Meet the Talking Menu
In mid-2006, Susan Perry was inspired by her niece, who suffers from macular degeneration.
Sitting at a restaurant, Perry grabbed a napkin and sketched an idea for a talking menu that would help blind people place orders.
Two years and $600,000 in investments later, her Miami company, Taylannas, produces audible menus that can be found in roughly 30 locally owned restaurants in South Florida as well as two chains, the Original Pancake House and the Lion and the Rose.
Perry’s Menu That Talks allows diners to hear options by pushing buttons—press one, for instance, and a voice reads off dishes, descriptions, and prices. The menu also features flashing lights that can be activated to alert waiters when a customer wants service.
A package of five costs $3,500, offset by a 50% federal tax break for small businesses that provide services to people with disabilities. Her client base could soon become international. Perry, 51, says an upscale Italian cruise line is testing the menu in its dining rooms.
Photo by Taylannas.
cassy on February 9th, 2009 8:51 pm
wow! that is a great idea specially for blind people,it will make them comfortable and easiest way for them choosing their favorate food from the menu,its not just good for the customers but for the waiter also, it will make their service fast and good, this new invention of a menu was really a cool idea i like it,!
Jaclyn on February 10th, 2009 11:05 am
I agree….Wow! that is a awesome invention for the blind. however, it seems from the description that they still have to have some sort of brail experience and the menu’s have to have some sort of brail on them as it indicates that the customer can push 1 for menu dishes, etc. well…unless there is still some sort of brail on them…how else do they know where number 1 is? now if a menu came out that was completely automated to the point where a customer could say an option such as “1″ and it automatically runs down the options in “1″…then that would truly be cool!
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