the eatery frustrated or disappointed. Maureen Cushing, VP of technology at Union Square Hospitality, said in the report the use of the Apple Watch is “another way to listen and respond to our guests … [the app gives employees] real-time communication from guests, similar to Uber feedback.”

Apple Watch making its way into a restaurant is the latest good news for Apple when it comes to its wearable device. Earlier in the week, Aetna, the health care company, announced that, starting this fall, it will make the Apple Watch available to “select large employers and individual customers” during open enrollment season, with Aetna being the first major health care company to subsidize a “significant portion” of the Apple Watch cost. It also plans on offering monthly payroll deductions to make the remaining cost easier for members and consumers. Aetna will also provide the Apple Watch free to its nearly 50,000 employees who participate in its wellness reimbursement program. The idea is to encourage workers to live healthier lives and thus lower the cost of health care.