Business Headlines: Hi-Tech Restaurants; Hotel Perks & Discounts

BOSTON (CBS) - More and more start-ups are using technology to help connect customers and restaurants.

Last month, Tasted Menu of Brookline launched a new website which features menus for 1,300 Boston restaurants.

It also plans to put out an iPhone app within a few weeks.

Foodie Bytes of Burlington, which launched earlier this year, offers reviews of restaurants and their dishes, as well as discounts on meals.

HOTEL PERKS

Boston-area hotels are deeply discounting rates and rolling out special packages, hoping to attract more guests during the first quarter, typically the slowest period of the year.

Overall occupancy and room rates are back up after being down because of the recession.

Occupancy rates are projected to be 1.7 percent higher next year over 2011.

Room rates are expected to jump nearly seven percent in the first quarter.

Watch Lisa's report:

Lisa van der Pool of the Boston Business Journal can be seen weekdays at 6 a.m. on WBZ-TV.