Aussie app lets you grab a cuppa without the queue

We’ve all been there: the line for a cup of coffee. Whether it’s five or ten minutes standing in line, twiddling your thumbs and rechecking your email, the burden of waiting for your next boost of caffeine can certainly be a pain. Now, a Australian app hopes to make all of that disappear.

Meet “Beat The Q”, an app available for iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry touchscreen phones that seeks to get around the pain of waiting by letting you pre-order that next cup of joe, muffin, or danish.

The Android version of "Beat The Q".

The app is ridiculously simple to use and only requires you to top up your account with cash, credit, or PayPal, allowing you to buy your regular – or something just a little different to shake it up – ahead of everyone else already at the cafe.

We tried it with our local, the Toby’s Estate in Woolloomooloo, and found that even while busy, are order was ready and waiting not long after we had paid.

Our cappuccino and muffin order, ready in about five minutes.

Beat The Q’s owner Adam Theobald told us this week that currently “have over 50 cafes in Sydney” with more to come. Your coffee shop may not be part of the Beat The Q system yet, but if you’re keen to make it easier for yourself in buying a cup, suggest they join up.

If you don’t have one of the supported mobile handsets, the service is also available through the Beat The Q website, where you can quickly find a cafe around you and try it out with a free cup.

If you don't have an Android or iOS device, you can jump online and order from your web browser.