UWink

A while ago, John took Isa and I to a new restaurant, UWink, in a Woodland Hills mall. It had touch screens at each table, for ordering food and playing games. Some were pong-like, others were those trivia games seen in bars.
I wasn’t that impressed; pong-games aren’t going to do it for me anymore, and ordering food on a touch-screen is like being my own waitress. Plus, the trivia questions were just god-awful– as well as repeating over and over again. I wondered to myself what kind of random number generator were they really using to dish out these horrible questions?
Isa, on the other hand, was wild-eyed. She begged us to order more drinks so she could hit the now-greasy touch screen. I was surprised at her obsession with the restaurant.
When Isa brought it up again for the umpteenth time the other day, I decided to google UWink. The wikipedia entry included “The company was founded in 2000 by Nolan Bushnell, the co-founder and former CEO of both Atari and Chuck E. Cheese.”

Well, that explained the pong and the crappy food.

I’m somewhat disappointed in Mr. Bushnell. I’d have much rather had a joystick and played Adventure than field that touchscreen menu. Perhaps he’s onto something– creating a nostalgia for Isa’s generation to buy into. I suppose there’s nothing wrong with playing Tank and eating a burger, is there?

UPDATE:
This appeared on a Uwink investment board:

Another Brief uWink Blog Review

http://www.saltinwound.com/2008/03/uwink.html

A very good example of the “polarizing” nature of uWink (a good thing!). You’ve got some people that come in and find a negative in everything (like the blogger). BUT he’s got a friend (READ: female) that is obsessed with the place.

In the end, who wins (this is hypothetical)?

1.The introverted guy who just doesn’t want to have fun and complains about it to the “world” on his blog:

“I wasn’t that impressed; pong-games aren’t going to do it for me anymore, and ordering food on a touch-screen is like being my own waitress. Plus, the trivia questions were just god-awful– as well as repeating over and over again. I wondered to myself what kind of random number generator were they really using to dish out these horrible questions?”

2. The extroverted gal who is having so much fun that she just keeps bringing new people to the place so that she can have even more fun:

“Isa, on the other hand, was wild-eyed. She begged us to order more drinks so she could hit the now-greasy touch screen. I was surprised at her obsession with the restaurant.
When Isa brought it up again for the umpteenth time the other day, I decided to google UWink.”

My Opinion:
Eventually, the guy comes around because he realizes that regardless of how little “fun” he is having, uWink is attracting all the ladies, which will eventually attract him. This thing is going to work 🙂

BERNIE’S RESPONSE:

Dear Uwink investor, you’ve got one this nailed on the head. I am certainly a negative blogger, and Isa is definitely a pretty young gal that loves video games like nothing’s doing. I will have to take her back there, so you do have us as customers in Woodland Hills.
As far as Atari goes, dear investor, I may have played more Atari than you ever will, and I will never forget that snowy Massachusetts day that I first laid my eyes on Pong. Yes, I was hooked. So yes, Mr. Bushnell is an integral part of my life.

But please, for my sake, get a programmer to update the trivia questions? I can make it last if the questions are decent.

Bernie