August 31, 2016
You'd probably rather not remember that time (several times, maybe) when you left a long night at the bar(s) without your debit or credit card — even if you could remember it. Somehow, you wind up back home and don't realize until the morning that your card is missing.
As soon as the bar(s) reopens, you drag yourself back there and meekly ask the one person on staff if, by chance, they have your card. You stand there praying as they sort through their lost and unclaimed items. It's not a good look, especially if they don't have it.
That's why four Philadelphia entrepreneurs, all graduates of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, devised a new payment method that not only prevents the situation above from happening but also cuts through aggravating lines and bartenders who inexplicably spurn you.
BeerMe is a masterpiece of simplicity, as the company's animated video below demonstrates. Accounts are synced to PayPal and participating bars can take your order directly through the app, eliminating any kind of plastic or currency transaction. The menu won't cover every concoction at the bar, but if you need a quick go-to drink or you want a slick way to impress someone, BeerMe offers a convenient resource.
The app's creators — Evan Glickman, Mark Kozlowski, Tyler Neal and Ted Lui — developed the concept after analyzing what causes the biggest delays for bartenders. The answer, they found, is processing payments, not making your drinks or warding off flirty types.
To date, there only a handful of participating bars in Philadelphia: Bonner's Irish Pub, Coda Club, Field House, Irish Pub, PHS Viaduct Rail Park, Recess Lounge and Smokey Joe's. Eventually, as the app catches on, busy bars may find that it allows for a more efficient operation and division of labor.
