Don’t wait for the check: TabbedOut raises $2.05M

October 4, 2010 9:00 PM
Anthony Ha

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July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Austin startup ATX Innovation has built a mobile application called TabbedOut to eliminate a big inconvenience in your life — or my life, anyway. It’s addressing those moments when you’ve finished a meal but have to wave your arm wildly for minutes before you finally get the check, then wave it again to actually pay. Or maybe those times when you’ve tried to close out your tab at a bar but found five people in line ahead of you.

ATX just raised $2.05 million in new funding to tackle that problem with its TabbedOut app.

After users download the app, they can choose their location from a list of supported restaurants and bars. Then they open a tab, which is assigned a special code that they share with their waiter or bartender. Items get added to the tab as they’re ordered. When you’re ready to go, you just use the app to pay by credit card. No more delays.

TabbedOut even includes a tip calculator and an option to call a cab.

tabbedout payment screen There are plenty of companies tackling mobile payments from different angles. Perhaps the most prominent is Square, which allows business owners to read credit cards with their phones.

I like TabbedOut because it’s addressing a specific and familiar problem. The company also notes that it integrates with existing “point of sale” systems, which means that restaurants don’t have to buy new equipment to process the payments, and they get paid directly — they don’t have to wait for TabbedOut to send them a check.

It’s still early in TabbedOut’s growth. The company said it’s currently supported by more than 90 restaurants and bars in 28 cities, including Austin, Dallas, Denver, Houston, and Chicago. With the new funding, TabbedOut hopes to accelerate that growth, in part by striking deals with more partners and resellers.

The money comes from New Enterprise Associates. TabbedOut has now raised a total of $2.75 million.

http://twitter.com/ocell Chris Owens

I love TabbedOut. I hope this funding might mean us users won't have to shell out $1 per use in the near future.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_WYTPZOKMU3SGISNU2GDHD6YQCM Steve Quinonez

I am curious to know what happens if a customer gets up and just leaves (dine & ditch)? Any thoughts from anyone? I think this is a brilliant idea as I hate having to rely on a waitress to bring my bill to my table or having to wait to close my tab at a bar. Just curious about the dine & ditch.
smallfyi

other than the $.99, this is a good idea…any financially responsible person will not pay that, it's a waste of money…let's be honest, who's really in that big of a rush…and how long before enough restaurants have the software set up on their side…unless the bill is $1K, then the extra buck won't matter…
http://twitter.com/TabbedOut TabbedOut

Hi Steve,Through out integration with the bar/restaurant's POS, you actually provide your payment info upfront so a dine and ditch can simply be closed by the server.Thanks for the feedback, Rick OrrCEOTabbedOut
http://www.leenaeats.com/blog/the-gastronomical-leena/gastro-friday-how-mobile-devices-affect-the-food-world-part-3-mobile-meets-the-chefproprietor/ gastro friday: how mobile devices affect the food world part 3: mobile meets the chef/proprietor | Leena Eats

[...] Tabbedout is a great example of where this experience could be headed. This app allows you to see your check, calculate the tip and close your tab without ever having to wave down a bartender or busy waiter. The smart proprietor will put this in their patrons hands, instead of expecting them to have it on their own phone. [...]