We regret to inform you that you are, once again, being watched. Not in the “new store policy” way local Wegmans locations have recently adopted, but in the totally unethical, very creepy and non-concentual way one might expect was devised by a scorned, loveless coder living in their parents’ barely finished basement. The “product” in question is called Damnlines, and it promises its users will never wait longer than they want to for anything (though it seems particularly focused at the moment on trendy breakfast, lunch, and late-night options in the West Village).
But it is effectively a live surveillance system monitoring patrons outside of—for now—a handful of New York restaurants by paying people who live across the street from them to install IP cameras and serve as their eyes on the queue. According to the site’s about page, the cameras are operational for “2 hours before a business opens to 1 hour after it closes.” In the case of John’s of Bleeker Street, one of the four spots currently being surveiled within a few West Village blocks of each other, that would put a live stream of unsuspecting slice-seekers up for 14-plus hours per day (from 9:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.). There are also cameras set up to monitor Salt Hank’s across the street, the L’industrie location on Christopher Street, and Breakfast by Salt Cure on Morton Street. It’s unclear whether any of these restaurants, or, more importantly, their patrons, are aware that they’re being watched while waiting on line. Perhaps, someone should inform them, and see whether this is actually a welcomed or worthwhile utility for a person looking for a slice on their lunch break.
What’s more, Damnlines is set on expanding its project, inviting users to vote on the next additions to its line-busting CCTV network. The current top-five suggested businesses consists of Apollo Bagels’ East Village location, Carroll Gardens pizza palace Lucali, West Village fine dining institution 4 Charles, Gramercy ice cream icons Caffe Panna, and Radio Bakery’s Greenpoint outpost.
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