The same guy who founded Atari and Chuck E. Cheese has come up with a theme restaurant for the entire family. Nolan Bushnell started and later sold Atari, but I didn’t know he was behind the kids’ pizza restaurant. His new uWink franchise blends his computer and restaurant experiences.

The menu is 180 degrees from Chuck E.’s, with pan-seared salmon sandwiches and pasta served up with wines and martinis, plus some yummy-sounding desserts. You order from a touch screen on your table that also lets you play computer games with your kids or by yourself.

Even if you can’t afford an electronic emporium like uWink, you could exploit some of his ideas. How about touch screens in high-traffic areas that suggest clothing outfits or color combinations? Or print daily “menus” of special sales and offers, and hand them to customers as they walk in the door.

Bushnell designed his new place with women in mind. It gives them the opportunity to spend quality time with their families, even if computer games are involved. As the website says, “It’s hip, and there’s an edge of technology, but it’s not overwhelming, more of a scent.”

It looks like Bushnell really did his homework before opening this new franchise operation. You, too, can entice your target customers with the right mix of mood and merchandise. All it takes is a little technology and a lot of knowing what your customers respond to.