Burger chain stepping up its game and it's not just convenient kiosks

[kpt018]

The advancement of technology will not only wipe out low skill jobs, they will also make it nearly impossible for small business owners to compete.

Equipment like that requires a large upfront cost, which is usually the biggest hurdle to getting into business. Relying on low wage employees, particularly in restaurants, allows owners to keep up front costs down while they build their business.

 

[chardog]

I'd rather trust food coming from a chain restaurant then street food. You just can't trust the cleanliness of street food.

Of course if you find a good one that's trustworthy then it's leaps and bounds better.

While true, I'll take my chances

 

[Scott Parker 27]

 

[jimbob27]

The advancement of technology will not only wipe out low skill jobs, they will also make it nearly impossible for small business owners to compete.

Equipment like that requires a large upfront cost, which is usually the biggest hurdle to getting into business. Relying on low wage employees, particularly in restaurants, allows owners to keep up front costs down while they build their business.

Food is probably one of the few areas small business owners will still be able to be competitive, as long as they offer a unique dining experience. The Netherlands already has a chain which has stores with no servers at all, just racks of vending machines with burgers and stuff in. It doesn't exactly offer the best dining experience (cheapest maybe), and it hasn't really replaced other food places.

 

[kpt018]

Food is probably one of the few areas small business owners will still be able to be competitive, as long as they offer a unique dining experience. The Netherlands already has a chain which has stores with no servers at all, just racks of vending machines with burgers and stuff in. It doesn't exactly offer the best dining experience (cheapest maybe), and it hasn't really replaced other food places.

I'm skeptical. Capital requirements are already large in restaurants and automation piles on to that. The overwhelming majority of restaurant businesses go under and the ones that survive lose money for years.

I don't think they all disappear but large companies will have an additional competitive advantage as they will be the only ones to implement the new technology.

 

[HockeyBjj]

So glad I'm on the side that makes the robots

Jobs don't just disappear. The jobs that are worth minimum wage value and not the $15/hr value go away, and are consolidated into $15-30/hr jobs servicing and making these new robots and staffing the business that now makes them

Where the us loses out is when the robot physically gets manufactured for dirt cheap in china

 

[lifelessheap]

There'a a robot bartender in Vegas that's been operational for a month or so, I don't remember the name of the place though.

Good. Fuck bartenders. I hate having to tip insane amounts just for decent service.

 

[senri]

What are all the low wage workers gonna do when robots have taken all their jobs?

Also if all the low income people don't have jobs because robots have taken them. who's buying the burgers?

The cost of burgers will be cheap forcing competitors to also lower their prices. Adapt or die. The people will be able to afford it. The question for the low income, low conscientious, low IQ folks will be hard to solve indeed.

 

[TSO]

Hopefully this leads to a raise in legit street food instead of the mass produced shit sold at chain restaurants.

If we get legit street food here in Cali I won't have to go to Mexico anymore...

Who am I kidding I'd still go for the whore houses.

 

[Smoking Indoors]

Yeah, places like Subway and Panda Express are the way to go when it comes to fast food. You don't get to see every step of the preparation process, but you get to see a lot. You can watch the Panda Express cooks making the food in the background and see the servers scoop your order for you. And at Subway you can instruct them on what you want and watch them make it. Their much healthier than most fast food and more under the microscope.

I hope the world burns and we all die in hell (which ian't real), but Hungry Hobo makes the best sandwiches I have ever had....and I have been to both hemispheres and 9 different countries.

 

[ryan3434]

I think it's just a matter of time, but all of the fight for $15 folks are making it happen sooner. If I were a robot manufacturer I would be lobbying my congressmen for huge minimum wage increases for all potentially automated labor.

Agreed. Full tin foil hat here but i dont think im far off that the left has been pushing ideas like this and others to get robots into just about every line of work.
Less jobs. more dependant on government which makes government grow and grow. Which keeps the left in power because how could you vote in conservatives once basic wage gets put into place. Enter socialism, run out of money because socialism never works, hello Venezuela, enter a real dictatorship.

I love burger king but im officially boycotting them for the destruction of north america...

And trust me im a fat white dude, i eat a lot of bk

 

[Bay Area]

Lol @ "Flippy" the burger flipper

 

[Bay Area]

What are all the low wage workers gonna do when robots have taken all their jobs?

Also if all the low income people don't have jobs because robots have taken them. who's buying the burgers?

Well the burgers will be a fraction of the cost now with the robot burger flippers... so the displaced workers can use their panhandle money to buy the burgers. Prior to this it would take 2 hours of panhandling. Now just 20 minutes of panhandling will get you a burger. It's a race to the bottom.

 

[Rhood]

I get the impression that fast food in the future is going to be reduced down to vending machines.
There's no way in hell corporations are going to lease an expensive space to a bunch of robot employees.
You're gonna get your burgers from a Redbox kiosk.
Mark my words!

Once they get this food automation down pat, they'll probably buy out Wendy's and create a merger.

 

[jimbob27]

Agreed. Full tin foil hat here but i dont think im far off that the left has been pushing ideas like this and others to get robots into just about every line of work.
Less jobs. more dependant on government which makes government grow and grow. Which keeps the left in power because how could you vote in conservatives once basic wage gets put into place. Enter socialism, run out of money because socialism never works, hello Venezuela, enter a real dictatorship.

I love burger king but im officially boycotting them for the destruction of north america...

And trust me im a fat white dude, i eat a lot of bk

Artificially keeping jobs open at a detriment to the economy is very much a sign of socialism, and one of the main contributing factors towards socialist economies failing.

 

[sub_thug]

What are all the low wage workers gonna do when robots have taken all their jobs?

Also if all the low income people don't have jobs because robots have taken them. who's buying the burgers?

Get an education so that they're qualified to do more than flip burgers.

I will because I got an education and make more than minimum wage. Lots of people do this.

 

[sub_thug]

$12,000 doesn't buy alot of robot in my mind.

Any info on cost?

Yeah, but you're talking about at least 2 shifts of 8-hour employees, and it probably does the work of more than one cook. One robot may equal at least 4 employees, and the robot lasts longer than a year, presumably. And the savings per year for one cook is $12k, not the total cost. An employee probably costs $40k/year or more (including benefits), so you may be looking at saving something like $160k/yr for an initial investment of $300k/unit.

 

[sub_thug]

The same can be said of increasing regulatory compliance measures that force small businesses to protect the consumer and general public.

The advancement of technology will not only wipe out low skill jobs, they will also make it nearly impossible for small business owners to compete.

Equipment like that requires a large upfront cost, which is usually the biggest hurdle to getting into business. Relying on low wage employees, particularly in restaurants, allows owners to keep up front costs down while they build their business.

 

[kpt018]

The same can be said of increasing regulatory compliance measures that force small businesses to protect the consumer and general public.

Depends on the industry, but generally speaking, upfront equipment costs are much much higher. As for the restaurant business it's not even close.

 

[jk7707]

So how much does it cost for the specially trained robot mechanic (or whatever the fuck they're called) to be on staff to make sure the robot is maintained and functioning?