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max2

macrumors 603
Original poster
May 31, 2015
6,409
2,036
Does anyone know of any restaurants in the US that use robots to serve food ?
 

max2

macrumors 603
Original poster
May 31, 2015
6,409
2,036
That is close but I am talking about actual robots when your sitting down in the restaurant. Sorry for the misunderstanding.
 

tobefirst ⚽️

macrumors 601
Jan 24, 2005
4,612
2,335
St. Louis, MO
There is a local Thai place that uses a robot to deliver food from the kitchen. It comes to the table and you grab your own food off the different shelves it has. It can go to multiple tables between trips to the kitchen, but that just seemed to confuse the customers.
 
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tobefirst ⚽️

macrumors 601
Jan 24, 2005
4,612
2,335
St. Louis, MO
IMG_6940.jpeg
 

JT2002TJ

macrumors 68000
Nov 7, 2013
1,836
1,162
Agreed. Especially in a restaurant the size it was in.

To me, it will always be a gimmick until the robot can place the food in front of the correct customer. I don't want other patrons touching/looking over my plate. Pre-COVID I think an establishment may have gotten away with that setup, but now, the average customer has this on their mind.
 

cthompson94

macrumors 6502a
Jan 10, 2022
808
1,161
SoCal
There is a restaurant called "Kura Sushi" according to Google they have 37 locations in the U.S. that uses serving robots. I have eaten at a location in SoCal once and if I remember correctly it only brought out drinks and bowls of soup/ramen. Do keep in mind though this restaurant is a revolving sushi bar too so there is a long conveyor belt of various sushi and other dishes that you just grab if you like, you can also order from a screen at each table a specific dish which will either come via a separate belt that is next to the revolving one or via the robot.

This place is very popular at least the SoCal one is and always a line
 

compwiz1202

macrumors 604
May 20, 2010
7,389
5,742
…or requiring the customer to get their own plates at the kitchen pass through when their number is called, like fast-food joints.
I actually like that as long as it's moving as quickly as possible to the pickup point, and it's still correct and fresh, and it's easy to know when I need to grab it. And let me get my own drink refills.
 
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icanhazmac

Contributor
Apr 11, 2018
2,584
9,843
To me the rise of Robots tells me that the rise of the starting salary of 15 dollars companies are replace starting work to robot services!

Agreed! When you artificially drive up the cost of unskilled labor the end result will be automation. We are already seeing this at fast food resaurants with ordering kiosks and at some chains with the table top ordering/checkout machines, they are only there to allow less waitstaff to manage more tables. I don't think it will be too long before baristas are replaced by an automated coffee maker that shows "currently custom making a drink for xxxx" on a large screen as it makes your drink, you grab it and walk away.
 
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Huntn

macrumors Core
May 5, 2008
23,589
26,706
The Misty Mountains
To me the rise of Robots tells me that the rise of the starting salary of 15 dollars companies are replace starting work to robot services!
You’ve heard me say it before, but Capitalism as we know it today will not carry us forward. Unfortunately this is not a discussion to have here. See my signature for suggestions! :)
 
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JT2002TJ

macrumors 68000
Nov 7, 2013
1,836
1,162
To me the rise of Robots tells me that the rise of the starting salary of 15 dollars companies are replace starting work to robot services!
This assumes that it wouldn't have happened regardless of increasing hourly wages...

It was going to happen eventually. Robots don't get sick, do not need breaks, and don't make human errors.
 

compwiz1202

macrumors 604
May 20, 2010
7,389
5,742
This assumes that it wouldn't have happened regardless of increasing hourly wages...

It was going to happen eventually. Robots don't get sick, do not need breaks, and don't make human errors.
But robots also buy nothing. With more humans out of work who buys stuff?
 
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JT2002TJ

macrumors 68000
Nov 7, 2013
1,836
1,162
But robots also buy nothing. With more humans out of work who buys stuff?

Do you think that the regular business owner thinks beyond their business and their industry?

In the end, tasks that require precision with simple repetitive motions are all going to become automated. Reduced costs, reduced errors and increased production are the goal of every owner. All of which, once robots/automation are economical for the owner's industry, will happen.

It is on us as a society to provide education/training for other roles for the displaced workforce. There will always be something else that needs workers...
 
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