Apricot Stone, a family-run restaurant in Philadelphia’s Northern Liberties neighborhood, is using FaceTime, Duo, and Skype to simulate the experience of being at a restaurant. To participate in the immersive experience, customers must call Apricot Stone and make a dinner reservation. Following the call, they will be emailed a food and beverage menu.
At the reservation time, the front-of-house manager will reach out via video chat from the restaurant’s dining room; he will seat you at a fully-set table, with music playing in the background, walk you through the menu, and take your order. Your food (Apricot Stone specializes in Armenian, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern flavors) will then be delivered to your home by the restaurant’s waitstaff. After one more call from the manager, to ensure that everything arrived on schedule, you’ll be left to enjoy the meal at your own leisure.
And beyond the price of your meal, you’ll be expected to pay a 20 percent gratuity (added to the bill) to support the waitstaff that have now become delivery drivers. 