You've been redirected from MobilePaymentsToday.com to PaymentsDive.com. In March 2021, Mobile Payments Today became a part of Payments Dive. For the latest payments news, sign up for the daily newsletter.

Lucky Strike and Tabbedout make bowling even less strenuous

Use cases for mobile payments have ranged from transit to parking to buying a cup of coffee, but Tabbedout has a new one and it's bordering on genius: bowling.

Lucky Strike, a chain of upscale bowling alleys (no, that's not oxymoronic), has partnered with Tabbedout to offer a free mobile payment app that lets bowlers open and pay their tabs right from their phones. That means no more walking from the lanes to the bar to order food and drinks. (Even casual bowlers will understand how uncomfortable that can be, especially in rented footwear.)

Lucky Strike is offering the Tabbedout app in eight of its 20 locations including their flagship location in Hollywood as well as Boston, Denver, Philadelphia, San Francisco and two Chicago-area locations. The Lucky Strike app is integrated with the chain's MICROS point-of-sale systems and comes out of Tabbedout's partnership with MICROS.

"Tabbedout is unique in that it is deeply integrated with our POS system, which made it simple to install and enables customers to securely pay directly from their own device," said Steven Foster, CEO and co-founder of Lucky Strike. "We want to create a guest experience that offers the latest amenities and keeps guests coming back."

Foster said the Tabbedout app means guests no longer have to wait for a server to bring them the check, so they can focus on having a good time and Lucky Strike's wait staff can concentrate on serving customers.

The Tabbedout app for Lucky Strike is available for both iPhone and Android users. Bowlers store their credit or debit card information with the app. As they order food and beverages they can track their tab, closing it out when they're ready to leave.

"Lucky Strike is the perfect venue to offer Tabbedout," said Alex Broeker, president of Tabbedout. "Whether a guest moves from a bowling lane to a bar to one of the lounges, they can control their tab by being able to open, view and pay their tab from wherever they are, without the need for waiting for the server. This leads to a better guest experience, which is a top priority for Lucky Strike and for Tabbedout."

Tabbedout is based in Austin, Texas. It currently provides services to more than 1000 bars and restaurants across the U.S.

For more stories like this, visit the POS research center.