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We’ve seen technology become an essential part of the traveling experience. But, what about dining? Check out some of these new restaurant apps.

You’ve heard of Open Table, where you can make restaurant reservations online. It’s even installed in some cars, so you can literally make reservations on the go.

Now, you can even pay for your meal through the OpenTable app.

The mobile payment option is available at restaurants in San Francisco and New York, and it’s expected to be in 20 more cities—including Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Seattle—later this year.

Also, look for an app called iWaiter, which will let you order food from your smartphone, even if you’re inside the restaurant.

That’s handy, but there’s one very important reason to use this technology… it’ll calculate the tip for you.

Another big trend is to order your food through a tablet at your table, and pay through the same system. You may have seen these at big chains like Chili’s and Applebee’s, and even inside airports like Minneapolis-St. Paul and LaGuardia.

Hey, all we need are robots serving the meal and we can eliminate human interaction altogether.

For more information, visit the Apps & Technology Archives and the Culinary Travel Archives.

Keep reading for more travel tips.