Bar patrons pay tab with iPhone app

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Same orders. Same charge. This time, you're just paying the bartender by phone.

"If you forget to close your tab,” said Seth Gnader, a bartender at Kung Fu Saloon in Austin, “you can close it in your car on the way home or in your cab. That's why I think it's a good system."

Lately, when Gnader's not mixing drinks, he's spilling everything he knows about TabbedOut.

"You don't have to worry about waiting in line,” he tells one customer, “just roll out while you walk out, close out, yeah, it's cool."

The Austin-invented iPhone app allows patrons to open, review and pay their tabs all in a matter of clicks.

"If you have people who love to put drinks on your tab,” said Colleen Herrmann, a Kung Fu customer, “you can keep an eye on it and not have to worry about that."

Gnader's bar is one of a dozen in the capital city already participating in the program. Soon, it will also be available for Droids and Blackberries. The makers hope to go nationwide within the year.

"We take plastic out of the equation,” said Rick Orr of ATX Innovation, Inc., “so there's a security benefit to that where you don't have it setting out behind a bar for multiple or even leaving your pocket to go into the hands of people you don't know."

"For me personally,” said Jaime Escareno, another Kung Fu customer, I don't think I'd go that route, because I wouldn't trust myself for something that easy where I'm like, 'Here you go.'"

"You can look at your tab the whole time and actually close your tab on your phone,” said Gnader.

The free app cuts down on lines. Gnader joked it gives him more time to focus on those really regular, thirsty, big tippers.

"It makes it faster for your to order drinks,” he said. “Everything flows better… and you're not allowed to tip less than 20%. The way it's set up, which is good for me. I'm just the bartender."