Greek Diner on the Biometrics Cutting Edge

I was back in the Washington, DC, area this past week and took the time to visit one of my old haunts, a wonderful 24-hour Greek diner in Vienna, VA, called Amphora Restaurant (and Bakery). All through my undergraduate studies at nearby George Mason University, I subsisted on the Amphora's Greek Burgers, fried zucchini, 'breakfast served all day' and, of course, their awesome cheescake which is annually rated as the "Best in Washington."On this visit, however, I noticed something odd sitting by the cash register as I paid the check: a fingerprint scanner. I asked the manager what it was for, and she said it was part of their wait-staff check management system. For example, many restaurants have systems where the wait staff can swipe a magnetic card and call up all their open tabs. This system apparently takes things a step further, using a fingerprint to verify the identity instead of an additional passcode.I'm not sure the midnight dinner tabs at a Greek diner require that much security -- although CIA headquarters is only about 7 miles up that very same road -- but it's interesting to know that one of America's greatest late-night eateries is keeping up with the times.