# TabSprint: A Mobile Payment Platform for Bars
TabSprint is a mobile payment application designed to streamline ordering and payment at bars and hospitality venues, rather than a traditional technology company in the software infrastructure sense. Founded as a co-venture by Joshua Berman, John Chipouras, and Grant Warman, TabSprint operated from Durham, NC, and focused on solving a specific problem in the bar industry: reducing friction in the ordering and payment process while simultaneously driving sales uplift for beverage brands.[1]
High-Level Overview
TabSprint's core offering was a mobile app that enabled customers to order and pay directly from their phones at participating bars, eliminating the need to wait for bartender attention. The platform served both end consumers (bar patrons) and business clients (bar venues and beverage suppliers like ABInBev). The company's primary value proposition centered on three interconnected benefits: improving customer experience through faster service, increasing operational efficiency for bars by enabling rapid turnover, and providing beverage brands with a direct channel to influence purchasing decisions through intelligent menu design and product prioritization.[1]
The company demonstrated early traction through a notable pilot program. In late 2013, TabSprint conducted a single-market experiment with ABInBev across 20 venues with approximately 3,000 users. The results were compelling: the app achieved a 14% sales uplift across the entire market, including venues where TabSprint was not active, with data independently verified by a third party.[1] This spillover effect suggested the app's influence extended beyond direct users, likely through word-of-mouth and brand visibility.
Core Differentiators
TabSprint's competitive advantages centered on several key elements:
- Menu Prioritization & "Nudges": The platform used subtle information architecture principles to influence customer purchasing behavior without heavy-handed marketing. The company even created special drink categories specifically to feature ABInBev products, demonstrating how software design could drive commercial outcomes.[1]
- Hardware Integration: TabSprint paired its mobile app with dedicated LED signage at bars, creating a multi-sensory experience that served three simultaneous functions: designating a dedicated service space for app users, signaling to existing users that a bar accepted TabSprint payments, and attracting new users through visual prominence and the "highway effect" of rapid service.[1]
- Comprehensive Brand Development: Co-founder Joshua Berman oversaw every aspect of the TabSprint brand ecosystem—from visual design and product architecture to advertising and iconography—ensuring cohesive market positioning.[1]
Role in the Broader Tech Landscape
TabSprint emerged during a period of significant disruption in payment technology and mobile-first consumer experiences (early 2010s). The company rode two converging trends: the smartphone revolution enabling location-based services and the broader shift toward frictionless commerce. By targeting the hospitality sector specifically, TabSprint addressed a genuine operational pain point—bartender bottlenecks during peak hours—while simultaneously creating a new marketing channel for beverage suppliers.
The platform's success in demonstrating measurable sales uplift positioned it as a proof-of-concept for how mobile technology could reshape venue economics and supplier relationships. This was particularly valuable for large beverage companies seeking direct consumer engagement beyond traditional advertising.
Quick Take & Future Outlook
While the search results provide evidence of TabSprint's early success and innovative approach, they do not contain information about the company's current status, subsequent funding, market expansion, or eventual outcome. The most recent documented activity dates to the 2013-2015 period when Joshua Berman served as Chief Marketing Officer and Design Director.[1] Without current data, it's unclear whether TabSprint scaled beyond its initial pilot phase, pivoted its business model, or exited the market.
The company's core insight—that software design can simultaneously improve user experience and drive commercial outcomes—remains relevant to modern hospitality technology. However, the competitive landscape has evolved significantly, with established payment processors and larger tech companies now offering similar solutions. TabSprint's future trajectory would have depended on its ability to scale beyond early adopters and compete against better-capitalized rivals.
