Restaurants going with e-waiters makes dinner even less social!

by Sarah J. Gim, Posted Mar 25th 2008 @ 7:30PM

With a recession in the US looming, restaurants are likely going to see some drop-off in their business, since people will be less inclined to treat themselves to lunches and dinners out. Still, that doesn't seem to stop restaurants from investing in new technology.

The new technology, which is being tested inin Europe, the United States, and Japan, allows customers to order their food directly from a screen at their table rather than a real, live waiter. Sounds like it would be expensive for these restaurants to install, but apparently, the technology is improving restaurant business by appealing to younger markets and cutting the cost of human resources. Later this Spring, Microsoft will roll out a technology that will transform an entire table so that diners can not only order their food, but play music and video games as well. At the table?

Gee, and here I thought we were making progress in The Delicious family by turning the TV off during dinner.

Source

Filed Under: Science, Business, Chefs & Restaurants, Restaurants
Tags: america, asia, dinner, e waiters, europe, lunch, microsoft, restaurants, technology

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

3-25-2008 @8:36PM rockphiler said... How much, exactly, do you tip an e-waiter, I wonder..?
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3-25-2008 @8:40PM sarah said... that, rockphiler, is a VERY good question. i guess it depends on whether the machine flirted with you or not.
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3-25-2008 @10:47PM Chris Barr said... At first glance I thought that guy was taking a wiz in some kind of future-urinal.
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3-25-2008 @11:19PM phantom.trollbooth said... I've wanted to see this for years.
Sure, in a high end restaurant you expect and will pay for good service. But in most dine and dash situations I find the wait staff to be more of a hindrance than a benefit.
I want to eat and get out, not wait for someone to take my order, screw it up, wait for them to drop the check, wait for them to come back with the CC slip, and I'm not looking for small talk.
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3-26-2008 @3:09AM ana said... i've actually been to a restaurant like this last year. it was pretty cool, we went for my youngest brother's 8th birthday. there were games on the screens for all of us to play together as well as involving people at other tables (truth or dare type stuff, like "turn around to the person at the table behind you and introduce yourself as the king of france" and silly things of the sort). it was really social and fun for the family
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