Tab X
Photo: Birmingham Magazine
It’s a fact that the only thing worse than a hangover after a night of (safe) bar-hopping is the dreaded realization that you forgot to close your tab and left your credit card at the bar. It’s a problem many experience, but one that may soon follow the path of the dinosaurs to extinction.
A phone application called Tab X, developed by two Birmingham brothers, allows you to enter and leave your bar of choice without ever taking your wallet out. Users can open and close bar tabs, review order summaries, see local drink specials, and more, all from their phones.
“Even before you go to a bar, you’re able to go onto this app and open your tab,” says Tab X co-creator Josh Taylor. “Then, when you’re ready to pay up, instead of standing in a line, you simply open the app again, add whatever percentage tip you want to, and close out.”
For example, on a weekend night out, the app could be a timesaver for both you and busy bartenders.
“If you go to Avondale Brewery before a show at Saturn, about 20 minutes before the show everyone tries to close out; the bartender can’t pour drinks anymore, and you’ll probably be late to the show,” Josh says. “With this app, you’ll be able to close your tab while walking over [to the show] and skip that whole process.”
Users don’t have to immediately close their tabs when they leave, either. Tab X allows for multiple tabs to remain open at the same time, enabling bar patrons to roam around town to their hearts’ content.
Thanks to an “auto-close” feature, should you forget to close your tab before the bar closes for the night, your tab will automatically close out with no penalty.
“You can go home, fall asleep, then while you’re asleep, it’ll close for you,” says co-creator Jay Taylor. “That problem of leaving your card behind will be eliminated.”
Tab X uses the electronic payment company Stripe to connect user profiles to their bank accounts for safe and seamless transactions. After each close-out, a running order summary details all drink expenses.
The brothers began production on Tab X more than a year ago, but had to shelve the project when everyday life took over. Relative newcomers to the app development industry, the Taylor brothers now have paired with app developers Kirk Alford and Troy Meyer to turn their dream into a reality. After plenty of long hours, the group is excited to debut the app this spring.
Tab X is not the first app attempting to solve the tab-closing conundrum, but Josh says they’ve identified key reasons Tab X will succeed where others have failed. One is Birmingham’s geography—not too big or too small, with plenty of bars, as well as a population willing to adopt and use new technology. In Birmingham, Taylor believes they can quickly connect the entire community to Tab X for a truly immersive experience.
Another past roadblock was connecting a bar’s existing point-of-sale (POS) system to the app, requiring owners to install a new system to match the technology. Tab X is built to operate immediately with existing technology. It also is adaptable to a range of operating systems, a crucial development that can ease establishments into adopting the app.
“It’s really appealing to the end users who are going out to the bars, but we see a real benefit for the bartenders as well,” Jay says. “We see it saving bartenders a lot of time. Instead of stopping selling drinks to go close tabs, they can spend that time racking up sales, which can help the bar and it will improve their tips.”
Once Tab X is operational in Birmingham, the goal is to spread it to Auburn and Tuscaloosa, then to other Alabama cities and beyond. And since it operates without location constraints, one could set up a bar tab for a party before they arrive, or buy someone a drink from anywhere in the world. The only thing Tab X can’t do? Order your drinks.
“It seems like a good idea to have an ‘ordering’ function, but if you order a drink off your phone, where does the bartender put it?” Josh says. “Having an ordering function actually creates problems.”
This winter, Paramount Bar served as ground zero for Tab X’s test operations while the team worked out the kinks. As more bars adopt the technology, Tab X will function as a direct marketing service to promote drink specials, events, and new bar locations, further connecting people to the community.
“I’m excited about creating something that we believe is going to be a real asset for people,” Jay says. “I’m excited to deliver a top-quality product that we’re proud of and Birmingham can be proud of.
Features of Tab X
· Open a bar tab from anywhere in the world
· Keep multiple bar tabs open at the same time
· Close your bar tab or tabs remotely
· Auto-close for your bar tab when you forget to close out
· Search and compare drink specials
· Discover new or different bars around town
· Get a printable expenditure summary at the end of the night
Details
Tab X will be available to download in all device app stores.