Wednesday, December 3, 2003
WiFi Coming To... Denny's?
Posted by Janak Parekh in "NEWS" @ 09:30 PM
If you asked me to come up with a list of vendors or restaurants that would announce WiFi access by the end of 2003, Denny's would never have crossed my mind. And yet, that seems to be precisely what they're doing.
"Cafe.com, a premier wireless hotspot provider, today announced that the company will be bringing wireless Internet access (also known as 'Wi-Fi') to Denny's restaurants across the USA and Canada. Cafe.com will immediately 'light up' over 40 Denny's restaurants in cities from California to Florida and will continue to roll out wireless Internet service in Denny's restaurants throughout the coming year. Cafe.com had been working with the Denny's Franchisee Association for over 4 months to define a wireless Internet service that would fit with Denny's business operations and positively extend the Denny's brand into this new area of restaurant service."
I have a serious question for you all on this note. I understand the value proposition at "premium" or "lounge" places like Starbucks -- not only is there often dead time at such places, but people indeed bring in laptops or PDAs and sit in a local Starbucks for hours. However, I don't see how I'd actually want to sit in a "discount" restaurant, like a Denny's or McDonald's, for extended periods of time and websurf. I'm curious as to what you think.
"Cafe.com, a premier wireless hotspot provider, today announced that the company will be bringing wireless Internet access (also known as 'Wi-Fi') to Denny's restaurants across the USA and Canada. Cafe.com will immediately 'light up' over 40 Denny's restaurants in cities from California to Florida and will continue to roll out wireless Internet service in Denny's restaurants throughout the coming year. Cafe.com had been working with the Denny's Franchisee Association for over 4 months to define a wireless Internet service that would fit with Denny's business operations and positively extend the Denny's brand into this new area of restaurant service."
I have a serious question for you all on this note. I understand the value proposition at "premium" or "lounge" places like Starbucks -- not only is there often dead time at such places, but people indeed bring in laptops or PDAs and sit in a local Starbucks for hours. However, I don't see how I'd actually want to sit in a "discount" restaurant, like a Denny's or McDonald's, for extended periods of time and websurf. I'm curious as to what you think.
