Applebees and Chili's replacing waiters with Tablet PCs

[Gups]

Some McD's here have started introducing those consoles where you can order (and pay? not sure, haven't tried them) your "food" and then only get in line to pick it up.

Did that at a new burrrito place yesterday. First time I'd seen it.  Woorked well I thought.

[CountDeMoney]

Some McD's here have started introducing those consoles where you can order (and pay? not sure, haven't tried them) your "food" and then only get in line to pick it up.

Yup...not too much longer, and before you know it, technology and profit maximization will ensure that the entire McDonald's corporate landscape will be reduced to the point that it will only be CEO Donald Thompson and a single employee at each restaurant.  Subcontractor, of course.

[Capetan Mihali]

Woorked well I thought.

Is this really the appropriate place to do your Northerner impression? 

[fhdz]

For the last few years, two of my favorite restaurants in Ann Arbor have used tablets rather than menus.

Did you notice whether their wait staff levels stayed the same, declined slightly, or declined significantly?

[garbon]

I for one applaud the initiative, foresight and true effort to reduce the work force.

Actually, I have a question for you. If a company can adopt a system that is more efficient and has better results for its consumers - should it refuse to adopt those measures because it will mean a loss of jobs?

Perhaps we should drop email and the net so that we can gain back those messenger and newspaper jobs.

[CountDeMoney]

I for one applaud the initiative, foresight and true effort to reduce the work force.

Actually, I have a question for you. If a company can adopt a system that is more efficient and has better results for its consumers - should it refuse to adopt those measures because it will mean a loss of jobs?

Perhaps we should drop email and the net so that we can gain back those messenger and newspaper jobs.

One day, they're find automated systems to do what you do for a living.  Or worse yet, an intern.

[garbon]

I for one applaud the initiative, foresight and true effort to reduce the work force.

Actually, I have a question for you. If a company can adopt a system that is more efficient and has better results for its consumers - should it refuse to adopt those measures because it will mean a loss of jobs?

Perhaps we should drop email and the net so that we can gain back those messenger and newspaper jobs.

One day, they're find automated systems to do what you do for a living.  Or worse yet, an intern.

I don't see how that answers my question.

At any rate, I've pushed for interns at every company I've been at. Now I've project managers to do so but most aren't so eager to please.

Also, Seeds, automation has been seen in this industry. In the past, there would have been much more staff to help with mailing of surveys / on site pen & paper surveys. That's all but disappeared with the advent of online surveys. (And similarly with our programs to crunch stats.)

[dps]

the menus weren't intuitive...  ...I was like let me just tell the waiter what I want.

Yeah, I can see that this could be a problem, even moreso if it's used at a fast food place.  Just watch people in the checkout line at supermarkets and retail stores, and see how much trouble some of them have using the debit card reader.  Now imagine standing in line at a fast food restaurant behind them waiting on them to try and figure out how to order their food.  And keep in mind that some of them have trouble just telling the order taker what they want.

[CountDeMoney]

Actually, I have a question for you. If a company can adopt a system that is more efficient and has better results for its consumers - should it refuse to adopt those measures because it will mean a loss of jobs?

As the ultimate goal of any business is the maximization of profits (or your fave-rave, increasing shareholder value) the loss of jobs is a necessary and inevitable requirement, so whether or not they disappear is incidental.

[derspiess]

Applebees is disgusting.  This won't make it any less so.

My two year old always wants to go there because she likes the apple in the sign (and she definitely loves apples).  I generaly try to avoid Applebees, but the worst by far in that class of food joints IMO is Max & Erma's.  I have never eaten anything remotely appetizing there.

[grumbler]

For the last few years, two of my favorite restaurants in Ann Arbor have used tablets rather than menus.

Did you notice whether their wait staff levels stayed the same, declined slightly, or declined significantly?

They stayed pretty much the same, since they were pretty much doing the same job. 

[garbon]

Actually, I have a question for you. If a company can adopt a system that is more efficient and has better results for its consumers - should it refuse to adopt those measures because it will mean a loss of jobs?

As the ultimate goal of any business is the maximization of profits (or your fave-rave, increasing shareholder value) the loss of jobs is a necessary and inevitable requirement, so whether or not they disappear is incidental.

Could you answer my question and stop dancing around the issue? Do you think businesses should not embrace technology that makes end result better for their consumers, if it will result in the need for fewer employees?

[Admiral Yi]

As the ultimate goal of any business is the maximization of profits (or your fave-rave, increasing shareholder value) the loss of jobs is a necessary and inevitable requirement

No it's not.

[CountDeMoney]

As the ultimate goal of any business is the maximization of profits (or your fave-rave, increasing shareholder value) the loss of jobs is a necessary and inevitable requirement

No it's not.

Yes, yes it is.  A businessman not in the business of maximizing profits is not a good businessman.

[The Brain]

Actually, I have a question for you. If a company can adopt a system that is more efficient and has better results for its consumers - should it refuse to adopt those measures because it will mean a loss of jobs?

As the ultimate goal of any business is the maximization of profits (or your fave-rave, increasing shareholder value) the loss of jobs is a necessary and inevitable requirement, so whether or not they disappear is incidental.

Could you answer my question and stop dancing around the issue? Do you think businesses should not embrace technology that makes end result better for their consumers, if it will result in the need for fewer employees?

You know he does.