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App lets hungry CBD workers jump the food court queues

Queuing will be a thing of the past with a new app that lets office workers pre-order lunch from their phone and jump the line to pick it up.

Claire Reilly Former Principal Video Producer
Claire Reilly was a video host, journalist and producer covering all things space, futurism, science and culture. Whether she's covering breaking news, explaining complex science topics or exploring the weirder sides of tech culture, Claire gets to the heart of why technology matters to everyone. She's been a regular commentator on broadcast news, and in her spare time, she's a cabaret enthusiast, Simpsons aficionado and closet country music lover. She originally hails from Sydney but now calls San Francisco home.
Expertise Space | Futurism | Robotics | Tech Culture | Science and Sci-Tech Credentials
  • Webby Award Winner (Best Video Host, 2021), Webby Nominee (Podcasts, 2021), Gold Telly (Documentary Series, 2021), Silver Telly (Video Writing, 2021), W3 Award (Best Host, 2020), Australian IT Journalism Awards (Best Journalist, Best News Journalist 2017)
Claire Reilly

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The Eat on Time App. Westfield

Sydneysiders can now ditch the queue for lunch with a new app that lets them order in advance and jump to the front of the line when they arrive to pick it up.

The Eat on Time app was created by Westfield, so it's limited to restaurants inside the Westfield Sydney shopping centre, but it offers an easy way for office workers short on time to get lunch quickly.

Users can choose from a number of restaurants and cafes in the centre, select their meal and pay within the app using securely stored credit cards details. There are 16 restaurants featured on the app (including perennial queue generators Din Tai Fung), and app users can take their pick from the menus before placing their order.

The app estimates food preparation times so you can time your walk from the office, and you can nominate when you'd like to pick up your meal. Finally, when you arrive to collect your food, you can walk straight to the counter to pick it up, without queuing.

After a pilot in San Francisco, the app is now available for download on iPhone or desktop for Westfield Sydney in the CBD, with plans to roll it out to Westfield shopping centres nationally after a six month trial.