First off, how do you even pronounce the company’s name? Is it “Tap ‘n go,” or said all in one word, “Tapingo?” Students have reached out to the company through Facebook and Twitter to settle the issue. Tapingo, however, responded with “we’ve heard this question many times from customers just like you. We enjoy the debate. How do you pronounce it?” and “It was born as ‘Tapingo,’ but it’s 50/50 here in the office. We’ll let you decide.” This is an interesting marketing ploy utilized by Tapingo. They created buzz about how to say the company’s name to get people to start talking about their app around the college and university campuses they serve.
Has Tapingo aided in college students’ laziness? There are several pros and cons to the app. First the interface is super easy to use and convenient because you can order ahead of time right from your phone. Secondly, you do not have to wait in line to order. Lastly the app tells you the current preparation stage your food is in.
Some cons are that the estimated time is more often than not inaccurate even though you get a text saying “your order at the (insert dining location name) Magic Meal (#) should be ready, GO GRAB IT!” For payment methods make sure that if it is a general swipe that you select it rather than wasting a magic meal. Also know that for some meals, you cannot make specific customizations. Ultimately this app is great for when the line at The Point or whichever dining location you are at is way too long and our human nature of impatience kicks, in or when your schedule for the day is so busy that makes it hard to fit a meal in.
Tapingo has become a commonly used app around campus, and student-worker Montana Palmer can attest, “I’ve worked at The Point for a year and Tapingo was implemented second semester last year. I’ve definitely noticed a change in that more kids order on Tapingo than those who come to order at the register. I have seen that Tapingo has become part of their routine and happens on a regular basis. I think that it’s a good thing if you are really busy and literally have no time to eat. But if you don’t have any obligations, then I personally believe that time should be spent with friends because sometimes I don’t have class with them and dinner is usually the only time I can see them.”
Tapingo is a tool to make life easier. If you want to make sure that your food is ready in time and still warm, check the estimated time for when your order will be placed and plan ahead. Tapingo is awesome for when you have a night class and you can send in your order before the end of the period so your meal will be ready for you when class is dismissed. It is also great for off campus locations because you can place the order before you leave campus and hopefully it will be ready when you arrive. In short, there is a little bit of laziness in all of us, and Tapingo is definitely indicative of it, but that’s okay once in a while.
Sometimes you just don’t have time to sit and chat over a meal because we have a million things to fit into one day and the app helps you multitask to get everything done. Dinnertime in my family was a time where we enjoyed each other’s company and communicate what is going on in our lives. As course work picks up, club meetings occur, athletic practices are scheduled, and extracurricular activities take over our lives, we forget to have conversations with friends over a meal and revert to being consumed by our phones. Our generation is known to be engrossed in technology and to not be present with the people we are with, which I am completely guilty of. Take the hour or however long it takes to eat and put your phone away because the friendships and relationships you make here are your family away from home. I know binge watching Netflix is tempting to just Tapingo, but take a break and be with your friends.
Categories: Opinion
