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As Fast Food Workers Go On Strike In 100 Cities, Applebees Unveils The "Waiter Terminator"
Today, in the latest escalation by minimum paid restaurant workers who demand greater wages, Fast-food workers and labor organizers are set to turn out in support of higher wages in cities across the country Thursday and walkouts are planned in 100 cities, with rallies set for another 100 cities. While it's not clear what the actual turnout will be, how many of the participants are workers and what impact they'll have on restaurant operations, it is possible that your 99 cent lunch may be delayed or outright cancelled today.
The actions would mark the largest showing yet over the past year. At a time when there's growing national and international attention on economic disparities, labor unions, worker advocacy groups and Democrats are hoping to build public support to raise the federal minimum wage of $7.25, or about $15,000 a year for full-time work.
In New York City, about 100 protesters carrying signs, blowing whistles and beating drums marched into a McDonald's at around 6:30 a.m.; one startled customer grabbed his food and fled as they flooded the restaurant, while another didn't look up from eating and reading amid their chants of "We can't survive on $7.25!"
It seems trying to persuade these minimum wage workers to enjoy what they have - namley that corporations have all the leverage while unskilled, undereducated employees have none (the Service Employees International Union represents more than 2 million workers, on the other hand there are 91 million non-unionized workers out of the workforce) and that any increases in wages would simply be passed on to other consumers, and certainly result in broad terminations to keep the SG&A line flat - is probably a moot point.
So instead the strikers were met with something a bit more persuasive: brute Police force.
Community leaders took turns giving speeches for about 15 minutes until the police arrived and ordered protesters out of the store. The crowd continued to demonstrate outside for about 45 more minutes while a handful of customers remained inside. A McDonald's manager declined to be interviewed and asked that customers not be bothered.
Tyeisha Batts, a 27-year-old employee at Burger King, was among those taking part in the demonstrations planned throughout the day in New York City. She said she has been working at the location for about seven months and earns $7.25 an hour.
"My boss took me off the schedule because she knows I'm participating," Batts said.
Considering there are a few hundred thousand applicants for your position , Ms. Batts, we find that perfectly explainable. Then again, if you are unhappy with your position, you are welcome to quit and find a better paying job. Especially since in the very near future you may not even have the option of choosing, as it will be done for you. Earlier this week, restaurant chain Applebees unveiled what may soon be the "Waiter Terminator."
From the company's press release: "Applebee’s steps into the future to redefine and enhance the guest experience through the installation of 100,000 E la Carte Presto tablets, powered by Intel, on every table and multiple bar positions at more than 1,800 Applebee’s restaurants in the United States by the end of next year."
The LA Times reports:
The E La Carte Presto tablets – powered by Intel – will allow patrons to pay from their seats while also adding food and beverages to their existing orders. A pilot program helped customers save time, according to Applebee’s Glendale-based parent DineEquity.
“Let’s face it, everyone who has ever been to a restaurant has been frustrated by waiting for their check,” said Mike Archer, Applebee’s president, in a statement.
Eventually, the gadgets will also feature an expanded lineup of games, video streaming capabilities, music options, gift card sales and social media interaction. The Presto tablets, which were developed at MIT, have been “ruggedized” to deal with the spills and rowdy children common in such restaurants, according to the company.
And the punchline:
In the pilot program, the Presto tablets not only significantly reduced transaction times for guests, but also provided them a better overall experience, based on their feedback. By simplifying the transaction process and allowing guests to control the timing, Team Members were able to provide better service and more attention to guest needs throughout the dining experience, rather than focusing on delivering a check.
Also, much more time to work on their resume. In other words, Applebees is already taking steps at outsourcing its minimum wage waiters with tablets. Which incidentally is a brilliant idea, especially in a cost-cutting environment. So brilliant in fact that others are already joining in..
DineEquity said it might consider introducing the tablets at its IHOP restaurant chain as well. The company joins many others in the industry that have begun incorporating technology into the customer experience, installing ordering kiosks, equipping servers with mobile devices and more.
In other words, a funny thing happened as fast food workers were striking across the land - they were all just made obsolete courtesy of iPads.
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Did they study how people reacted when they treated each other with mutual respect and civility?
Or couldn't they generate a significant sample of those interactions?! ;-)
You know, you are talking a minimum of TWO people here. Two people, mutual respect. Thats a good one.
The field mice here are really pissed about your degrading comment concerning their reproductive organs and a horde of millions of them on on their way to you.
So hurry the hell out to Costco or Sam's Club and by as much fucking cheese as you can to appease them!
And the Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) thank you!
http://www.dfamilk.com/
Tips--obsolete--food stamps, bullish.
I wonder if the sex robots will be self cleaning ?
And, how many times will the mucous membrane receptacles need refilling?
Will the Presto tablet call me "bro" like the typical male waiter does these days?
Bro? You crusty fuck. It's "brah"...if you're one of the cool kids, that is
Good wait staff know how to make themselves virtually transparent. It's an art. It's a skill. It's an attitude. These virtues are mostly untrained in America.
Apart from exceptional skills of many US bar waitresses, most wait staff in America wouldn't last ten minutes in civilized countries. There are exceptions, of course, but the excellent wait staff in many high-end US restaurants are often also foreign born. Americans simply don't seem to "get it" and don't make the final cut.
Having a waitress walk up and interrupt -- in mid-sentence -- my conversation with a dining companion to inquire if everything is alright (or for any other reason) is simply contemptuous. I am not there for their convenience. They are there for mine. At least have the decency to let me finish what I am saying before vocally intruding into my conversation with a gratuitous inquiry about whether I'm a happy camper when I've given absolutely no indication that I am not.
Good restaurants don't leave an entire room full of dining guests unmonitored. Customers who may want table service during a meal will not then be ignored until "their" waiter or waitress happens to return from the kitchen (or a bathroom break) and also bothers to check guests at "their" tables. This is so common in American restaurants that it's predictable.
Oh, and will somebody please explain to the dim bus-person that noisily racing their metal cart loaded with dirty dishes across a quarry tile floor alongside dining guests is annoying to those not born stone deaf?
Applebee's may not yet be Ten Forward, but perhaps that's the direction they are heading. It's easier to eliminate staff than to train them. A lot of businesses have figured this out, and raising the minimum wage will only encourage more of the same.
Press one for English.
Fuk the B
There won't be any food to serve when this thing completely collapses anyway.
People will be sitting down and ordering with their phones soon. Next step in the process. Why fucking bother to go out?
Re: Why fucking bother to go out?
People only go out to get the (near) food. It's just fuel for most people.
Food handling and retail are the last places that the bottom 50% can be gainfully employed.
Eventually, when these jobs are gone the top 50% will be laughing at the bottom and calling the sub-human. A wonderful society we have here.
There's really no way around that, unfortunately for those with less ability. There are just TOO MANY FUCKING PEOPLE IN THE WORLD. There never will be enough jobs to go around.
Something like 80% of the world population makes under $10 a day. Think about that for a minute -- 5 billion. It means there are way too many people and not enough need for their labor.
The more socialism we have, the more babies will be born. Feed them and they reproduce. The cycle continues and gets worse and worse. Instead of free condoms (terrible form of birth control), schools shoud pass out free IUDs (100%).
Re: schools shoud pass out free IUDs
Yeah, I'm sure the Red Team will be on-board with that. Won't it increase the usage of the genitals? I think they want to use the power of the (evil) state to make (evil) regulations on (evil) individual use of the genitals.
The wealthiest countries are turning socialist, yet population is falling. Explain.
"Overpopulation" is Agenda 21 mockumentary disinformation. Travel the world and you find that a lot of poverty would not exist but for international banking.
I think you'll find the real problem has less to do with population and much more to do with progress toward the Global Plantation.
Suggested reading: Confessions of an Economic Hit Man (John Perkins, 2005)
After you've dehumanized a class of people the next, inevitable step are the gas chambers and mass graves.
Memo to Capital - you won; you bribed the politicians, shipped jobs overseas, destroyed the bargaining power of Labor, and feast on ZIRP that perversely promotes the adoption of automation with less cost.
You win.
And may you reap a feast of bones and a mouthful of ash.
Excellent -
Do not fall for the dehumanizing shit, well, b/c you're next!
United We Stand - Divided We Fall.
A divided "house" can not stand folks.
A divided house cannot stand....so Abe had 1 million American men kill each other for the european banker families.
Freddie, not being sarcastic. Can you explain the eurpoean banker connection to the war between the states?
All wars are banker's wars
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hfEBupAeo4
Phone says, "Club sandwich is $5,600.99 if you pay now; $7,600.95 if you pay after you eat it. Pay now or later?"
Whimpy 2013: Can I pay today’s price for Tuesdays hamburger?
A 1930's lesson regarding easy credit and pulling demand forward.
Also, that there is no such thing as a "free lunch".
Good Sir, would you kindly tell me where I may obtain one of these hamburgers of which you speak?
This will soon enough come to EVERY fast food joint.....particularly McDonald's. They already are conditioning the sheeple with all the Redboxes outside every resteraunt. Just a short hop, skip and jump to RedBoxing your Big Mac and having a McRobot serve it to you. There's nothing to stop the entire production of fast food to automation.....just the cost of rolling it out. Then the only humans you would need are those needed to fill the automated hoppers with buns, meat and condiments. And for the occasional repair.
McDs has had this for years. The high school girl presses the symbol of fries or a burger, because it's too hard to teach Obama Mama's kid to read. All they have to do is turn it around onto a kiosk and the customers orders for themselves.
I suspect the only reason they pay someone to do that is to keep up the pace.
“Let’s face it, everyone who has ever been to a restaurant has been frustrated by waiting for their check,” said Mike Archer, Applebee’s president, in a statement.
Then you should walk out of the that shithole. Even a free meal at applebitch ain't worth a fuck
Having lived down the street from an Applebees for a long time, I can say that $4 beers on tap (22oz) after 9pm is a sweet, sweet deal.
The food, I'll pass.
The only problem being that you have to sit in an Applebees to drink them.
My local has draught pints for $2.50 at happy hour, all beers, including Guinness and Newcastle.
It's a pretty happy happy hour!
They should have special hours for all the emotions -- not just happiness.
depression hour - brilliant
the more alcohol you drink, the more demand you drive
I'd rather spend $16 at the local grocery for a 30 pack of PBR than sit in an Applebees, Chili's or Friday's.
Genny Light baby!
How about some Strohs?
Stroh's will leave you with pounding hangovers.
I did not order that, refund!
There are few fast food chains near here, the closest ones are in Baltimore. According to local radio, most of them did not strike. The denizens of Baltimore will not tolerate being separated from their major fat source for very long.
Thats because baltimore is all blacks. They won't get motivated to strike unless a few white liberal yuppies tell them they need too.
My 21+ year old grandson has never worked a day in his life. He is C- college student with no major living on financial aid, foodstamps and Obama care. He has the latest iphone, xbox, video games, hd TV. He sleeps till noon and rarely goes to any classes. He is contacting all relatives asking them to cosign for more financial aid so he can continue his entitled lifestyle. He plan is to move back home while his Mom works 2 part time jobs w/o benefits. He is angry about all the inequities he sees. He is typical of many young men who have been told they are special and entitled. BTW he is classified as a minority so he is treated as a gifted one. He would never work at a fast food place, but he eats there everyday.
Thanks for sharing. What size boots do you wear? I recommend you put them to good use.
Who raised these kids to have no morals, ambition or skills? Your family, granny. You are the one to blame. If other family members are giving him handouts, they are idiots -- but at least it is their own money they are throwing away.
A see people who are relatives or people I know with kids or their sister has kids where they let the kids get away with this shit. The parents need to let the kids get a job or fail.
Are you my father? You just described my nephew.
Damn, granny, you must loathe your grandson to post the same thing about him every day for the past six days.
http://www.zerohedge.com/search/user_comments?name=tempo
But hey, at least you remembered his birthday, because three days ago he was 20 and now he's 21.
They grow up so fast.
You must be proud.
For you that believe in "free choice", he didn't ask to be born.
For the rest of us that believe in "cause and effect", you reap what you sow. What was your contribution to your grandson's programming?
For you that believe in "free choice", he didn't ask to be born.
Well, why doesn't he off himself then?
Or you could lead by example.
He doesn't off himself because he hasn't been programmed to do so. If he has been programmed to do so, he has or will. (Duh!)
Since you believe in "free choice", why don't you off yourself since it should be clear by now that there's more humans than are needed on Planet Earth?
Reminds me of the classic Clinton skit on Saturday night Live.
http://shelby.tv/video/hulu/40035423/clinton-mcdonald-s-cold-open-saturd...
{ President-Elect Bill Clinton and two Secret Service agents jog into a D.C. McDonald's ]
Bill Clinton: Alright, boys, let's stop here for a second. I'm a little parched from the fog.
Secret Service Agent #1: Sir, we've only been jogging for three blocks. Besides, Mrs. Clinton asked us not to let you in any more fast food places.
Bill Clinton: I just want to mingle with the American people, talk with some real folks.. and maybe get a Diet Coke, or something..
Secret Service Agent #1: Fine. But please don't tell Mrs. Clinton.
Bill Clinton: Jim, let me tell you something - there's gonna be a lot of things we don't tell Mrs. Clinton about. Fast food is the least of our worries.
Cashier: Oh, my God! It's Bill Clinton!
Bill Clinton: Hey, nice to meet you! How are you? [ walks up to a young mother ] That's an adorable baby. What's your name, sweetheart?
Female Customer: [ holding baby ] Her name is Shakira.
Bill Clinton: Now, that means "African Princess", doesn't it?
Female Customer: Why, yes!
Bill Clinton: Well, she certainly is beautiful enough to be a princess. Are you gonna finish those fries?
Female Customer: Uh.. no. Would you like some?
Bill Clinton: Well, if you're not gonna eat 'em.. [ grabs the fries and eats ] ..Mmm, these are good. Shakira, you take good care of your mom now.. [ moves on ] Hi, how are you? Good to meet ya! How we doing over here?
Les Holmgren: Les Holmgren. Holmgren Hardware. Voted for you, sir.
Bill Clinton: Thank you, Les. So you own your own hardware store?
Les Holmgren: Yes indeed, sir. Since 1972.
Bill Clinton: Well, good for you. You know, we want to create a network of community development banks that lend to small businesses like yourself. I see your boy doesn't like pickles.
Les Holmgren: Nah, he hates them!
Bill Clinton: You mind? [ grabs the pickles ] Attaboy! So, good luck to you. We're gonna wake up everyday thinking about you. Oops! Missed one. [ grabs remaining pickle ]
Manager: [ stepping forward] Governor, I'm Kevin O'Brien, the manager, and I just want to thank you for dropping by - again.
Bill Clinton: Well, thank you, Kevin. You've got a real American family place here. Is it too late for an Egg McMuffin?
Manager: Well, we stop serving breakfast at eleven.. but for you..
Bill Clinton: Thanks so much.
Manager: And should I check to see if I can scare up some of those sausage patties.
Bill Clinton: You read my mind!
Secret Service Agent #1: [ whispering ] Uh, sir.. maybe you'd prefer a McLean burger.. or the garden salad is very nice.
College Student: Governor Clinton? I'm a sophomore in college, and I may have to drop out because my parents can't afford tuition.
Bill Clinton: [ glancing at her tray ] Speak of the devil, that's one of those McLean sandwiches. Are those any good?
College Student: Would you like to try it?
Bill Clinton: Well, just a bite.. [ takes a huge chomp ] Mmm.. that's not bad! You know, my National Service Trust Fund would allow every student to.. [ grabs her soda ] ..mind if I wash it down? [ takes a sip ] Ahh! That hit the spot!
Manager: [ returning ] Your Egg McMuffin, Mr. President.
Bill Clinton: Thank you, Kevin. You have any of that sweet and sour sauce. You know, the kind that you dip McNuggets in?
Manager: For your McMuffin?
Bill Clinton: Or the barbecue sauce. Whichever.
Male Customer: You can use mine.
Bill Clinton: Great. Just pour in right on.
Male Customer: [ pours the sauce on ] I have a question.
Bill Clinton: That's it. Just pour it all on!
Male Customer: Do you support the decision to send troops to Somalia?
Bill Clinton: [ chews his McMuffin ] Mmm.. that's a good question. Yes, I do.. and let me tell you why. See, right now, we're sending in.. [ holds us McMuffin ] ..food.. [ puts McMuffin in front of Male Customer ] ..to Somalia.. but it's not getting to the people who need it because.. [ brings McMuffin back to himself ] ..it's being intercepted by the warlords.. [ chews McMuffin some more ] And it's not just us. It's other countries, too.. [ grabs a McNugget from another customer ] Your McNugget is aid from Great Britain.. [ takes it to other customer, then gibbles it down ] ..intercepted by warlords! [ grabs someone's Filet-o-Fish ] This man's Filet-o-Fish over here is relief from Italy.. [ pops it in his mouth ] ..warlords! And you can send all the food you want.. [ grabs different items ] ..a McDLT, hot apple pie.. it's just gonna end up with.. [ puts it all in his mouth ] ..the warlords! Now, with a broad-based international military force, we can make sure that the McRib sandwich.. [ grabs one and places it on someone's tray ] ..gets to the people who need it. [ picks it up and gobbles it anyway ] Can I get a Coke?
Secret Service Agent #1: Uh, sir.. I think we should probably continue your jog. We've only gone about an eighth of a mile.
Bill Clinton: Alright. You guys up for a real run?
Secret Service Agent #1: Yes, sir.
Bill Clinton: Race you to Pizza Hut!
[ Clinton runs out of the McDonald's, as the Secret Service agents follow right behind him ]
You can make some extra bucks granny, just post some videos of you and your grandson on XHampster. Especially if he's classified as a minority, like you say. You'll hit several niche markets!
Btw, looked at American gold eagles on APMEX. Their buy price is $1261. The spot price is $1231. The dislocation between paper and physical has begun!
2-3% above spot? Is that ahistorically high?
No
This isn't the "sell" price, which is usually 2-3% above spot. It's the "buy" price or the price they will buy this coin from you if you were willing to sell to them. I don't think it is a terribly crazy price but it is unusual. A couple of years ago it was common to see the buy price below spot.
Really?
Where do these people come from?
CNBC
Well then we should pay day care workers at least $20/hour! Then what will those $15/hour fast food workers do when day care is now $450/wk?
Carls Jr. has determined you are a bad mother....your kids....your kids will now be taken in by Carls Jr. Carls Jr....we care about kids....fuck you I'm eating.
How about we amend that to ALL chain restaurants
This together with the Amazon Drone, who needs to go out at all.
Humans, you've pretty much been obsoleted!
Obozocare was pretty much the last nail in the coffin for minimum wage employment.
Whats a freshly graduated underwater basket weaver got left.
If you want to be assured of a great career become an industrial automation engineer. Some fast food chains in other countries [Asia specifically] are almost fully automated. The only staff on hand are there to answer customer questions and manage the machines. If anyone thinks we are at the lowest point regarding wages for unskilled workers, think again.
Does it take bitcoin, so we can obsolete the bankers at the same time?
What's going to deliver the food to your table?, who is going to refill multiple tea,soft drik refills?.No way to cut out waitstaff.If I wanted to order by punching an automated system with my order I would just as soon eat at home.Min wage my arse, $2.38 hr, and tips.(which everyone shares equally at shift end) Communism at its finest.Same for PIZZA deliveries, you pay for the pie,then you tip the driver, and the Pizza chain charges the full wages + of each delivery persons cost to them ,PLUS mileage.IOW, order it, and come get it, or we screw you.We are out NOTHING for our enployees.
Applebee’s steps into the future to redefine and enhance the guest experience
Then who will be spitting in my food??
It's not the spit I worry about so much but the SHIT they put in the food before it even gets delivered.
It's GMmmmMmmmOoood.
Human to human interaction is becoming a thing of the past...
The illuminati are replacing human love with electronic gadgets...divide and conquer.
.
Soon we will all just be obese lifeless creatures carted around in a motorized wheelchair like in the animation movie 'Wall-E'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1BQPV-iCkU
Computer voice: 'Time for Lunch - in a cup!'
Human dystopia
Remember the movie The 5th Element?
In the airport was a robot bartender. when i saw it, I chuckled. Then I immediately thought: hey, that'll probably happen.
Same thing in Will Smiths I robot
They've had variations of these around for several years. I think the Japanese started making them to save money on alcohol because it doesn't make measurement mistakes.
http://hacknmod.com/hack/the-bar2d2-robotic-drink-mixer/
Robots do a better job at watering down the drinks.
Seriously there are more people concerned about your wait staff spitting in your food than the crap they use to produce the premade food. Maybe you should treat them a little nicer. I've never been concerned about it since I treat my server like a person instead of a slave.
Junk away assholes.
any of us who ever waited table can attest to the fact that there's no time, like feeding time, in the human zoo.
It also helps if you don't eat in Dutch restaurants, colonel. The older Dutch have been known to spit in the Germans' soup (just for old-time's sake).
OK I chuckled a little. I'm German by heritage but American by sound and appearance. I think I'm safe.
I can say that I've seen on more than one occasion where Americans claim to be Canadian when overseas. Imagine that! Probably because Canada isn't shitting all over the rest of the world.
Not any more. Say you're Canadian, and everyone thinks you're a fat, racist, crack-smoking, ass-grabbing, lying.. oh, wait, that's my mayor.
And your mayor hates natioanlized healthcare. I like your mayor.
Sorry, sometimes they defile the food for the sheer fun of it.
Years ago I heard of a co-worker who thought it would be funny to piss in a vat of chicken soup in the walk-in cooler. I didn't see him do it, but he was alittle pissant, so I gave it better than 50% odds he did.
Some people are just demented.
Seriously there are more people concerned about your wait staff spitting in your food than the crap they use to produce the premade food.
If I really want to taste a waitress' spit I can just date her.
There's an app for that.
Easy answer; workers of the world unite. No working class person go to Applebee's. Make it viral on the nets. make it happen. They can be touched; they feel it when their wallet gets hit. that's mainly whats missing today; solidarity; sense of purpose. "First they came and took the waiters, but I'm not a waiter---" uh. uh. No. Stop it right now.
Thanks Earl McManus!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNl8-7pDoNg
Sooo Applebees goes out of business (not that I care) and fires everyone. Brilliant.
it would be better for american society for them to go out of business.
what a gross misallocation of capital.
Oh please, enough with the drama. So a couple lousy chain restaurants/big dining corps are gonna install ipads at the tables.
Whoopdee fucking do! Still need people to sort out the details, deliver the plates and drinks and make the food/bev itself. Perhaps a few workers get trimmed but I reckon it will not have even that much of an impact on staff because of the nature through which this probably is taking place.
Let's examine, shall we? Do you really think that Applebees is laying out tons of cash to "improve on the guest's experience" 'cause THAT'S why people "dine" at Apllebees? No fucking way. Intel, Ipad, Apple, Pad Company X or whoever most likely CAME TO APPLEBEES with the gadget and the idea and best of all a huge fucking subsidy like "hey, we'll give you guys this shit for free so long as we get to shove our name on it, pack it full of games, demos, whatever and I guarandamntee you ADVERTISING! It will be like a liitle fucking TV right there in the booth! For the children! Yay!
Unlike probably 99% of the folks who log in at ZH, I actually DO work in the field and have for many, many years. I will give you a perefct example of tech in restaurants and how it can only change so much. Ever here of OpenTable? For those living in a cave it is an online reservation system for dining establishments. I was there when they first began to hawk them to restaurants. PRE-INTERNET no less. When you shelled out the $10,000 for the program back then there was not even the online booking option. They had a very, very long range plan but always sold it to the restaurants as a tool. The real benefit being the database of guests. Whereas in the past all the important details about one guest or another, a regular, a VIP, and special request was pretty much just a hand written note that hopefully got infront of the person who needed to see it, OpenTable sorted it all out, created a guest database, sorted all the bookings, etc. In a market as competitive as dining, servioce is what matters beacuse service is what brings people back. It changed everything.
Now the casual observer might ask, "wait, didn't some reservationists or managers become obsolete"? Actually my experience was the opposite. Even after online booking became the norm (and thus allowing guests to book table WITHOUT engaging a person) you still had typically MULTIPLE persons dealing with phones, booking, etc. 24/7 booking menat that even more activity occured that needed more human attention. Typically what onec was a 1 person job increased to 2-3 at higher end sites. Managers had more on which to focus. When I began 1 person would run the show. Nowadays it 2-3. The whole experience increased.
A short while before that POS (point of sale) systems came into the dining world. Everyone thought then as well it would lead to fewer waiters, etc. They are a tool with which to better run your restaurant. The data accumulated is absurd but it does lend to a more effecient system if used correctly.
There are already several counter-style establishments that use "pad" ordering. Same amount of folks making happen behind the counter more or less. Until the automat is ressurected that ain't gonna change. Perhaps instead of getting one's panties in a wad about the possibility of someone going the way of the gas station attendent (remember them? people used pump the gas for you, clean your windshield, AND check the oil if you asked!) and seeing this moment as time for the "workers of the world [to] unite", it might be advisable to direct that energy to something with just a wee bit more importance like, say, the criminal entity known as the government that does more in one millasecond to ruin lives, enslve, and kill people than ANY of the eveil corporations like Intel or Applebees have done through out the course of history.
Just sayin'
Next step will be you get your own food from the counter, drink from the machine, and pay using a card. Just like self checkout at the big chain stores.
In the not so distant future, many of your "problems" will be solved by smart phones.
The delivery, etc. problem could be solved by conveyor belts in place of tables. And if the place gets too crowded, the auto-manager could just speed up the belt.
Since it's 'Murika maybe they can just strap on the feedbag.
But but Mr. Eds feed bag is empty!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGZwmelwnBU
Coveyor belt sushi restaurants are popping up all over.
http://gizmodo.com/this-next-generation-conveyor-belt-sushi-restaurant-i...
Been to one in Commiefornia, except the conveyor belt was water and the sushi floated on little boats.
I ate at one of those back in the late 80s in Japan. Only sushi I ever tried. Not much of a fish eater lol.
tHANK YOU SO MUCH!
Applebees restaurants are not good for waitresses or eating at! You can keep it.
Another restaurant poised to go out of business. Last time I was there the food was bland.
Moar salt!
They already have these terminals at Red Robin. Cool technology but I still had to tip the girl 25% for bringing my food. Get rid of the servers and I'm on board.(except the ones with supple asses and nice tits)
What if we can just have the display on the terminals show some T&A while you wait?
Strip club food is the best. ..don't know why
Why did you feel the need to tip the person who simply delivered your food after you ordered it yourself from a terminal?
A waiter or waitress waits on your needs, refills your water, checks your table, asks if you want more of anything, fixes problems and explains any details you want to know about the food. If all of this is done well then a tip is justified.
But why would you tip at all if somebody just did a quick drop off of your order?
Because it's not fully operational yet. You can order a dessert or an extra drink and pay your bill, but the broad still plays the roll of waitress.
The Waiter Terminator is going to be a big hit. If I was a tech company I'd be all over this.
Sound device included for recording your conversation. Eat Shit Applebee's
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WJ6FbcWYRU
Morlocks......35
Eloi............ 0
We should really start to refer to them as such.
Time for Barry to unleash FastFood.gov.
That'd crash the eCONomy faster than anything else. Over pay, poor quality, and will cause your death....OH WAIT....
Next you'll be talking to someone in a country getting paid a $2/hour on a screen in the Philippines taking your order. They'll just have a couple of people overseeing the machines.
Seems like a golden opportunity to advance technology to perform the low-end jobs.
You don't need a human to take the order. Amazon and their ilk do fine without humans doing such mundane tasks. Humans are more suited to taking out the trash and giving the non-cyber (if they have one) boss blowjobs. Delivery trucks are soon to be drones. Now if you can only figure out how to dehumanize the customers as well . . .
Scarcity demands that the pitchforks come out.
I can't wait to push a bunch of buttons on one of those and order a whole bunch of crap then walk out.
Or just key the screen.
Dine and dash.
As soon as someone cracks the payment system, the new trend will be virtual dine-and-dash. Load up on the lobster tails and filet mignon, and you can leave at a leisurely pace without anyone running after you.
The money will be deducted from your account before the auto-preparation process even begins. No money in the account? Then Auto-Bruno ejects your useless-eater ass.
OK you got me again, I laughed at "Auto-Bruno".
First it reads your cel phone, records your voice, snaps a picture of you, takes a thermal image of your face for recog, traces your lineage, etc.
To activate the kiosk you must first swipe your card, and you will be video recorded keying the screen which likely has an NSA camera. Your best defense is to not go there at all. In fact start to frequent the Mom & Pop operations and leave the giants to feed off themselves. Still you get a TU for giving them the finger.
Good points.
I wouldn't really do it, too much of a Boy Scout, but I hate those damned machines.
I'll bet they take 15% gratuity as soon as you swipe your card and regardless of service level.
Still don't understand why I'm not offered a 10% discount at the "Self-Checkout" register.
No, I don't use those damn things either.
I wouldn't doubt they implement the minimum 15% tip in areas populated by blacks since they are such poor tippers.
You didn't order that food.
"I can't wait to push a bunch of buttons on one of those...'
I'd be afraid to touch the screen
"Tyeisha Batts, a 27-year-old employee at Burger King"
Just about sums it up.
wtf? you want she should be on welfare instead?
how dare you piss on somebody, anybody, working
hahahahahahah
How in the hell am I gonna short tip this thing?
Hey...They deserve a break today! http://shutupnsing.wordpress.com/2013/12/05/new-yorks-im-not-loving-it-thursday/
Customers save on TIPPING too!
TIP means To Insure Promptness.
Why do we all tip after the meal???
Then make your own grub you lazy fuck.
When I worked retail as a youth I had a store manager insist TIPS meant "To Insure Professional Service". This made sense as there are industries that receive TIPS but being "prompt" would not necessarily create a good customer experience.
I think the term "tip" goes back further than any acronym attributed to it. "To insure proper service" or whatver is gramatically incorrect anyway. The correct word would be "ensure." You aren't insuring your service.
Local convenience store WaWa has terminals to order food. It's spectacular! You can order exactly what you want and don't feel like a douche for ordering a custom sandwich. I may eat a sandwich from there once every few months and they have never screwed up the order.
First time I saw it was on the jersey shore (forgot which beach). It's a great thing and cuts down on stupid interaction fuckups
Since there's a massive oversupply of labor now partially due to open borders and a liberal immigration policy, wages will continue to sink. This is as true for IT techs as it is for fast food workers.
It's not due to open borders. It's due to massively excessive fucking. Very few people get in or out of Earth's gravity. It's a closed system just like it has been.
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CheapBastard wrote:
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This assessment is correct. And I amazed that so few Americans understand these comparatively simple facts. Unrestricted immigration is suppressing American wages at an appalling rate. Soon, most Americans will be either unemployed or working for minimum wage. It shall happen. Just wait a few more years.
-- Paul D. Bain
PaulBain@PObox.com
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I haven't been in a fast food shithouse in years so I could care less if these sub humans strike until the real cows come home. You reach a certain age and you just can't stomach this stuff.
You can raise the min wage to 15/hr and these dumb animals still couldn't make it for the simple reason - these are not - never were - never will be - living wage jobs. They are/were always intended to be transitional primarily for younger kids in the country and minority kids in the cities.
(except the ones with supple asses and nice tits)
Here, here. I always tip 20% as I used to wait tables and bartend in my U days.
Re; if these sub humans
WTF, so now the bottom 50% is sub-human? If the "job creators" don't provide job for bottom 50% what the hell are they supposed to do? SOMEBODY will always be below-average. The jobs the below average people used to do have been sent overseas (remember that guy making the giant sucking sound).
So, as a society we're supposed to piss on the remaining bottom 50%'ers and start calling them sub-human?
The iTouchables (kind of like the untouchables)?
As long as humans depend on Corporations for products and jobs, we will exist at their pleasure. Humans can produce their own products and services, market them electronically or locally, accept their preferred forms of exchange and set prices that are market friendly. We need neither government nor central banks nor companies to have enjoyable lives.
Breaking the bonds of slavery is as much a mental exercise as a physical one, but it is totally within our control.
Spot on Sean!
Another idiot that doesn't understand Cause and Effect.
Read a little Eddie Bernays to find out why and how you are motivated.
I'd love to... but there's this little voice in the back of my head that says I mustn't.
brew ur own beer or support the Craft beer movement....
fuck BMC (bud miller coors)
Excellent comment, I tip my hat to you Sir.