When the waitress at Cracked Egg dropped off our bill halfway through breakfast the other day, we were thrilled. We’ll get out of here before lunch! Because unless the food really sucks, inevitably the worst part of a dining experience is waiting for the bill … then waiting for the waitress to pick it up ... then waiting for her to return your card or change. So kudos to that waitress.

But double kudos to Ricardo’s (4930 W. Flamingo): They now use a handheld device that lets you swipe your card and pay right at the table. This is the sort of advance technology is supposed to make! Never mind that Ricardo’s thinks of it as a safety measure (“Our guests get to keep their credit card in their possession … creating a safe transaction from start to finish,” says owner Bob Ansara). To me, it’s the time saved that I’ll relish.