I already experienced this when in Japan about a year ago, at a couple of places even. The had a tablet like computer that was wired to the table, not like a security cable but power and probably communications. You selected from the menus, selected quantity (if you wanted more than one) and when you had went you want you pressed send. Then a little later waitstaff brought our food. Then if paying by card you could pay through the tablet thingie too ...though the first time it was really confusing.

I had also heard that a major chain (Applebee's, I think) was going to test a tablet like thing too.

To echo The Former Banker, Japan has lots of automation, and also a number of people doing tasks that we would consider unnecessary. Lots of greeters at businesses and museums.
And lots of ladies walking around the mall with a broom, and a dust bin.

Since there is no tipping, there is no incentive for wait staff to hover. Service is minimal.

OTOH, a lot of businesses doesn't take credit cards, and are essentially cash only.

If they do take credit cards, usually it is VISA.

The grocery stores in Japan probably have twice the staff that American grocery stores do. More checkers, more stockers, and more staff.

I have yet to see any kind of automated or self service check out at any grocery store in Japan, and I have been in dozens.

Banker, Chili's is experiementing with that here. The interesting bit is, they still have wait staff, and you can order the traditional way if you want, or you can order through the tablet at the table. So right now the wait staff is, in effect, having to compete with the automation. I'm guessing this is a test to gauge customer acceptance, and that if it's successful, most or all of the wait staff will be eliminated.

A word of caution to striking fast food workers

McDonalds recently went on a hiring binge in the U.S., adding 62,000 employees to its roster. The hiring picture doesn’t look quite so rosy for Europe, where the fast food chain is drafting 7,000 touch-screen kiosks to handle cashiering duties.

Europe is already doing it. The roboburger will also become more economically viable as the cost of employees rises.

Burger King's flame broiler system is almost already set to go for automation.

Remember: a 10% increase in minimum wages results in a 1% reduction in the number of those jobs. The current proposed increase is about 30%...

As for the automated check out, I generally like it. I scan my stuff, I bag it, swipe my card and I'm done and out the door. I particularly like the ones at Sam's, as they have a detachable bar code scanner and you don't actually have to remove items from your basket. Well, unless you have a lot of stuff.

The upside: I don't have to wait in line, I don't have to wait for the cashier and customer in front of me to stop gabbing, I don't have to wait for the person in front of me to get their SNAP card sorted out. I also don't have to talk to the cashier...

"Burger King's flame broiler system is almost already set to go for automation."

I vaguely recall that they actually tried something like that in the early '80s, but the technology wasn't quite up to it at the time. Pizza Hut would be another possibility, now that most of the stores have the conveyor-belt ovens and use pre-made crusts.

I do sincerely wonder how close we are to a point where because of automation, there just won't be as many jobs as there are people.

If we can have a fully functioning economy with 30% of people unemployed because robots can do their jobs better, what should we do?

Sure they'll be some more robot installers and repair men, bu I don't know if I actually believe that other opportunities will always and forever open up for huge masses of people.

1 in 7 orders wrong. I can unfortunately see that. Around here about half of the cashiers in food places are not native English speakers.

Our education system is too busy teaching students about social equity, class envy, and multiculturalism to bother teaching them skills usable in the job market.

Employing someone for a minimum wage job involves a crap shoot in hiring. You can't administer a test for literacy or numeracy, so you have to look for phony credentials, like a high school diploma - which more often than not was given for attendance.

A machine not only needs no bathroom breaks, workman's comp coverage, or EEOC protection - a machine doesn't show up hungover, cop an attitude, or demand validation of its life choices from its work.

What's more, customers have shown they can be trained to pump their own gas, bag their own groceries (even to supply their own bags), handle their own banking transactions, etc. - so much so that, in time, they'll come to prefer doing it themselves over dealing with employees.

If the only skill you bring to the table is sweeping a floor, you'd better be cheaper than a Roomba.

When I was in Italy last year the McDonald's we went in had automated order kiosks. I actually preferred it. Unless I have a large quantity of items I prefer self-checkout at stores too and by far prefer pumping my own gas (it's illegal in my state).

Pizza Hut would be another possibility, now that most of the stores have the conveyor-belt ovens and use pre-made crusts. -- Cousin Dave at May 7, 2014 7:19 AM

Pretty much all the major pizza chains have gone to the conveyors at this point. I can't quite see a way to automate the hundreds of topping configurations.

So with a Pizza Hut that is still a "restaurant" it really comes down to how much wait staff they have. It would be really easy to put an tablet on the wall that has a menu order system. Pick up your glasses from a counter person and then pick up your pizza the same way.

About all that would be left is cleaning the tables. I have problems seeing any manager paying $10.10 an hour for just that.

Then there is the insanity of congresswoman Barbara Lee expressed support for a $26 minimum wage in California. If I was a business owner in California I would be finding the fastest way to move to Texas or other business friendly state. Including breaking leases and contracts.

I have been trying to convince people of this for months. Raise the minimum wage and you WILL be replaced by a computer, where possible. I'm a beancounter, I'd know. It's the first thing I'd say to my boss.

Payroll is generally the largest component of a company's budget, and they're not going to spend any more than they have to.

"About all that would be left is cleaning the tables. I have problems seeing any manager paying $10.10 an hour for just that."

Based on my experience in the military, Table cleaning will become an extra duty of the manager, since they no longer need waiters or a cashier.

GOD I hate kiosks instead of customer service.