Wagamama has now joined a small list of restaurants that are abandoning years of tradition and swapping the bill paying procedure for an Uber-style app.

The wagamamago app allows customers to order their food via the app, eat it and then walk out without waiting for the bill. Through the app you can split the bill with friends and leave a tip to your server.

According to the restaurant chain the app has the potential to save diners an average of 12 minutes by not having to wait and could be ideal for those in a rush during lunch.

Diners open the app on entering the restaurant, which supplies a four digit code to be given to the waiter to pair with the till.

The technology, run by Mastercard, stores card details and takes payment automatically, with the receipt emailed to the bill-payer.

Wagamama customer director Emma Woods said: “We wanted to bring truly frictionless payment to restaurants as we know waiting for the bill is frustrating.

“No more waving your hand in the air, trying to catch the waiter’s eye, once you’re ready you just go, and customers are automatically charged with the receipt emailed directly.

“Customers are accustomed to one-click payments for online retailers and walk-out payments from Uber, but there hasn’t been an app offering all of these functions for restaurants, which is what we have now created.”

The free app, available on iOS and Android, also allows customers to order more items from their phone, split the bill and pre-order takeaway.

Wagamamas certainly aren’t the only company that are trying to automate their restaurants, here are just some of the others that offer the same technology:

• Wahaca: One of the first to use this technology Wahaca lets you download an app, order from your table and then split the bill with your friends after you’ve left. Available on iOS and Android.

• Gourmet Burger Kitchen: GBK’s app lets you order your food at your table or pre-order food for collection and takeaway. Just like Wahaca you can split the bill and settle up outside of the restaurant. Available on iOS and Android.

• Flypay: This app lets you search for nearby restaurants that support bill-free paying and then settle the bill from within the app including adding a tip to your server. Available on iOS and Android.

• Wagamamago: Order your food, supply the waiter with a four digit code and then simply leave after you’ve finished. You can order for takeaway as well although Wagamama is supported on Deliveroo. Available on iOS and Android.

• QKR: Mastercard’s bill-free payment technology is compatible with multiple chains including Byron, Zizi, Ask and more. Works in exactly the same way as Flypay. Available on iOS and Android.

Or if you’re the social type you could actually talk to your server and still achieve exactly the same outcome as these apps.