Ben’s Chili Bowl and Others Take Their Business to Smartphones
(Washington Post) — Ben’s Chili Bowl co-owner Nizam Ali’s challenge to tech-savvy customers this summer was simple: Create an iPhone application for the iconic U Street establishment. No mandates. No restrictions. Just build. The free-form contest generated a mix of neat ideas, including the winner’s concept to let photos taken by patrons with their iPhones be displayed on a digital screen on the restaurant’s wall. But several months after its launch, the app is primarily a fun distraction as customers wait for half-smokes and chili burgers.
