Nolan Bushnell set to open NEW entertainment resturant!

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Yes it's true folks....

Nolan's UWink company is opening a ALL-NEW exciting entertainment resturant concept. Check out this link!

www.uwink.com (http://www.uwink.com)

This is a similar concept to PTT, except this is far more high tech and aimed primarily at the trendy adult crowd. Nevertheless, this is VERY exciting news. It's great to see him getting interested in this again after all these years.

The first test location opens in early 2006 in CA. See his website for more info!

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

When looking at the Uwink site, be sure to click on the "Media Bistro" section. Here you will get more details, and even see the floor plans for the buildings layout.

There will be four different dining areas themed differently. It has been mentioned elsewhere that there WILL be gaming availible and other types of entertaiment. WHAT exactly has not been revealed, but if Nolan is envolved it's bound to be eye opening!

Don't forget to check out the menu too....wow this looks good!

First store slated to open in LA in 1st quarter of 2006.

[cbrooney]

I wonder if it will have any animatronics in it. I don't know, it doesn't seem like it, but one can only hope. The concept sounds great nonetheless.

[dheineCECfan]

I bet the uWink Media Bistro will be better than the PTT owned Zapp's and the CEC owned short lived T.J. Hartford's.

Could this be a contender to Dave and Buster's, Gameworks, and/or Jillian's?

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

It seems to be a very high-tech entertainment complex that is extremly streamlined as far as the foodservice part goes, and uniquely diverse as far as the entertainment end goes.

If you check out the website, you can see mock-up drawings of the bar area and dining table in another section. All tables have the thin-line plasma monitors for ordering food, drinks, and offer multiple entertaiment options. Everything from video games ( including the classic Nolan creation PONG!!), virtual activities, gambling games ( for fun..), and more.

It looks promising..and in LA i'm sure it will be a hit with the trendy crowd. Nolan is revisiting his past when you read the blurbs on the Uwink website regarding the resturant. Basically he is using the new place to help market many of the products and electronic goodies his current company produces much like he did when he opened the first PTT. PTT was created to help promote and sell his Atari video games. Genius really when you think about it...as products like this need to be exposed and seen/played for folks to find out about them and get interested. So he opens a place where families will be attracted to and introduces them to his brand of electronic entertainment and game offerings. Brilliant move really...i hope it's a success.

I'm sure there will be something "robotic" there as Uwink is still involved in robotics for entertainment purposes. Nolan would'nt forget to throw something in .....looking forward to seeing what he has in store.

[VegaNova]

Since TJ's was mentioned, it reminds me... We ate at TJ Hartford's with Steven back in September - on the trip home from meeting up with Jenn at Disney. Kind of a neat place, but nothing too impressive.

The logo was pretty ugly, but the food was decent. It was your run of the mill sports-bar type of restaurant so I'm not sure where they were trying to take this concept as far as being different or having anything unique to offer that isn't already out there. Plus it's right along this strip of restaurants such as Hooters, and Chili's, and several other recognized stores of the same genre. I'm not sure what the mentality was putting it smack dab in the middle of that competition.

The waitress was pretty hot though... that's what I remember most about the place.

-VegaNova

I'll have to check out that Uwink concept. I imagine they have games set up where you can compete with other tables of people. I remember something being said about that either on an earlier post or from that G4 Icons episode on Bushnell.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Yes, the dining tables are all set up to play multi-player games. This is covered on the Uwink site in the "Drinks" section.

Read all the sections and you will gain a very interesting peek into this concept. It's 1977 all over again Vega!! :D

[CEC3066]

CEC owned short lived T.J. Hartford's.

still open to my knowledge

[YoungCaliHottie]

im going!!!!

those will have to be some tough computers to withstand food/drinks being spilled all over them and kids punching them and abusing them. i dont know if this will turn out to be a family place. adults are not interested much in computers from what ive seen. i think teens/20's will be more interested. ppl who were born after computers were mainstream life. yet not kids much younger than teens cuz they'll still be the chuck e cheese crowd. maybe he's trying to pick up the market segment that outgrows cec...? menu looks great

[YoungCaliHottie]

wait a second! lol!

i just realized something!!

i already thought of this concept! lol

about two years ago a friend of mine opened a small cafe. he had coffee, tea, soda, and subs. he actually wanted it to be a "cyber" cafe, with internet touch screens at each table and some would have mmo games. at the time i already had megatouch machines in his cafe. so we came up with the idea of making our own megatouch type games, doing the internet idea, and also putting the menu on the systems so people could order from their tables! pretty much his concept! except i dont know if he is gonna have internet?

one more thing that we thought of that i dont see listed in nolans concept... but since he already beat me to everything else... the music playing in the cafe would be accessable via a jukebox interface. from the computer at your table, you could add a song to the playlist queue.

i dont know how nolan is going to do billing. but in our idea, the games, internet time, and jukebox charges, would all be added to the bill. either that, or we were going to sell prepaid cards that you could load with cash. to keep people from being turned off by this, we were going to allow refunds on unused card cash. that way you basically just pay for what you use and could get your money back if you wanted the change.

EDIT: oops... i never said what happened... lol... i did start on the software. but it is unfinished. it turned out to be a huge program because we wanted it to do cash register take out orders, table ordering, internet ordering for delivery/pick ups, the games, the internet, the jukebox, timeclock, and all the sales and tax reports. we also wanted it to know exactly how much ingredients each item took to make, and it would keep track of inventory and print out daily lists of what needed to be orders.
(example: it would know that an order of nachos took 4 tortillas to make, and 12 tortillas are in a pack. so after 3 orders, another pack would need to be opened. if we only had 10 packs at the start of the day, and we sold 15 orders of nachos, it would know we are down to 5 packs left and should get some ordered.)

also, the users has a huge amount of flexibility on customizing menu items or even making their own custom item from available ingredients. users could also save a customized item or order for fast ordering next time. and if they made their own item, they could name it and share it with other users. others users would be able to rate it and if it did well enough the system would add it to the menu where good customer creations would appear.

users could also see all their past orders, songs picked, game wins vs loses, basically their whole account history.

so the program was still in development until about 6 months ago when my friend decided he was going to sell the place to become a loan officer. he has since then sold the cafe, i sold my megatouch machines, and the program is incomplete. :P

dang, we almost beat nolan! lol

[ChuckEZone]

Not bad! Although it seems they may be trying to fit in too many LCD monitors. I also found it amusing that they have an area named "Studio C" :lol

Studio C:
"The largest of the dining experience features a formal presidium stage and a variety of seating options. Ideal for the table-to-table and room play this area also can become an instant quiz show venue or presentation stage."

Media Bistro > Activity Zones (http://www.uwink.com/activity.htm)

[YoungCaliHottie]

i thought that was funny too lol

[JyPsy]

I read about this a few months back in Wired magazine, seems really neat, but i doubt it will do that well..

I hope I'm wrong, it would be a nice change of pace from what is out there these days.

[CEC3066]

I also found it amusing that they have an area named "Studio C" :lol

Lawsuit anyone?

[YoungCaliHottie]

lol.


naw, i think its too basic of a name to be able to sue over.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Hi Gang..

Thought i would post an update of this...

Looks like the resturant is still being worked on, but things are looking pretty nice! The website has been updated a little, and the new working title of Nolan's new place is "uWink Bristo"

Check out the updates via the link in my first post.

As it stands now, they are shooting for a 3rd Quarter opening in LA with another location to open in another nearby area soon after.

Originally it was said uWink Bristo was to open this past March, but that has been delayed.

I do hope this place opens by the beginning of next year. With all this talk of CheeseVention 4 being held out in CA next year, it would be pretty sweet if a visit to this resturant could be a option!

I'll post any more info if i hear of it....

[dheineCECfan]

Why not a uWink Bistro in San Jose, California possibly on the same street the first CECPTT in 1977 was?

Also: 1) Does Nolan now live in Southern California and not Northern California? 2) Is Alicia Bushnell Nolan's daughter as I saw on the contact section of the uWink.com web site?

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Darryl, i noted above that they plan on opening another location somewhere else in the area soon after the first location opens. Wether or not it will be way up in San Jose' no one really knows here at this point.

I would assume that the contact name is in some way related to Nolan.

[Rapid T Rabbit]

Hmmm...possibly everything but rides? :p

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

No rides...

This UnWink bristo concept is more in line with the trendy internet technoid crowd. Not a arcade per sey...and certainly not geared in any way for kids.

Think of it as a Starbucks in resturant form, but with a Tecchie edge.

Read the various aritcles on the UWink website to learn more.

;)

[dheineCECfan]

Yes, Nolan's uWink Bistro will be like Starbucks and not like CEC/ShowBiz or Dave and Buster's or the CECPTT owned Zapp's or the CEC owned T.J. Hartford's.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Just wanted to update this thread with the latest news, as this is a topic i have been following.

Ground has finally broke on the first Unwink resturant location this past May. For those who know the area, or live nearby, the first Uwink Bistro will be located at the Westfield Promenade in Woodland Hills, CA. It is above Maggiano's Little Italy resturant and the Corner Bakery on the north side of the mall according to the latest press releases on the Uwink website.

It's nice to see the place is finally being built after many years in developement. We should see it open in time for Cv4! Yay!! :D

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Awesome news folks....

A little birdie has told me that UWink Bistro OPENS this coming Monday ( October 16th)!!

Special thanks to Menutia for this scoop!

;)

[menutia]

uWink, Inc. (OTCBB:UWNK), a publicly-held digital entertainment company, today announced that the first uWink restaurant will open Monday, October 16th, in Woodland Hills, California. uWink is an entirely new restaurant concept that combines food, drinks, and media -- inviting guests to eat, drink and engage at the same time, from their tables via touch screens.

The 5,400 square-foot restaurant is located above Maggiano's Little Italy on the north side of Woodland Hills' Westfield Promenade, just off Topanga Canyon Blvd. and Highway 101. Guests can enjoy the relaxed modern ambience with a dynamic projected interior. Hours of operation are 11:00 a.m. to midnight, Sunday through Thursday, and 11:00 a.m. to 2 a.m., Friday and Saturday.

The latest innovation from Nolan Bushnell, the founder and former CEO of Atari, Inc. and the Chuck E. Cheese restaurant chain -- now CEC Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:CEC), uWink is designed to offer new entertainment options (including games, movie trailers, horoscopes, and other media) for its customers. Guests order food, drinks and media directly via touch screen terminals at their tables while uWink runners deliver guests' selections quickly and accurately. Guests can participate in the entire uWink experience as a single table, engage other tables, or eventually interact with guests and tables at other uWink restaurants.

"uWink is not just a new restaurant, it's a new type of dining experience. Our innovative combination of food, drink and digital media offers customers a fun new way to connect with family, friends and even other customers if they want," said Mr. Bushnell, chief executive officer at uWink, Inc. "From our relaxed hip decor to our delicious fresh food to our dynamic and diverse types of media, we have crafted each detail of uWink with the specific purpose of providing a unique, entertaining and unforgettable dining experience."

Infused with global flavors and packed with fresh ingredients, uWink's modern comfort-food menu offers guests a wide selection of delicious dishes and vibrant flavors at affordable prices. Guests can start with appetizers like Rock & Roll, a spicy twist on the classic quesadilla, and Crispy Sushi Rolls and then enjoy one of uWink's fresh-to-order salads like the BBQ Steak Salad or the Old School Cobb. Guests looking for a little heartier fare can choose among such dishes as Spicy Thai Pasta, Pan Seared Salmon, Korean Skirt Steak or guests can choose to build their own burger. uWink also offers a full bar with an extensive selection of wines and beers along with numerous specialty drinks.

uWink, Inc. is a publicly-held digital entertainment company based in Los Angeles, California that develops interactive entertainment for restaurants, bars, and mobile devices. Led by entertainment and restaurant visionary Nolan Bushnell, founder and former CEO of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese (NYSE: CEC), uWink is currently building a new entertainment dining experience called uWink that leverages uWink's proprietary network and entertainment software. For more information visit: www.uwink.com.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Awesome.....

Let's all hope it will be a hit and the place will still be around for CheeseVention 4!

:D

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

There is a great video interview/walk through with Nolan now posted on YouTube. The link can be found in the CEC section here, or just type in "uWink" in the YouTube search box.

Pretty cool...but i was surprised at how plain the walls looked. Originally i had read they were doing to be much more exciting.

For those wanting to know....we plan on visiting uWink for lunch during CV4 this year. Hope you can join us!

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Here is something worth reading...

They have set up a regularly updated blog containing anything related to Nolan's new place.

Check it out here:

blog.uwink.com (http://blog.uwink.com)

[pizzacam]

Maybe I missed this cause I not a big reader but...why'd he name it uWink? 8o

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

The resturant was simply named after his current Company.....that's all.

uWink has been his latest business venture...as the website will tell you in more detail. The resturant is just a way of introducing the technology his uWink company produces....very much like how his Pizza Time Theatres were developed to showcase his previous company Atari's video games.

So think of the name as simply a "brand".

[PizzaFan25]

sounds very intresting!:D

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Indeed......

Stop by the website and read the latest updates!

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Check this out:

http://www.blog.uwink.com

This is a great spot to catch up on all the latest, including a link to a "live" blog page that links into the resturants menu system:

http://www.beta.uwink.com

:happy:

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

I came across a couple of neat articles about uWink...

Will re-post the links below ( first try did not work)

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Found a couple of interesting articles about visits to uWInk.

Below is one that gives a nice overview and also some NICE photos that will show you around the restaurant:


http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/655621/EXCLUSIVE_UWink_Restaurant.html

Enjoy!

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

This second link is interesting as it about a group of gaming fans going to uWink and meeting Nolan:

http://www.losanjealous.com/2006/11/06/a-night-at-uwink/

Very cool...

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

CheeseVention 4 is fast approaching, so i am bumping this thread up in the event some of the attendees would like to read more about where we will be having Lunch on Saturday!

Definately check out the video links i posted above....it will give you a good idea of what to expect!

;)

[dheineCECfan]

I wonder if UWink Bistros will open in the New York City, Chicago, and/or Washington, D.C. markets in the next few years...

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Possible. Right now they are gathering up forces to branch out, much like the way PTT started out.

PTT opens one local location and builds up some momentum as well as investors, then opens i few more locations in the next year or two. After a few choice spots prove successful, the concept is spun off into franchises and it takes over the world!

uWink may well have a similar goal. There are already some simularities.

:)

[dheineCECfan]

I just saw the pics of the UWink Bistro on the G4 blog (speaking of G4, in the glory early 2002-2004 years G4 aired in the Icons series the Nolan Bushnell episode), nice pics. But what is Emily's Salad. And the menu item headings are nearly 1980's CECPTT nameplate/area signage print or something like that.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

I could be wrong, but "Emily's Salad" is named after one of Nolan's daughters.

:)

Yes, the screen menu font is reminisent of the PTT/Atari font back in the day.

Classics don't need to change man!

;)

[Toonygirl]

I think that cats who play jazz music will be there.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

No pets are allowed at uWink......


:smokin:




Ah just playing with ya....


uWInk was GREAT! I just came back from my first trip to CA and during CV4 we stopped in and had a nice Lunch. I thought the place was neat, and i like the concept a lot. I really think this could take off if they opened locations in college towns and high volume airports. I can totally see uWink being a hit here in the Boston area, what with all the thousands of college kids. They would eat it up! It is perfectly suited for them

One thing i found interesting while at uWink was the clientel: It was NOT all just snobby trendy folk. I was surprised to see a lot of average people in there, and a lot of shoppers with there kids eating at the tables! uWink is targeted towards young adult women, and i guess that target audience is indeed "getting it".

I think the neatest thing i saw however while there was when playing the onscreen game "Bloxx". Nolan was listed as the top scorer, and one of his daughters was listed right below him! This was a neat little in-joke that made me chuckle.....

The food was excellent...i highly recommend it. Sure it was a little more then you would pay at home at a average restaurant, but you get what you pay for folks and you got something special here. The service system was different ( the touch screen ordering, etc.) and it was prompt. The only problems happened at the conclusion of our meal, when our group was a little confused about how to pay. Normally you punch out on the tables' touch screen, however since the CV4 group was so large, we had to divide the bill between several people. The easiest way was to just pair up each tables' bill, which is what was done, but the machines did not allow for it to be done at the table. Once we all finally figured what we needed to do to pay ( get up and go to the counter) everything was fine again.

If you live in the CA area i would definately check it out. It is time well spent, and i think you will find it well worth the trip. I know i did!

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Hot news i just came across on the new updated uWink website:

Two more uWink locations are slated to open in early 2008: One is Los Angeles, and another in Hollywood. Both will be in high-profile shopping complexes.

Read more about it here:

http://www.beta.uwink.com/content/view/137/51/ (http://beta.uwink.com/content/view/137/51)

[dheineCECfan]

As I bump this thread up: Has Nolan cut back on opening new UWink locations at the time of the sagging economy?