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Dash wants you to pay your happy hour tab with your iPhone

Alternative payment methods seem to be all the rage these days, from retailer-specific virtual cards that can be loaded with currency to the movement to make NFC-based payment kiosks an option at retailers. As VentureBeat reports, New York's Dash wants to do things a bit differently and by targeting eateries and bars, it may have a good chance to carve out its own niche.

The Dash app for iPhone allows patrons of participating bars and restaurants to view, split and pay their tabs without ever reaching for a purse or wallet. The system has the added benefit of keeping you from having to wave down a waiter or waitress when you're ready to hit the road -- but food service workers don't have to worry about missing a tip, as Dash has a built-in feature for that as well.

It's a novel idea, but since getting restaurants nationwide to jump on board isn't easy, Dash is starting with New York City, where the company claims it already has over 50 bars and food joints on its list. Dash is slated to hit the App Store in August, and if things go well, the company is ready to expand to cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Miami.