strategy, automation is not exempt from challenges and certainly has its fair share. For example, not everyone has been quick to warm up to robotic service. While Millennial and Gen-Z diners have largely embraced this new phenomenon with unabashed enthusiasm, their older Gen-X and Baby Boomer counterparts still prefer human interaction at the checkout counter. Their wariness is generally driven by two factors. The first is that they are not as technologically savvy as their children or grandchildren and have reported struggles in using the fully automated interfaces to place orders. The second is more traditional – older generations still tend to prefer the “human” aspect of foodservice, not just in physical terms but also in actual service, wanting to feel valued as paying customers. Then there is the technology itself. Just like humans, robots are prone to faults and mistakes. Programs can glitch or freeze, causing orders to be completely ignored, inaccurate or sloppily assembled in an unappetizing manner. Machines can break down or lose power in the middle of service and with no qualified humans nearby to repair them, establishments run a very real risk of losing out on lucrative patronage. Remember Flippy? Even he had his own growing pains when he was first introduced – on his very first day, Flippy had difficulty accurately placing the cooked burgers on a bun, causing a ripple effect that led to service delays because of the repeat need for intervention by human staff who were not properly trained on how to interact with the robotic short order cook. This, interestingly, was another inherent f law – the inability of machines to problem solve. A human can “think on their
feet” and create solutions to adverse conditions. A robot can only do what it’s programmed to do. However, perhaps the biggest drawback of foodservice automation is the human resource impact. In an industry that has seen massive employment growth for virtually the entire 21st century to date, there have been fears and rumors that automation will completely takeover the industry. In a somewhat cruel twist of irony, humans would be rendered obsolete by their own creation. But many foodservice insiders aren’t so sure. They counter by saying that human employees aren’t actually being let go but rather that the nature of their jobs has simply changed. For instance, Starbucks has seen a spike in sales due to their online ordering and payment options, which in turn has increased demand for baristas. Panera has also boosted its staff to assemble orders received through their self-service kiosks. Other establishments are transferring employees from the kitchen to the front of the house to take on more customer-service and hospitality-oriented roles. And, there is the fact that machines are still dependent on humans for maintenance as well as backup in the event of breakdowns. If these developments are any predictor, the human role within foodservice is evolving rather than diminishing. Regardless of where you may fall on the automation spectrum, we must keep in mind that this concept is still in its infancy and it remains to be seen which direction it takes. But if we can be sure of anything, it’s that automation is here to stay and that humans will always be around to guide its growth. Who knows? Maybe “man vs. machine” may end up being a misnomer after all.
shift ™ , a DON publication 15
Made with FlippingBook Learn more on our blog