Fast-Food Burger Meets Social Networking

Probably not what Ray Kroc envisioned: a new burger joint that opens in Manhattan next month adds an element of social networking to lunch. 4Food patrons custom-order their burgers (online, of course) and name their creations. Every time someone else orders your burger (the eatery will encourage people to push them on Twitter, Facebook, et al,) you get a 25-cent credit and, more importantly, the glory of moving up the leaderboard.

Employees are armed with iPads, and receipts come with a WiFi password. The restaurant also will push a green mission with a focus on local ingredients. It might be "the most idealistic concept that the fast-food industry has yet seen," writes Caroline McCarthy at CNET. Whether busy New Yorkers will buy in is another question. More details at the New York Times and Eater.com.
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