Applebees and Chili's replacing waiters with Tablet PCs

[The Brain]

I'm serba.

[Eddie Teach]

I dont think I would like to eat at a place where I need to input the data myself.

That's cause you're old. 

The modern age and I have grown apart.  Its not the modern age, its me.

[Admiral Yi]

Jobs cost money and negatively impact the potential of profits.  Therefore, in order to maximize profits, jobs have to go.  Maybe not until every other alternative is exhausted, but in the end, they need to go.
I'm surprised you didn't know that.

Capital costs money.  Raw material costs money.  Offices and factories cost money.  Energy costs money.  All inputs cost money.  The fact you seem to be overlooking is if you eliminate all inputs you're not producing anything.

[derspiess]

Capital costs money.  Raw material costs money.  Offices and factories cost money.  Energy costs money.  All inputs cost money.  The fact you seem to be overlooking is if you eliminate all inputs you're not producing anything.

He's either trolling or just bitter.  Either way he's irrational & shouldn't be taken seriously.

[derspiess]

I'm serba.

http://www.serbaballet.org/

[Admiral Yi]

He's either trolling or just bitter.  Either way he's irrational & shouldn't be taken seriously.

He's repeated the same troll a dozen times.  That says to me that whereas no one else takes him seriously, he takes himself seriously.

[Eddie Teach]

I take technological unemployment seriously.

[crazy canuck]

I have been to places where the server inputs the order into a tablet type device.  I dont think I would like to eat at a place where I need to input the data myself.

In order to make sure my order gets entered correctly, I'd absolutely prefer to enter the data myself.  Plus I'm sort of a control freak when it comes to things like this, so I go with self-service whenever it's an option.

I am not sure if this is just your minimalist ideology speaking or whether you tip so poorly servers go out of their way to get your order wrong.

In any event I would think that ordering off a tablet, in the absence of a server, would make it more likely you would not get exactly what you want.  Servers provide an invaluable interface between me and the kitchen which I use to pass on how I want my meal prepared.  I suppose if you had simple tastes this could work for you - but then you would probably be the market Applebees is aiming for.

I take what Grumber said as a viable option - having both tablets and servers - so that if anything needs to be clarfied a server is close at hand to make sure all goes as I want it.  Although I would probably still ask a server to do the work of inputing what I want into the tablet - and I would tip accordingly for their efforts.

[crazy canuck]

I dont think I would like to eat at a place where I need to input the data myself.

That's cause you're old. 

The modern age and I have grown apart.  Its not the modern age, its me.

Yeah, I think there is definitely something to the generational thing.  I like good service when I go out to eat.

[grumbler]

He's either trolling or just bitter.  Either way he's irrational & shouldn't be taken seriously.

He's repeated the same troll a dozen times.  That says to me that whereas no one else takes him seriously, he takes himself seriously.

And I say let him repeat the troll ad nauseum.  No one takes it seriously, not even him.  Its no better or worse than Neil's constant-drumbeat troll about subhumans or whatever.

[Capetan Mihali]

Hey, remember chilliwilli?

[Eddie Teach]

Oh, funk me!!!11

[derspiess]

I am not sure if this is just your minimalist ideology speaking or whether you tip so poorly servers go out of their way to get your order wrong.

Neither, actually.  I'm just a very DIY-minded person.  As long as the system works, I always prefer inputting my own order (as in ordering pizza or other food online for pickup), doing the self-checkout at the grocery store, shopping online, etc. 

About the only thing I can think of that I don't like doing is the kiosk at Kroger where you can enter your deli order and pick it up in a few minutes.  The interface itself is excellent, but it seems that these orders never get filled by the time promised, or at all.  Sadly, taking a number & waiting in line is still the lesser of two evils.

I tip generously, btw.

In any event I would think that ordering off a tablet, in the absence of a server, would make it more likely you would not get exactly what you want.  Servers provide an invaluable interface between me and the kitchen which I use to pass on how I want my meal prepared.  I suppose if you had simple tastes this could work for you - but then you would probably be the market Applebees is aiming for.

Well obviously if we're talking about a higher-end establishment like a nice steakhouse I'd prefer the human element.  But for a chain family-type restaurant, I'd be all about ordering from a tablet, as long as the interface was well-thought-out and included plenty of options to customize your order.

I take what Grumber said as a viable option - having both tablets and servers - so that if anything needs to be clarfied a server is close at hand to make sure all goes as I want it.  Although I would probably still ask a server to do the work of inputing what I want into the tablet - and I would tip accordingly for their efforts.

I'm okay with that.  Thankfully there are so many restaurants out there to be test beds for what works and what doesn't.

[The Minsky Moment]

Jobs cost money and negatively impact the potential of profits.  Therefore, in order to maximize profits, jobs have to go.  Maybe not until every other alternative is exhausted, but in the end, they need to go.
I'm surprised you didn't know that.

Capital costs money.  Raw material costs money.  Offices and factories cost money.  Energy costs money.  All inputs cost money.  The fact you seem to be overlooking is if you eliminate all inputs you're not producing anything.

Let's play devil's advocate for a bit.

Since 08, US business have cut capital expenditure as well to boost profit.  Offices and factories -  my own anecdotal experience suggests that service businesses are increasing economizing on their use of space (e.g. the %of revenue allocated to RE costs by Biglaw firms has declined significantly over the past few years despite recovery in psf rentals).  US energy consumption has also declined significantly since the financial crunch.

There is a case to be made that since Lehman, US business collectively speaking has elected to restrain production growth and slash inputs in order to keep profit rates at levels that are historically unprecendented.

[Admiral Yi]

Very beautiful and moving Joan.

Now tell me what any of that has to do with Seedy's post.