Express Starbucks via the Web, phone
From the Wall Street Journal Digits column (subscription required):
Tired of waiting in lines for that morning latte? Coffee drinkers in Seattle and Denver can avoid the wait by dialing ahead to certain Starbucks coffee shops, wired with technology from Ontain Corp., a Bellevue, Wash., wireless company.
The coffee company began testing the service in 10 Seattle shops in August 2001 and expanded this year to 60 shops in Denver. Clogged commuters can call ahead by cellphone and, with the touch of a key, place an order that will be ready and waiting.
Users register online, punching in credit-card information, store selection and a drink or pastry of choice. The call is linked to the cash register, which spits out a sticker of the order tagged with the user's ID. The service costs 25 cents more.