[retiredguy123]

I am surprised that fast food restaurants seem to be on the decline. To me, they are a much better deal and more convenient than the typical sit down restaurants. I like that the service is fast, you can sit where you want, and the employees don't expect a tip. I think that automation will destroy the industry. They could upgrade the food quality and increase the prices and still compete with the full service restaurants. Who cares if someone delivers food to your table and then expects a 20 percent tip?

[JoMar]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

Probably, but I have no interest in going through a drive-thru. I also have no interest in using a touch screen in the restaurant.

It will only get worse (or better) as automation and AI will continue to expand......I know you are ok with it but you are being left behind. Reminds me of my dad not programming his VCR because he wouldn't accept the technology advances.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by JoMar

It will only get worse (or better) as automation and AI will continue to expand......I know you are ok with it but you are being left behind. Reminds me of my dad not programming his VCR because he wouldn't accept the technology advances.

Not just your dad. The VCR was a technology disaster because normal people couldn't program them. Most people couldn't even set the clock. Being an engineer, I loved them.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by Rainger99

White Castle is using robots to make French fries. I would assume that making hamburgers will be next. With kiosks and robots, it seems that fast food restaurants will have significantly lower labor costs in the future. And more starter jobs will disappear.

White Castle is rolling out fry cook robots across the US

Wrong it just increase profit margins.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

I am surprised that fast food restaurants seem to be on the decline. To me, they are a much better deal and more convenient than the typical sit down restaurants. I like that the service is fast, you can sit where you want, and the employees don't expect a tip. I think that automation will destroy the industry. They could upgrade the food quality and increase the prices and still compete with the full service restaurants. Who cares if someone delivers food to your table and then expects a 20 percent tip?

Agree, like Walmart self checking. They have more self checkers checking than they do checkout employees.

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

Not just your dad. The VCR was a technology disaster because normal people couldn't program them. Most people couldn't even set the clock. Being an engineer, I loved them.

Like smart TVs that aren’t so smart won’t upgrade. The messages come up press upgrade, says it failed, then, try again, failed. Every Time turn TV on the message pops up and you have jump though same hoops with same results, failed to upgrade. Don’t by Hisense. I suspect eventually I’ll have to get new TV cause the message blocked screen and now way to up grade a perfectly working TV except for upgrade failure.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Topspinmo

Like smart TVs that aren’t so smart won’t upgrade. The messages come up press upgrade, says it failed, then, try again, failed. Every Time turn TV on the message pops up and you have jump though same hoops with same results, failed to upgrade. Don’t by Hisense. I suspect eventually I’ll have to get new TV cause the message blocked screen and now way to up grade a perfectly working TV except for upgrade failure.

Smart TVs are a scam. Just buy any TV and plug in a $40 Roku stick. You will then have a smart TV that actually works.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

"Will this bring fast food prices down??"

Probably not.
Won't happen right away because you need to recoup the investment.
Won't happen over the long run because there is inflation offsetting the efficiency.

"And more starter jobs will disappear"...............BINGO.
A prediction of increasing minimum wage to $15.

Someone has to increase robot production, and that will require employees working in the manufacturing industry "on the floor." In some states those are very firmly Union jobs, but in others they aren't. So depending on who's putting those bolts on the bots will determine if it'll cost more, less, or no change on the actual presentation of finished product.

In the meantime, someone still has to drain, clean, and refill the fryolator once in awhile, so they'll still need humans do handle it.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

A $ 7 bottle of wine does us just fine and not about to pay 7 for a glass. That is not including tax and tip which makes it closer to 10.

Don't get a glass of Coke or other soda - I paid something like $7 for a ginger ale somewhere in the Villages recently. Mostly ice, maybe enough actual soda to fill a manhattan glass. I thought "hey I'll buy a non-alcoholic drink instead of the free but disgusting tasting tap water with lemon for a change" would be a good cheap option. Then the bill came. Never again. If I'm gonna pay $7 for a drink it'll have booze in it from now on. Free horrible-tasting tap water with lemon, it is.

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by Keefelane66

Watching the video after 3 years of up grades the chain still needs a body to empty fry basket into FF bin

Easy enhancement.

There are robots plating food today.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

Easy enhancement.

There are robots plating food today.

At lunch the other day the guy plating the food looked like a robot.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Dunno if all of them have these now but the last cruise I went on a few years ago had a robot bar. You selected the mixed drink from the menu, and the robot arm went back and forth, back and forth, mixing and pouring, shaking and stirring, and presented the finished product to you on the conveyor belt. It was a nifty gimmick, a cool novelty, but nothing I was interested in repeating.

[Rainger99]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

Dunno if all of them have these now but the last cruise I went on a few years ago had a robot bar. You selected the mixed drink from the menu, and the robot arm went back and forth, back and forth, mixing and pouring, shaking and stirring, and presented the finished product to you on the conveyor belt. It was a nifty gimmick, a cool novelty, but nothing I was interested in repeating.

Did the cruise line add an automatic gratuity for the robot??

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by Rainger99

Did the cruise line add an automatic gratuity for the robot??

No it went to the robot pool so they can all share

[coralway]

Most of the White Castles have closed